This film didn't do it for me in the Seventies and thirty years later it still doesn't

Rating: 5/10 (4 March 2010)

I didn't like this film much when I watched it for the first time and I have to be honest and say that I have watched a few times since and it hasn't improved with age. It is not a bad film but then again it is not a good film either. For me the film is stitched together like a modern day Frankenstein and does not work on any level save one. It works reasonably well as an anti war propaganda creation but then I have seen better. The cast and crew must have been professional enough to work on this job and probably tried their best to produce a really classy film. Unfortunately the end result is not good. On more than one occasion I fell asleep while watching the film and not only during the extended wedding footage. The film just doesn't do it for me and I doubt it ever will. If I was on a podium my message would be that war disrupts everything, is completely and utterly pointless, millions of people die or are maimed for life and then those who are left have to rebuild again and the poor are still poor; the tragic consequences are the poor have probably lost what little they had and the well off survive like they always have throughout history. Whether I am wrong or right doesn't matter but if I was speaking for too long the message loses its power and this film is far too long and self indulgent and by the end I was glad it had finished. I have no doubt that my comments will be waved away as some loony person from across the pond but like I have said before its only my 'two cents' opinion and opinion is all. I would however recommend anyone watch this film just make sure you have legal stimulants available or have someone you know well keep you awake.