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Amazon.co.uk Review
War is hell, but it can bring out the best in the unlikeliest of men. Sword of Honour, a splendid British miniseries, is based on the semi-autobiographical novel by Evelyn Waugh. Waugh's alter ego in the film, Guy Crouchback, played with gravitas, fortitude, and a wee bit of vulnerability by a pre-James Bond Daniel Craig, joins the World War II effort as an older soldier because he feels a pure calling to fight evil. And fight he does, though the realities of war and army life are ultimately revealed to him in all their venality and haphazardness. The film sweeps across Europe, from pre-war England--where life for the upper crust is all crisp linen, martinis, and a fierce denial of the notion that the British Empire is, in fact, doomed--to Capt. Crouchback's missions in Vichy France, an utterly destroyed Crete, Egypt, and more. All the while, Crouchback fights his own demons along with the Nazis; his alluring ex-wife, Virginia (played with sultry sensuality by the American actress Megan Dodds, so memorable in the British series MI-5), to whom Crouchback is undeniably still drawn. The action and production values are topnotch, as is the ensemble cast. But the key is Craig, whose world-weary demeanor only barely masks the needs of a soldier--and a man--who is all too human. His performance is soul-stirring, and even those who think they aren't war-film fans will be captivated by the layered storytelling here. Extras include cast filmographies and a biography of Waugh. --A.T. Hurley
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Any attempt to condense the Sword of Honour trilogy into one lengthy film (although I think it was shown originally as a two-parter?) was bound to be flawed.
And it is. The books themselves start off more comic in tone (Men at Arms) and become more tragic and cynical during Officers and Gentlemen and Unconditional Surrender. This probably reflects Waughs own state of mind which became increasingly bitter as his health deteriorated (see Selina Hastings' excellent biography)
However the film never quite knows where it is and tries to be funny and tragic at the same time (not easy) and fails in general.
It must be said that Daniel Craig does a good job, but Trimmer and Ritchie-Hook in particular are miscast. The portrayal of Apthorpe was also a big minus and not at all like Men at Arms.
The Crete section is well handled and stops me giving only two stars.
However this would have been better adapted as a six part series like Brideshead, and it often seems rushed an sketchy as a result, with key characters popping up and then disappearing 35 minutes later.
My advice to anyone who has watched this and not read the books would be (predicatably) to read the books!
And it is. The books themselves start off more comic in tone (Men at Arms) and become more tragic and cynical during Officers and Gentlemen and Unconditional Surrender. This probably reflects Waughs own state of mind which became increasingly bitter as his health deteriorated (see Selina Hastings' excellent biography)
However the film never quite knows where it is and tries to be funny and tragic at the same time (not easy) and fails in general.
It must be said that Daniel Craig does a good job, but Trimmer and Ritchie-Hook in particular are miscast. The portrayal of Apthorpe was also a big minus and not at all like Men at Arms.
The Crete section is well handled and stops me giving only two stars.
However this would have been better adapted as a six part series like Brideshead, and it often seems rushed an sketchy as a result, with key characters popping up and then disappearing 35 minutes later.
My advice to anyone who has watched this and not read the books would be (predicatably) to read the books!
24 of 27 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Anyone who tries to adapt any novel for film or television is going to have to make some sacrifices and changes in order to make their version worth watching. In this sense William Boyd does an excellent job cutting down peripheral characters and storylines. What we are left with is a story about heroism, very different heroes, against a backdrop of the imcompetence on a grand scale of the British army of 1939-1945. Perhaps most vividly some excellent dramatisations of the evacuation of Crete, an often forgotten episode of the war.
Crouchback, the main character, begins the story idealistic at the prospect of conflict, though not in a jingoistic sense, rather Crouchback hopes the war will provide a chance to prove himself on a personal level. He is inspired by Ivor Clare, a dashing guardsman who is awarded the Military Cross at Dunkirk, although he is not all he seems. Trimmer, an oppourtunistic idler, is certainly not a hero, though is seized upon by the propaganda machine as an honest British peoples hero, and his image is cultivated in the press. Finally Ricthie Hook, is certainly brave enough to be a hero but comes accross as ultimately a tragic figure, only good for the business of soldiering.
The character of Apthorpe is very different to the Apthorpe in the book, yet is exceptionally played and provides much of the stories black humour. Naval experts may notice the Royal Navy type 22 frigate, probably launched late 1970's early 1980's used in one scene, but this is only minor - one for the ship spotters! I disagree with the other reviewer, i feel the atmosphere of wartime London was evoked quite well, and anyway only a few scenes are set in England, so I don't consider this especially important.
All in all worth a look
14 of 16 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
A terrific piece of television drama. Very old school in that insight and compassion naturally reveal themselves through superbly crafted characterisations and dialogue. The budget may have been a bit tight, the producers have at times clearly had to skimp particularly on the war-time effects but this is not a grand spectacle Hollywood style blockbuster so it matters little. The unfolding human dramas are played out with subtly and authority. There is a real sense of individuals caught up in the sweep of history, making difficult choices and often finding themselves the victim of absurdity or pernicious circumstance and it is very moving. Yet this is not a grim work, there is somethng uplifting here - a sense of wonderment at life in all its rich complexity. There is no two dimensionality but a rounded sense of what the experience of life actually is, difficult but deeply precious.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
And Yet It Moves
"Sword of Honour,"is a British television serial, a World War II costume historical drama that was a 2001 TalkBack production for Britain's adventurous BBC Channel 4. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Stephanie DePue
Well worth watching!
I've seen a lot of flicks about soldiering ove the past 70 years.I'd rate this movie as being one of the best.A compelling.believable watch from beginning to end. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Dr.Trevor
a catholic at war
Evelyn Waugh's trilogy cannot be condensed to this degree without losing much of the flavour of the books. Nevertheless this is a credible attempt. Read more
Published 12 months ago by P. C. Reynell
A great production
This 2001 Talkback production for Channel 4 is an example of great television drama that sadly is becoming increasingly rare outside the BBC channels. Read more
Published 17 months ago by Hywel James
Sword of Honour
This film is good, and is nearly brilliant. Much of the spirit of Evelyn Waugh's trilogy is caught, and is caught well. Read more
Published 21 months ago by Antisthenes
Double-Edged
I really enjoyed this fine drama, based on the work of Evelyn Waugh, which follows the lives of people caught up in the large-scale dislocation of the Second World War. Read more
Published on 7 May 2010 by Ian Millard
many Bright Spots!
I wish people would stop comparing the book of the same name with a TV series or film of the same name. Each should be judged in its' own right. Read more
Published on 1 Jan 2010 by R.Lawrence
Brilliant! Many bright spots!
I wish people would stop comparing the book of the same name with a TV series or film of the same name. Each should be judged in its' own right. Read more
Published on 1 Jan 2010 by R.Lawrence
More sympathetic than the book
Sword of Honour is a great book, worth reading in its own right, and the TV series follows it quite faithfully. Read more
Published on 31 Dec 2009 by mad_mushroom
satirical review of author's wartime experiences
A satirical approach of the author's wartime experiences reflecting on the decline of chivalry and tradition culminating in a chaotic modern world. Read more
Published on 12 Oct 2009 by Dawn Boakes
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