Review of The Night of the Generals (1967) by Gero M — 14 Nov 2012

This movie was available to see on BBC iPlayer so, as usual, I checked other viewers' reviews to see if it was worth watching. The reviews were wildly enthusiastic so I watched it but it was so bad I wonder what movie those other people were raving about.

Reading the cast list, I licked my lips. But none of the actors had anything to do in this movie. They all sleep-walk through it giving what must be the most unmemorable performances of their lives. What a waste of talented actors! Peter O'Toole plays 'mad' like a complete ham - I was embarrassed to watch him. Omar Sharif talks his lines instead of acting them. Donald Pleasence gives us his usual stuff which we have seen time and time again in all his movies. Tom Courtenay just looks bilious and bored whether he is supposed to be in love, framed for murder or engaged in office routine. I can't even recall the actresses they were so bad. Oh, and, Christopher Plummer has a blink-and-you'll-miss-it scene before being blown up.

The plot synopsis sounds like it could have been a fascinating psychological thriller but the reality is as dull as ditch-water - neither thrills nor psychological insight. All the characters are presented in the same two-dimensions, there is no reason to care about any of them, and I just spent my time wishing them to finish sleep-walking through each scene and get it over with. The war, the conspiracy, the murders, the family drama, the 'love interest' should have provided something to hook my attention but not one of these not-quite inter-woven strands of the movie was even competently presented. The script makes you wince. The camera work is leaden. The director has no finesse al all.

I only managed to stay awake through the apparently eternal duration of this film by making dinner and playing on the floor with my budgie while this movie droned on in the background. I gave it one star because I did not in the end gnaw off my own feet but believe me that was only because I had eaten dinner and couldn't face another bite. This is one of those movies that should have been drowned at birth and by the looks of it probably was. Avoid this water-sodden corpse and do yourself a favour.