The Long and the Short and the Tall
Willis Hall's play was the inspiration for this film. A squad of British soldiers is out in the bush recording jungle and troop noises so that the recordings can be played back by other forces to confuse the enemy. As they move closer to base camp, they find themselves increasingly out of radio range, until the only channel they can hear well is a Japanese broadcast. They now know they're only 10 to 15 kilometers from a Japanese camp! Private Bamforth, a raucous and publicly avowed "non-hero" who has nothing positive to say about anyone, particularly Corporal Johnstone, heightens the tension (who holds an equal dislike for Bamforth). When they take a Japanese soldier as a prisoner, each man's real colors emerge.
Released: 1961-02-28