Yesterday's Enemy main backdrop
Yesterday's Enemy main poster

Yesterday's Enemy

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7.2/10 • 37

1959-09-101h 35m

WarDrama

War Is Hell!

Set during the Burma Campaign of World War 2, this is the story of courage and endurance of the soldiers struggling at close quarters against the enemy. The film examines the moral dilemmas ordinary men face during war, when the definitions of acceptable military action and insupportable brutality become blurred and distorted.

Directors
Val Guest
Editors
Alfred Cox

Top Billed Cast

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  1. Stanley Baker

    Stanley Baker

    Captain Langford

  2. Guy Rolfe

    Guy Rolfe

    Padre

  3. Leo McKern

    Leo McKern

    Max

  4. Gordon Jackson

    Gordon Jackson

    Sgt. MacKenzie

  5. David Oxley

    David Oxley

    Doctor

  6. Richard Pasco

    Richard Pasco

    2nd Lieutenant Hastings

  7. Philip Ahn

    Philip Ahn

    Yamazuki

  8. Bryan Forbes

    Bryan Forbes

    Dawson

  9. Wolfe Morris

    Wolfe Morris

    The Informer

Reviews1

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John Chard Avatar

John Chard

Mar 28, 2015

9/10

Stunning! "When You Go home, Tell Them Of Us And Say, For Your Tomorrow, We Gave Our Today" There's a school of thought in film world that all war films are anti-war films, some, however, are the definition of such and are cream of the crop. Yesterday's Enemy is one such picture. Out of Hammer Films, it's directed by Val Guest and written by Peter R. Newman. It stars Stanley Baker, Gordon Jackson, Guy Rolfe, Leo McKern and Philip Ahn. Story has the surviving members of a British Army Brigade holing up in a Burmese jungle village, where Captain Langford (Baker) happens upon a map that could prove critical to operations involving the Japanese forces in the area. Unable to get clarity from a potential traitor, Langford must make decisions that will outrage those in his quarters, but could well be for the greater good of the war effort. All while the Japanese are advancing on the village. There is no music here, this is purely a sweaty black and white piece that booms with literary class. These men caught in a claustrophobic crossfire of moral quandaries, faiths and life altering judgements. Complex issues are brilliantly handled by Guest and his superb cast, with ace cinematographer Arthur Grant (shooting in MegaScope) completely making a mockery of the stage bound production to make real a Burmese jungle village. Come the sobering finale the realisation dawns that this was a bold movie for its time, pushing the boundaries of 1950s war movies. It's a must see film for anyone interested in the real side of that famous saying, war is indeed hell. 9/10

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  • Yesterday's Enemy poster
  • Yesterday's Enemy poster
  • Yesterday's Enemy poster
  • Yesterday's Enemy poster

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Status
Released
Original Language
English
Budget
--
Revenue
--
Keywords
armywar correspondentworld war iiburmajungleinformantbritish soldierfiring squadanti warjapanese army