The Hill

[Captain Oates]

The region 1 release of this film from Warner Brothers is now available and I can report is an excellent 16:9 anamorphic presentation, which puts the ghastly print used for recent screenings on TCM to shame. There is a vintage featurette but no commentaries (Connery and Lumet would have been interesting...).



This is potentially one of the most despairing and brutal films ever made, yet strangely compulsive. The ensemble approach to acting - Connery subsumes any urge to make this a star vehicle - is a real joy (although 'joy' isn't exactly what the viewer will feel). American Lumet gets right inside the harsh underbelly of the British Army to expose the sadism, bullying and power struggles at NCO level.







See

Amazon.com: The Hill: Movies & TV: Sean Connery,Harry Andrews,Ian Bannen,Alfred Lynch,Ossie Davis,Roy Kinnear,Jack Watson,Ian Hendry,Michael Redgrave,Norman Bird,Neil McCarthy,Howard Goorney,Tony Caunter,Sidney Lumet

[kelp]

I think HARRY ANDREWS albut steals the show. An excellent film.

[Moor Larkin]

name='Captain Oates'] Connery subsumes any urge to make this a star vehicle

Connery pretty much detested the star sort of thing didn't he? That's mainly why he resigned the secret service in the first place and wore a nappy on the planet Zardoz, I think.

name='Captain Oates'] American Lumet gets right inside the harsh underbelly of the British Army to expose the sadism, bullying and power struggles at NCO level.

Like he'd know all about it....... not........ My old man was an NCO just after the war and he laughs at stuff like the harsh underbelly of the British Army to expose the sadism, bullying.



He thought 'The Hill' was great film though.........

[christoph404]

Part of Connery's deal to return as 007 in "Diamonds Are Forever" was that United Artists should finance two films of his choice. "The Hill" was one, the other was to a be a version of "Macbeth" but that was cancelled when Polanski completed and released his film. As for brutality, bullying etc in the British Army, well we've seen the photos, film clips and regular news stories that would suggest there is a tradition of this sort of thing albeit carried out by a minority, I would imagine it is the same in all armed forces throughout the world, there is always a few bad apples in the barrel, abusing positions of power seems to be a human trait regardless of occupation. Connnery collaborates again with Lumet for "The Offence" where we are treated to a little insight into Police brutality! Cheery stuff for sure!

[Mr Cosmo]

Not sure that's right as Connery made YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE after THE HILL. I thought the film they financed was THE OFFENCE which was possibly Sean Connery's best ever performance.

[batman]

name='Mr Cosmo']Not sure that's right as Connery made YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE after THE HILL. I thought the film they financed was THE OFFENCE which was possibly Sean Connery's best ever performance.

The Offence was the film made as part of the DAF deal.



Bats.

[Steve Crook]

name='Moor Larkin']Like he'd know all about it....... not........ My old man was an NCO just after the war and he laughs at stuff like the harsh underbelly of the British Army to expose the sadism, bullying.

Tell him to check out what went on at Deepcut barracks

I'm not saying that was the norm. Far from it I hope. But it can happen



Steve

[Steve Crook]

name='batman']The Offence was the film made as part of the DAF deal.



Bats.

They were sponsored by a Dutch truck manufacturers?



Steve

[batman]

name='Steve Crook']They were sponsored by a Dutch truck manufacturers?



Steve

... no, the Diamonds Are Forever deal.



Bats.

[ShirlGirl]

Don't be daft, Steve!

[Captain Oates]

My father was in the army during WWII and several things he told me do support the authenticity of The Hill: MPs were universally hated, primarily because they didn't do anything dangerous. "They'd run a mile the moment a shell burst" he said. A friend of his was charged and spent a week in the glasshouse and emerged with all his kit scrubbed white, which he'd been forced to do each day with a toothbrush. In The Hill, the webbing of two men being discharged at the beginning are authentically over-whitenened. All MPs were started as NCOs and so were always one rank (and pay grade) above men starting in other units.

[batman]

name='ShirlGirl']Don't be daft, Steve!

Perhaps it was a humberling experience for him.



Bats.

[Nick Dando]

Don't Dodge the Isuzu. If you don't stop it, I'll get Crossley!



Nick

[Moor Larkin]

name='christoph404'] Connnery collaborates again with Lumet for "The Offence" where we are treated to a little insight into Police brutality!

Maybe Lumet should have collaborated with Diane Cilento. Drama often deals with extremes not the typical.........

name='Steve Crook'] But it can happen

I expect it's all reported in the Daily Mail and is just hyped up by the press.......

name='Captain Oates'] All MPs were started as NCOs

And presumably all NCO's started as Privates. All coppers are bastards, it's a well-known British fact.......

[christoph404]

name='Mr Cosmo']Not sure that's right as Connery made YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE after THE HILL. I thought the film they financed was THE OFFENCE which was possibly Sean Connery's best ever performance.

Yes, you and Bats are quite right, it was "The Offence" that was part of the "Diamonds are Forever" deal, I was getting my Hills and Offences mixed up with my Lumets.....sorry about that!

[batman]

name='christoph404']Yes, you and Bats are quite right, it was "The Offence" that was part of the "Diamonds are Forever" deal, I was getting my Hills and Offences mixed up with my Lumets.....sorry about that!

No offence taken ...



Bats.

[Steve Crook]

[quote]name='Moor Larkin;116433]Re: Deepcut barracks

name='Steve Crook'] But it can happen[/quote'] I expect it's all reported in the Daily Mail and is just hyped up by the press.......

Au contraire. It's a real event where young soldiers were killed or driven to suicide by bullying. But there are no celebrities involved so I doubt you'll find mention of it in the popular press



Steve

[Harleybloke]

My Grandfather enlisted at 15 in 1914. Wounded twice, he made it through the war.



In his twilight years we were sitting in a pub in Finchley, he told me of a morning one late winter. His regiment had fallen out against a cutting, knackered, cold, grateful to be out of the line. Then, a group approached from one side. A Tommy being led to his firing squad the other side of the cutting. Their eyes met. My Grandfather never forgot that moment.



Just be grateful we'll never ever have to be there...............

[Moor Larkin]

name='Steve Crook']I doubt you'll find mention of it in the popular press

Au, au, au, it's magic!

'Foul abuse at Deepcut' | the Daily Mail



I recall when the reality show "Lads Army" was on in 2002, my son and I watched it with great delight. When I next saw my old man I brought it up, thinking it would have taken him back to 'the old days'.



To my surprise he said, yes, he had watched the first one but had not bothered since because it was a 'load of tripe'. I argued saying, but surely all the painting coal white and carrying shells on your back around the parade square and having the sergeant's spittle flying in your face was what happened to every new recruit as their spirit was ground out of them by the NCOgres....... (well, I didn't get that flowery but....). He stuck by his guns and said it was a ridiculous parody of what went on.



I left the old soldier to his memories....... Nobody ever believes what old soldiers say anyhow.

[Steve Crook]

name='Moor Larkin']Au, au, au, it's magic!

'Foul abuse at Deepcut' | the Daily Mail

What a surprise, the Daily Hate Mail has got hold of the wrong end of the stick and is reporting the wrong story



It's not a case of the 4 recruits just being "bullied to death".

There are strong suspicions that at least one of them was murdered. The bullying that went on there is almost a sideline to some of the more serious events



Steve