Conduct Unbecoming

Plot synopsis:
Around 1880, two young British officers arrive to join a regiment in India. One, Lieutenant Drake (Michael York), from a middle-class background, is extremely eager to make the right impression while the other, Lieutenant Millington (James Faulkner), the son of a General, is keen to get out as soon as possible and deliberately antagonises his fellow-officers. The two newcomers learn the traditions of the regiment, one of which is a mess game in which they chase a wooden pig on wheels, attempting to pierce its anus with their swords.
Mrs Scarlett (Susannah York), the young and attractive widow of a captain who was awarded a posthumous Victoria Cross, is a constant presence in the regiment. She does not behave in the manner expected of a hero's widow, flirting openly with soldiers she finds attractive. One night at a mess dance Millington gets drunk and in the garden tries to seduce Mrs Scarlett. She repels him, but moments later runs back into the mess wounded and in shock, claiming the culprit was Millington. An informal court martial is convened in secret, with Drake ordered to be Millington's defending officer. Millington sees the proceedings as a convenient charade, allowing him to be sent home quietly. Drake is torn between putting on the best defence he can and advancing his own career by abiding with the wishes of the regiment's commanders to quickly and quietly have Millington found guilty.
Ultimately, instead of the immediate guilty plea which is expected of him, Drake begins to challenge the evidence and to confront witnesses, including Mrs Scarlett. Despite repeated browbeating and threats from his superiors, he probes into the exact nature of the attack on her and its resulting injuries. It becomes increasingly clear that somebody else had attacked Mrs Scarlett with a sword, in the same manner in which the pig on wheels is attacked in the mess game, after she had repulsed the unarmed Millington.
However, to clear Millington completely the real assailant must be found. Drake learns from an Indian servant that another widow suffered a similar attack with a sword six months earlier, before he and Millington joined. Mrs Scarlett, who to date has not told the truth, admits to the enquiry that her harrowing experience was very like that of the other widow. But she still will not say who is to blame. One officer knows who the culprit is and, hiding Drake in the shadows so he may witness what is to take place, confronts the guilty man privately. After confessing his crimes and their motivation, the guilty man shoots himself. Millington, now indisputably proved innocent, is welcomed back by his brother officers; but Drake, who has antagonised everybody and is disgusted by the truth he uncovered, resigns.

Tags: suspenseful, prank, storytelling, flashback

Review:
Definitely Underrated Film.
"Conduct Unbecoming" is a sort of thriller settled in a British regiment in colonial India.
The widow of a heroic officer is assaulted by an unrevealed comrade in arms and an investigation takes place.In my opinion, though not a classic and not even perhaps a great movie, this film is a most interesting product for those of us who enjoy "who did it?" movies.
It takes place in a most original environment and its substance increases with subjects like military honor, loyalty, camaraderie and cowardice.The cast is perfect and another highlight in the film with very convincing performances from Trevor Howard (as usual), Cristopher Plummer, Richard Attenborough, Michael York, Susanah York and always reliable James Donald in a minor role.I'm sure that with a more imaginative and strong director than Michael Anderson (Stanley Kubrick, John Frankenheimer just to name a couple), this could have been a great film, nearly a classic).But nonetheless, "Conduct Unbecoming" stands as a fine piece of entertainment in its genre and surely is worth a watch..
Very worthwhile!.
Certainly excellent acting by an excellent cast.
Its only boring if you don't understand the time, place and principles.
This is hard to do in the 21st century.
Honor, loyalty and comradeship are rare commodities today, not really highly valued or understood.
That makes this film all the more worth watching and pondering.
To be a common man in a position of such infallibility is beyond imagination today, but such were the colonial British in the Victorian era.
I find this story absolutely fascinating and Stacy Keatch's performance as the only American in the film one of his best.
Acting, writing, directing and beautiful color, I loved it.
I'm grateful its finally on DVD..
What my family would call 'a real it's-him'.
If you're familiar with Fametracker and its 'Hey!
It's that guy!' feature, you'll understand what I mean by an 'it's-him'.
It's when you watch a film and all the way through you're pointing at second banana actors going 'Oh look, it's him'.
One of the pleasures of this film is trying to work out exactly why so-and-so's face is familiar and then realising it's Prior Robert from TVs Cadfael, or something similar.I read the play Conduct Unbecoming at school, and while this film does not go quite as deeply into the themes it throws up, ie moral bankruptcy in the British Raj/army and macho values in general, it remains a well-made, well acted period drama redolent of the distinctive spirit of the period.Then again, I could be biased because I find Milington so dishy (he played Herod Agrippa in I, Claudius, in case you're stumped!).
Great Acting Gone to Waste.
What do you call a tedious courtroom drama with a shallow bottom but filled with fine acting?
"Conduct Unbecoming".
A stilted and wordy play stuffed full of fine actors, who do their stuff really well.
If you like things "full of sound and fury, signifying nothing", this movie's for you..
Pompous asses on display .....................
Despite a high power cast that includes Michael York, Stacy Keach, Richard Atenborough, and Christopher Plummer, "Conduct Unbecoming" never really rises above mediocrity.
All decisions seem to be governed by a false sense of honor and everyone is so pompous, there are few likable characters.
The story is totally unbelievable, losing credibility with each scene.
The conclusion especially comes out of nowhere.
Despite the widescreen treatment, most scenes are claustrophobic interior shots, with men in red uniforms sitting around tables.
There really is little to like here, other than the stellar cast, which is badly wasted because of the weak script.
- MERK.
A forgotten film..
I saw this film when I was 12 years old, I was besotted with Michael York (still am) and an elderly aunt took me to the cinema.
We both enjoyed it although, she admitted she was not sure how much of it I could understand regarding what happened to Mrs Scarlett.
It has never, in the near 40 years since it's release it has, to my knowledge, never been on British TV.
It is much better than many films they do show, especially from that era of British films in the 1970's and it was only by buying the DVD I was able to see it again after such a long time.
I was not disappointed either, yes, it is basically a stage play that has been filmed, but, the performances are excellent all around.
Stacy Keach pulls off one of the best British accents by an American actor.
It drew me in and held my attention throughout, sadly, the very end is done weakly, but, that is a small complaint.
Time for it to be shown on TV methinks