What It's About:

Major Jock Sinclair (Guinness), the rugged and popular temporary commander of a Scottish battalion, is resentful when replaced by Lt. Colonel Basil Barrow (John Mills), a rigid leader from an old, distinguished military family. Thus begins a bitter, barely suppressed struggle between these equally determined officers for the allegiance of their men- a struggle that becomes every bit as deadly as what they might face on a battlefield.

Why I Love It:

Ronald Neame's peerless battle of wits is a bitingly perceptive examination of the British class system as manifested in military life, exposing the dire consequences when two men of opposing wills, backgrounds and character collide in competition for the loyalty of the soldiers they lead. Both Guinness and Mills, reunited fifteen years after co-starring in “Great Expectations”, seem to feed off each other’s superlative talent here, each delivering powerful portrayals of two very different men. Don't miss that jaw-dropping conclusion. An unsung triumph.