Rent Yesterday's Enemy (1959)
3.6 of 5 from 63 ratings
1h 31min
- General info
- Available formats
- Synopsis:
- Burma, 1942. Captain Langford (Stanley Baker) leads the remnants of his unit through the steaming jungle swamps, pursued by Japanese soldiers. Langford and his men secure a small village and discover a map which Langford believes holds crucial information about Japanese troop movements. He is prepared to murder a Burmese informer and innocent villagers to unlock the map's secrets. The tables are turned when Langford is captured by the similarly ruthless Major Yamazaki (Philip Ahn). He reminds the Captain that in total war, honour is the first casualty...
- Actors:
- Stanley Baker, Guy Rolfe, Leo McKern, Gordon Jackson, David Oxley, Richard Pasco, Philip Ahn, Bryan Forbes, Wolfe Morris, David Lodge, Percy Herbert, Russell Waters, Barry Lowe, Burt Kwouk, Timothy Bateson, Geoffrey Bayldon, Brandon Brady, Edwina Carroll, Donald Churchill, Alan Keith
- Directors:
- Val Guest
- Producers:
- Michael Carreras
- Writers:
- Peter R. Newman
- Others:
- Laurence Olivier
- Studio:
- Sony
- Genres:
- Action & Adventure, Classics, Drama
- Collections:
- Top 10 Films By Year, Top 10 Films of 1959
- BBFC:
- Release Date:
- 30/07/2018
- Run Time:
- 95 minutes
- Languages:
- English DTS-HD Master Audio 1.0 Mono
- Subtitles:
- English Hard of Hearing
- Formats:
- Pal
- Aspect Ratio:
- Widescreen 2.35:1
- Colour:
- B & W
- BLU-RAY Regions:
- (0) All
- Bonus:
- Alternative feature presentations: the uncensored UK theatrical version; and the US theatrical version, with toned-down dialogue
- The Guardian Interview with Val Guest (2005, 46 mins): archival audio recording of the celebrated filmmaker in conversation with Jonathan Rigby at London's National Film Theatre
- Total War: Inside 'Yesterday's Enemy' (2018, 27 mins): new and exclusive documentary written and directed by Hammer expert Marcus Hearn, narrated by Claire Louise Amias and featuring film historians Alan Barnes and Jonathan Rigby
- Hammer's Women:Edwina Carroll (2018, 8 mins): critic and author Becky Booth on the popular Burmese-born actress
- Stephen Laws Introduces 'Yesterday's Enemy' (2018, 9 mins): a concise appreciation by the acclaimed horror author
- New Territory (2018, 13 mins): an analysis of the film by British-film expert Professor Steve Chibnall
- Frontline Dispatches (2018, 8 mins): second assistant director Hugh Harlow and props chargehand Peter Allchorne recall their time working on the film
- Original theatrical trailer
- Image gallery: promotional photography and publicity material
- World premiere on Blu-ray
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Reviews (2) of Yesterday's Enemy
A hard hitting film which deals with total war. - Yesterday's Enemy review by TG
I think this film is an unpleasant reminder of the horror of total war. It is not a spectacular display of glory or of national pride but it deals with the personal experiences of a group of ordinary soldiers and the consequences of their actions. It is appropriate near to Rememberance Sunday to remind us all of the cost of conflict and maybe why veterans sometimes do not want to talk about their experiences. There is no music , just the sounds of the jungle and in black and white. A war film which I will always remember.
2 out of 2 members found this review helpful.
A superb war film set in Burma, with issues of morality on each side covered - Yesterday's Enemy review by PV
This is an old film BUT really very modern in its dealing with the morality of war - on both the British and Japanese side.
Based on a true story; a memorial shown at the end. I do not know much about it or how accurate it is. The war in Burma was hell, to be sure.
Burt Kwouk in here with great actors like Stanley Baker (who fought for years to make ZULU 5 years later); Leo McKern, so many more.
It does not matter that it is clearly shot in studios and well done to the sound guy - the constant buzzing tropical insect humming makes it so authentic.
Watch with MERRY CHRISTMAS MR LAWRENCE maybe. And IT AIN'T HALF HOT MUM!
5 stars. Brilliant war film
0 out of 0 members found this review helpful.