The Long and the Short and the Tall
Willis Hall's play is the inspiration for this film. A troop of British soldiers is in the jungle recording forest noises and troop noises so that the recordings can be played back by other forces to divert the enemy's attention away from their location. As they draw closer to the base camp, they find themselves getting farther and further out of radio range, until the only channel they can hear clearly is a Japanese broadcast. They've realized they're only 10 to 15 kilometers away from a Japanese camp! Private Bamforth, a raucous and freely avowed "non-hero" who has nothing positive to say about anyone, especially Corporal Johnstone, adds to 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