Old Movie, New DVD

Richard Attenborough's 1969 anti-war polemic "Oh! What A Lovely War" was released on DVD last week. Confer Amazon.com. Subtitled "WWI, The Musical", it has many of the soldiers' songs from the period. Starring Mills, Olivier, Guilgud, Richardson, Hawkins, More, three Redgraves and lots of lesser lights, there are cameo appearances by Enfield, Webbley, Vickers, Phosgene and Mustard(the gas, not the colonel). The weapons, uniforms, accoutrements and kit are absolutely authentic and timely. (A Winchester M1890 in a shooting gallery in Brighton is possible, if not probable). It is very, VERY, British. Those of you Canadians who still fly the red ensign will want to see this show.