Cadets shoot boy dead in mock execution

[Odeon68]

Hello, this is my first-ever post on here and I am very impressed with the wide range of knowledge on here.


I am going through a sort of mid-life crisis, exorcizing the ghosts of my childhood memories, revisiting films I haven't been able to locate since childhood.

So far I've recently revisited early Hammer piece THE SNORKEL with it's unforgettable ending, and also the harrowing ending to Barbara Stanwyck vehicle SORRY WRONG NUMBER: both of these productions proved as powerful as when I first encountered them, over 40 years ago.



This forum seems the best to track down British entries, and there is a very memorable UK film I am keen to track down [at least I'm pretty sure it's British, but memory can sometimes warp things] :



This film looked 1950s, mostly shot on real locations, and very gritty-looking. There was an overall sense of cruelty and unwholesomeness throughout, but it was still a worthy piece: It centred around young Army cadets, wearing uniforms and berets etc, they looked typical teen actors.


Scenes included:


near the beginning, some young lads [not soldier types] let a cat out of a sack and they chase it relentlessly---there may have been bikes involved. The terrified cat leaps to it's death over some perilously high cliffs.



A 'weedy' cadet wearing glasses is humiliated by some of his cadet peers, and is thrown into a swamp-like ditch, which he emerges from, dejected. caked in mud and despondant.



The most memorable scene/sequence: some of the sadistic cadets plot to 'execute' one of their own kind, in a mock kangaroo-court -like firing squad scenario......they intend only frightening him by using blanks, but somehow the blanks have been replaced with live rounds, resulting in the unfortunate young cadet's death, which they seem to regret. The victim was blindfolded and this sequence was probably the emotional highpoint of the film.

Some of the scenes were shot in and around derelict-looking botanic garden-like locations.




I apologize if this film has already been covered on here, and here's hoping someone can help me locate this film, which I haven't came accross in over 40 years-----I saw this twice I think [on late-night TV] when I was very young.

[MrT]

I think this is the 1963 film "Reach for glory" directed by Philip Leacock.

MrT

[CaptainWaggett]

I think this is the 1963 film "Reach for glory" directed by Philip Leacock.

MrT

Remade by the CFU as The Custard Boys. The writer of the original novel, John Rae, appeared in both versions. He was the headmaster of Westminster School and used to be on Radio 4 all the time in the 80s.

[Odeon68]

Thanks so much, Mr T and Captain! I've checked youtube--nothing---but the info on IMDB does indeed appear to confirm this is the movie I am seeking......notes have been taken! I will endeavour to locate an online download, although my PC protection anti-virus provider usually discourages this......

[Heinrich]

I think this is the 1963 film "Reach for glory" directed by Philip Leacock.

[Odeon68]

yes, this is the film for sure, Heinrich! The derelict building overflowing with plants seen in your last screengrab was the boy's gang-hut, I think....it was a very powerful film in my view, and others over on IMDB seem to agree with me.....I am now on a quest to track this film down; at the very least, there are reasonable copies available unofficially.

I have never laid eyes on this film since the old b/w three-channel days---for some reason, it never seemed to resurface on TV at all that I noticed, after the late 60s/very early 70s. I am glad to at least have got a lead on this, though----much gratitude to you all!