They called him King
| Movie | |
|---|---|
| German title | They called him King |
| Original title | King Council |
| Country of production | United States |
| original language | English |
| Publishing year | 1965 |
| length | 134 minutes |
| Age rating | FSK 16 |
| Rod | |
| Director | Bryan Forbes |
| script | Bryan Forbes |
| production | James Woolf |
| music | John Barry |
| camera | Burnett Guffey |
| cut | Walter Thompson |
| occupation | |
| |
They called him King, is an American war film from 1965. The screenplay is based on the novel The Rat King by James Clavell .
action
Shortly before the end of World War II, 10,000 Americans, British and Australians are in a Japanese prisoner-of-war camp in Singapore . One of them is the cynical US Corporal King who oversees the camp's black market . Most of the inmates are emaciated and sick. King, on the other hand, is healthy and well-fed. He hunts rats, roasts them and sells the meat to his fellow prisoners.
King's friend, British Air Force Lieutenant Marlowe, speaks Malay and can thus communicate with the bribed guards. King saves Marlowe's life by buying stolen antibiotics at a high price. King's biggest opponent, however, is Lieutenant Gray, who sees King's behavior as immoral. Frustrated, Gray has to admit that he is unable to stop King's black market trade.
When the prisoners are released by the Japanese at the end of the war, King and Marlowe part ways. King doesn't want friendship with the British, as there is no longer any camp life whose rules he can make.
criticism
The lexicon of international films writes about the film: “The film, which, based on the novel“ Rattenkönig ”by James Clavell, identifies ethical norms as only relative values, is characterized by intensive character studies, psychological sensitivity and atmospherically dense direction. An exciting Hollywood drama that was fanned out into many episodes. "
Bosley Crowther of the New York Times described the film as yet another dark and mangling drama from a prison camp. The film is a strong evocation not to become a prisoner of war yourself.
The Protestant film observer drew the following conclusion: “The young British director Bryan Forbes made a film with a remarkable intensity of milieu portrayal. The truthfulness is admittedly impaired by friendly retouching of the unsympathetic main character. Still worth seeing. "
Awards
In 1966 Burnett Guffey was nominated for an Oscar in the category of best camera (b / w) and Frank Tuttle and Robert Emmet Smith in the category of best production design (b / w) .
Another nomination was for director Bryan Forbes. He was nominated for the United Nations Award at the British Film Academy Awards .
background
- The Columbia Pictures production premiered on October 27, 1965. In Germany the film was released on January 28, 1966.
- In small supporting roles are u. a. to see: Richard Dawson as Captain Weaver ; and Edward Ashley as Prouty .
Web links
- King Rat in the Internet Movie Database (English)
Individual evidence
- ↑ They called him King. In: Lexicon of International Films . Film Service , accessed January 16, 2011 .
- ↑ Critique of the New York Times (Eng.)
- ↑ Evangelischer Presseverband München, Review No. 70/1966