"Tunes of Glory" on Turner Classic Movies, Jan. 28, 2000 ET

[Jed]

I first watched this movie in my 20's and then watched a part of it a few days ago. It is amazing how one's perspective changes as you get older. My first viewing left a indelible impression on me with respect to the character of true soldiers, now I find it was too depressing to watch to the end of the movie.

 

[Edward Campbell]

I'm with Old Sweat; it is a a good, dark drama - a tightly drawn character study (often with too little attention being given to the characters of Maj Charlie Scott and Capt Jimmie Cairnes). I've watched it several times because it's film about very human failings, not about soldiers and soldiering. Kennaway simply used his own experiences in the immediate post-war army to compose a really fine tragedy.

 

[Blackadder1916]

I'm with Old Sweat; it is a a good, dark drama - a tightly drawn character study (often with too little attention being given to the characters of Maj Charlie Scott and Capt Jimmie Cairnes). I've watched it several times because it's film about very human failings, not about soldiers and soldiering. Kennaway simply used his own experiences in the immediate post-war army to compose a really fine tragedy.

It's because it's about human failings that makes it a "good, dark drama" about soldiers.  Too often (even back when this film was made), stories about soldiers and soldiering are peopled with caricatures who must be either good or bad and have little depth of personality, however, soldiers are rarely one dimensional.  It is the exploration of the baser natures of these soldiers that had, in many years past, made it a favourite selection of mine for officer leadership development periods.  It was especially useful in stimulating discussion about the integration of officers commissioned from the ranks, who, in my branch back then, were plentiful.

I do agree that the characters of Maj Scott and Capt Cairnes could have been explored more.  It is interesting that Kennaway served in the same regiment (though different battalions?) as George MacDonald Fraser - was there something about the Gordon Highlanders that compelled two of its former subalterns to pen such engrossing (though very different) fictionalized tales about the nature of their regiment.  What would have happened if Jock Sinclair had met McAuslan?

 

[GINge!]

The book is also very well done. Gives a bit more insight into Sinclair's comments about ghosts. Its a quick read, and it appears the film makers stayed quite true to the novel. The author may have written the screenplay, I'd have to imdb it..

and yep, author James Kennaway did write the screenplay.

 

[Pusser]

  What would have happened if Jock Sinclair had met McAuslan?

I'm betting only one would have survived.  The questions is, who?