Thanks to British television I saw this gem of a film. A War film it shows the terrible anxiety of those engaged in it, but also it deals with both male emasculation ( due to a war wound ) and to the sexual impotence of a fellow air force pilot. It shows the emasculated soldier begging for suicide, and Don Borisenko, his sexually impotent partner in the plane, going with a ' kind ' prostitute who tries to arouse him sexually. Failing he learns of his friend's suicide and in a pub meets up with Susan Hampshire who gently ' helps ' him. A rarity this film was originally cut in the UK ( what's new ? ) and poorly distributed. Even now it is a disliked film, and was poorly rated recently in a certain famous British TV magazine. It is a study of male sexual distress and of course this is not exactly a subject often aired. There is no jingoism about WW2 and that was still expected even in 1960. Quite simply the young man played brilliantly by Borisenko does not want to die before he experiences sexuality and no more spoilers. Psychologically it is a tragic film and as Borisenko says sadly ' boys are different '. His sexual need accompanied by loving tenderness is the core of the film, and the camera is honest in showing the mental distress he is in. Don Borisenko was a real find for cinema but cinema should have given him much more than it did. His acting with Susan Hampshire is full of wonderful moments and the film is about the very natural need for the right kind of sexual intercourse with the right person. Shame on those who consider it either dated or somehow distasteful. Furie directs with sensitivity and the power of many images are amazing.
