Rent Overlord (1975)

Hazell had a tough start to his adult life... - Overlord review by Strovey

Shot in black and white so that the story blends in more or less seamlessly with the stock footage from World War 2 Overlord is an odd film from beginning to end. Made in 1975 the end of the war was only 30 years in the past at that time so the scenes you are exposed to will without doubt jarred some memories to the forefront for some older viewers when it was first shown but now 77 years on with an awful lot of veterans from that conflict dead [including my father] or extremely ancient the feeling of disconnect from the film’s topic is more profound.

Herein lies the rub. The stock footage, ADR-ed to within an inch of its life, has virtually no connection to the story. So, we get the acting sections, with the mundane life of Private First Class Beddowes and his mates and then a jarring shot of Bristol Blenheims going at full tilt across the coastline and Channel for what appears to be no reason in the middle of the storyline. As fascinating as this footage is, in particular London Blitz scenes show how extremely dangerous it was to fight those fires in fine detail, it cannot hide that originally this film was going to be a documentary using these World War 2 gems.

Cooper, the director, helped by cinematography John Alcott, who worked on 2001 and A Clockwork Orange, then added in dramatic sequences of the journey of Tom Beddowes as he goes from recruitment to deployment.

A fresh-faced Nicholas Ball rolls up as Tom’s new army mate Arthur and the duo soon become a trio with world-wise Jack, Davyd Harries, to give us the focus and heart of the story. It seems odd that Brian Stirner, now a director of TV, plays his role as if he is from a war film made in the 1940s alongside his ‘girlfriend’ who has no name, played by Julie Neesam the both seemed to be trying to channel a Celia Johnson-Trevor Howard style romance. But the standouts are Ball and Harries who for my tastes are more realistic as sweary and fed-up conscripts. Notable Ball seems to be the only major cast member who was happy to at least cut his hair as short as soldiers in that period would have it, but that is a bugbear for me. Most war films made in various decades in filmmaking history seem to have been hampered by actors with ‘my hair mustn’t be too short’ clauses in their contracts. To check for contrasts check the stock footage and dramatic footage.

This aside the dramatic pieces mainly work and make a somewhat dull storyline, but this dullness is its strength. Tom is plagued by strange dream sequences and imaginings which give the whole proceeding an odd hallucinogenic feeling which can detract or add to the story depending on your viewpoint, I am on the fence about this. It was a tad confusing but also, I could see what Cooper was trying to portray.

Overall, Overlord is an important dramatic story about one ordinary soldier who took part in D-Day, like thousands of others and should be watched just for the content and attempt at something different. Whether you like it will depend on how much allowance you will give the makers, in my case I was feeling generous. I loved Nicolas Ball in his role and I liked the downbeat way of telling a soldier’s tale but I am not sure I would seek the film out and watch it again.

Your decision might be different.