Einst ein Held (1960)

Einst ein Held: Directed by Ronald Neame. With Alec Guinness, John Mills, Dennis Price, Kay Walsh. After World War II, a Highland Regiment’s acting Commanding Officer, who rose from the ranks, is replaced by a peace-time Oxford-educated Commanding Officer, leading to a dramatic conflict between the two.

“One of the marks of a truly great actor is the ability to do both comedy and heavy roles. To contrast Guinnessu0026#39;s portrayal here of Jock Sinclair with, say, his Professor Marcus in u0026#39;The Ladykillersu0026#39; is to become aware of the protean range of his talent. (One cannot imagine, for instance, John Wayne doing comedy.) To my mind Alec Guinness is the premier actor of the century; his performances have immeasurably enriched my inner life.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eI am not as enamored of u0026quot;Tunes of Gloryu0026quot; as I am of, say, u0026quot;Bridge on the River Kwai,u0026quot; but it is without question a powerful movie. The conflict between Sinclair and Barrow is palpable; I think, in particular, of Millu0026#39;s violently trembling rage during the dancing scene, and Guinnessu0026#39;s dismissive ridicule of Barrowu0026#39;s deepest confidences (u0026quot;toy soldiers!u0026quot;) during his attempt to con him into clemency. Sinclairu0026#39;s grief-stricken collapse at the end is truly an unforgettable scene and a tribute to Guinnessu0026#39;s power.”