Conduct Unbecoming

If you're familiar with Fametracker and its 'Hey! It's that guy!' feature, you'll understand what I mean by an 'it's-him'. It's when you watch a film and all the way through you're pointing at second banana actors going 'Oh look, it's him'. One of the pleasures of this film is trying to work out exactly why so-and-so's face is familiar and then realising it's Prior Robert from TVs Cadfael, or something similar.

I read the play Conduct Unbecoming at school, and while this film does not go quite as deeply into the themes it throws up, ie moral bankruptcy in the British Raj/army and macho values in general, it remains a well-made, well acted period drama redolent of the distinctive spirit of the period.

Then again, I could be biased because I find Milington so dishy (he played Herod Agrippa in I, Claudius, in case you're stumped!)

Fans of court-martial stories will definitely want to rent Conduct Unbecoming, starring both Michael and Susannah York, Christopher Plummer, Stacy Keach, Trevor Howard, and Richard Attenborough. Set in British-occupied India, this mysterious story will keep you guessing until the end, and all the while you can look at the pretty costumes and beautiful sets.

Michael York arrives at his new post and is immediately befriended by James Faulkner, even though such an association might not be wise. James has a disrespectful attitude that frequently gets him in trouble. At an officer's ball, Susannah York rebuffs James's advances out in the garden. Minutes later, she's found with a torn gown and a rape accusation on her lips. Naturally, James is arrested and subjected to a court martial. It's supposed to be cut and dried, since Susannah is a beloved war hero's widow, and no one would dare question her word. But Michael takes on the position of advocate for the defense and threatens to open a messy can of worms. Stacy, Chris, and Trevor all warn him against it, but he believes in the honor of the army and the law so he tries hard to give James a fair trial.

This was an enjoyable drama with a great cast all giving their best. I didn't love the way it ended, but the rest of the journey was entertaining and full of great twists that kept me on the edge of my seat.

Certainly excellent acting by an excellent cast. Its only boring if you don't understand the time, place and principles. This is hard to do in the 21st century. Honor, loyalty and comradeship are rare commodities today, not really highly valued or understood. That makes this film all the more worth watching and pondering. To be a common man in a position of such infallibility is beyond imagination today, but such were the colonial British in the Victorian era. I find this story absolutely fascinating and Stacy Keatch's performance as the only American in the film one of his best. Acting, writing, directing and beautiful color, I loved it. I'm grateful its finally on DVD.

Based on play ,and it shows, a little talky, the movie can boast the creme de la creme of British actors: Attenborough, Howard, Plummer,both York et al and this is the main reason you should watch this overlooked work.

The scene in which the widow of a captain who would have been killed in action is awarded a medal is pivotal : the keywords to the movie are pride and honor.

When this widow is attacked by a rookie (a naive young man who thinks that his only punishment would be to be expelled from the army , a thing he ardently hopes -the very first scene is revealing- ) one attends a travesty of a trial ,where the court martial's purpose is less the search for truth (which might be really unbecoming) than to preserve the military values, to keep up appearances .A rotten microcosm where things better left unsaid happen .

What do you call a tedious courtroom drama with a shallow bottom but filled with fine acting? "Conduct Unbecoming". A stilted and wordy play stuffed full of fine actors, who do their stuff really well. If you like things "full of sound and fury, signifying nothing", this movie's for you.