Rent Carrington V.C. (1955)
- General info
- Available formats
- Synopsis:
- David Niven plays Charles 'Copper' Carrington, a British Army Major and war hero promoted to higher rank during peacetime. Compelled to use his own money for his expense account, he finds himself owed a substantial amount by the War Office, who are somewhat slow in paying up... Carrington becomes convinced that he will never see his money again and so, witnessing himself descend into serious financial problems, he is forced to take drastic action.
- Actors:
- David Niven, Margaret Leighton, Noelle Middleton, Allan Cuthbertson, Victor Maddern, Raymond Francis, Geoffrey Keen, Newton Blick, Mark Dignam, Robert Bishop, Maurice Denham, Laurence Naismith, Clive Morton, Michael Bates, Stuart Saunders
- Directors:
- Anthony Asquith
- Writers:
- Campbell Christie, Dorothy Christie
- Studio:
- Network UK
- Genres:
- Drama
- Collections:
- Getting to Know..., Introducing a British Film Family
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Reviews (1) of Carrington V.C.
Courtroom drama (spoiler). - Carrington V.C. review by Steve
David Niven was the only British expat in Hollywood to return to fight with the onset of war in Europe in 1939. So he may have seemed ideal casting as a veteran combat hero. Certainly, he was always a natural in uniform, officer class. He plays a Major who won the Victoria Cross for valour at Tobruk.
But with the war now a memory, he is resented by some, and let down by the ministry and the army who are holding out on back pay. Most miserably of all, his wife is dismayed that the hero never amounted to a big shot in peacetime. When the Major is up in front of a court-martial for stealing army funds, she lies to shoot down his defence.
The principal theme is of post war malaise in the British army. Which is hung on a fascinating courtroom drama. It's directed for maximum tension by Anthony Asquith, and elevated by the performances of Niven and particularly Margaret Leighton as his neurotic, self-absorbed wife. The scene when she perjures herself to destroy him is a heartbreaker.
In a strong support cast of bristling army types, Victor Maddern stands out as a grunt who sticks his neck out for the accused. It's shot like a stage play and makes a virtue of the insular, isolated feel of the army camp, with its idiotic ceremonies and absurd exceptions. The wordy script touches on broader issues of military law, but this doesn't compromise the compelling suspense.