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Conduct Unbecoming
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by Allied Artists Entertainment
Sales Rank: 38222
Price: $19.99
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Revealingly revisionist British mystery set in colonial India, this film offers a topnotch cast that includes Michael York, Christopher Plummer, Stacy Keach, Trevor Howard, and Richard Attenborough. Things are already tense, with the locals acting up, so when an officer's wife (Susannah York) is attacked and her honor sullied, the court martial looks for a native perpetrator. But as the tribunal begins its investigation, it uncovers simmering tensions within the ranks of the seemingly unassailable officers about British treatment of the Indians. Issues range from racism to class differences as the layers of this onion are revealed. The film was based on a hit play, and there's a stagey quality to it, but it's redeemed by strong performances all around. --<I>Marshall Fine</I>
Viewer Reviews
Conduct Unbecoming proves to be a highly intriguing mystery movie that takes place in India during the latter part of the 19th Century during the height of the British Empire. In a world of high honor and integrity of Indian cavalry regiment, a dead officer's widow was attacked and her honor compromised. A new officer to the regiment falsely confessed to the crime in hopes to get out of the army but the regiment decided to conduct a secret court martial with dire consequences. Michael York played a fellow new officer assigned to defend the accused officer and he ends up investigating who was really responsible behind this attack. York proves to be superbly supported by Stacy Keach, Christopher Plummer, Richard Attenborough and Susannah York as the mystery slowly revealed itself to produced a shocking ending. The script reflects heavily on the hypocrisy of the regimental officers' honor codes, subliminal racism the white officers felt toward their native soldiers and enemies, stress of combat and friendships that lives on, even after death. But above all, Michael York's character provides the anchor from which all honor were judged by.
The movie proves to be superbly acted, directed and the script sent a powerful message on the conduct unbecoming an officer and a gentleman. The tragic look on Trevor Howard's face when he as the commanding officer, had to accept Michael York's resignation at the end of the movie because his regiment's standard of honor simply wasn't high enough for York, told volume of lies, deception and hypocrisy that were exposed under his command.
The movie was based on the play and like written before, it does have a "stage-like" feel to the screen. But this sophisticated movie will definitely command your attention. If you have not seen it, then it should be a priority to do so.
It never failed to amazed me why this movie is not on DVD yet. It definitely needs to be on that format as underrated as it was back in 1975, the movie have grown in reputation since then among those who have seen it. (Its hard enough to get it on VHS!)
Update: This movie finally came out on DVD in November of 2005. It was nice to see it in widescreen format once more. However, the images are not as good as it can be and mono stereo sounds bit weak compared to whats out there. Although the package read "Collector's Edition", this is really a basic DVD package with no real special features. There a brief biographical sketch of the major players, a photo gallery and a trailer. There are two commentaries, one by Michael Anderson the director and other one by Michael York. Both are barely interesting. I thought they should have been combined to kill the dead space. Overall, a rather disappointing DVD whose standard does not match the high quality of the film itself.
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Conduct Unbecoming
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