Carrington V.C.

Carrington, VC finds career army officer David Niven doing something reckless and a bit stupid besides. He borrows a bit of money from the Officer's Fund of his unit to pay some household bills. He's owed a lot of back pay allowances that the fine military machine of the British army hasn't seen fit to cough up. But he is a winner of the Victoria Cross, the VC of the title and the commander of the regiment Allan Cuthbertson is a most jealous man. He might be the head of the regiment, but the men look to Niven.

If you remember the Clint Eastwood film Heartbreak Ridge at one point Gunnery Sergeant Eastwood helps out one of his enlisted men make ends meet the way Niven is having problems with his wife and family. But officers don't have concerned gunnery sergeants.

In any event Niven is being court martialed for the offense, charges brought by Cuthbertson. How it goes I will not say, but Niven is given a royal kick in the keester by a jealous wife Margaret Leighton who suspects some hanky panky going on with a female officer and her husband.

The great critique by me and others is that David Niven more than any other actor had to carry a lot of mediocre films on the strength of being debonair and charming. Not so in Carrington, VC, this is a fine military courtroom drama that stands on its own merits. Niven does well in the lead and grateful for this being a film he didn't have to carry.

Allan Cuthbertson is one of those actors who just does well in everything he's cast in. He's quite the martinet and jealous of Niven's war service and decoration. He spent the war directing a shore battery that was called upon to shoot down Mr. Hitler's Luftwaffe planes, no chance for medals or glory there.

The second member of the supporting cast who is outstanding is Victor Maddern playing Niven's sergeant and biggest fan.

Carrington, VC has a bit of The Caine Mutiny and some of The Winslow Boy in its plot and presentation. But it's a good courtroom drama and all actors love doing them.

The major theme of this film is the role of the war hero in a peacetime army. Carrington is an undoubted hero but the rule-breaking qualities that made him a hero are not welcome in a peacetime army where bureaucratic procedures are the norm, represented in this film by Henniker, Carrington's commanding officer and an unbending stickler for the rules. So, Carrington is romantic but wrong and Henniker is dull but right. The film, filled with great ensemble acting performances, invites you to choose which you prefer. At the time the film was made, Germany had emerged from the ruins of war with Europe's most dynamic economy whereas Britain, the victor, was mired in post-war decline. Carrington was the dashing war hero but Henniker is in charge now. Henniker, who avoided action in the war, with his Germanic name and blond hair. There's a nice metaphor here. Britain won the war, but who won the peace?

Nearly a decade after 'A Matter of Life and Death' David Niven once more finds himself on trial - this time conducting his own defence - in this very respectable addition to the rollcall of theatrical adaptations directed by Anthony Asquith, although Niven himself neglects to mention in his memoirs.

In 'The Winslow Boy' the accused was charged with purloining a postal order, this time the bone of contention is £125 missing from a safe. Aside from the quality of the acting Asquith makes good use of acoustics by making the soundtrack totally devoid of music and the comic effect when Geoffrey Keen tells the court orderly to stop stamping in observance of an enormous sign reading 'Silence Court-Martial in Progress'.

When 125 pounds goes missing on a british military base, major carrington (niven) is brought in for questioning. Quite the suspense, since most of the people present in the room are sure he's guilty, guilty, guilty. Also some humor, as the sergeant at arms always makes a racket, as he stomps around and rattles the water glasses. Several people know what really happened, but can he convince them to tell the truth? Hopefully, they will respect an officer wearing the victoria's cross. A good story, very realistic. This film was made a couple years before niven's oscar winning separate tables. Directed by anthony asquith, son of the prime minister. Quite an interesting connection in asquith's bio here on imdb, involving oscar wilde. This film is also called carrington v.c.

Major Charles Carrington (David Niven), is arrested for taking £125 from the base safe, he also face two other charges that could finish his distinguished service career. He decides to act on his own defence at his court martial hearing, his argument being that he is owed a lot of money from the army for his various postings that have cost him out of his own pocket. To further complicate the proceedings, Carrington alleges he told his superior, the very disliked Colonel Henniker, that he was taking the money from the safe. A mans career, his marriage, and quite a few reputations, all hang in the balance.

Yes, well it is very British, of that there is no denying, it's very much heel to toe, cup of tea and chin chin chin. So with that in mind {i'm British myself by the way} this may grate on film viewers outside of the British Isles, but it's a really honest and interesting piece that scrutinises the British Court Martial system and rewards the court genre fans royally. Niven is, well Niven, he's always a solid professional who always earned his pay, and good support comes from the ladies of the piece, Margaret Leighton and Noelle Middleton, whilst i must give a mention to the seriously great Victor Maddern, an actor who was far from the A list of British greats but once you put the name to the face, you will see he was always memorable in what films he made.

So as a court room genre fan, and of course a staunch fan of British cinema, i'm going to rate 7/10 with a disclaimer that if those outside of my shores don't get it....well you just don't get it, {nudge nudge wink wink}.