Court Martial (1954) User Reviews

An officer on trial for doing what he said he would?.

[hitchcockthelegend · 7/10 · 27 September 2008]

Major Charles Carrington (David Niven), is arrested for taking £125 from the base safe, he also face two other charges that could finish his distinguished service career. He decides to act on his own defence at his court martial hearing, his argument being that he is owed a lot of money from the army for his various postings that have cost him out of his own pocket. To further complicate the proceedings, Carrington alleges he told his superior, the very disliked Colonel Henniker, that he was taking the money from the safe. A mans career, his marriage, and quite a few reputations, all hang in the balance.

Yes, well it is very British, of that there is no denying, it's very much heel to toe, cup of tea and chin chin chin. So with that in mind {i'm British myself by the way} this may grate on film viewers outside of the British Isles, but it's a really honest and interesting piece that scrutinises the British Court Martial system and rewards the court genre fans royally. Niven is, well Niven, he's always a solid professional who always earned his pay, and good support comes from the ladies of the piece, Margaret Leighton and Noelle Middleton, whilst i must give a mention to the seriously great Victor Maddern, an actor who was far from the A list of British greats but once you put the name to the face, you will see he was always memorable in what films he made.

So as a court room genre fan, and of course a staunch fan of British cinema, i'm going to rate 7/10 with a disclaimer that if those outside of my shores don't get it....well you just don't get it, {nudge nudge wink wink}.

A gripping and intelligent courtroom drama

[MOscarbradley · 8/10 · 30 March 2017]

A brilliant courtroom drama that doesn't rely on flashbacks to present its case but sticks solely to the testimonies of the various parties involved. Carrington is a major being court-martialed for stealing money which he claims was his by right. It's superbly written, (by John Hunter), directed, (by Anthony Asquith) and played, (by a superlative cast of British character actors). David Niven, at his very best, is Carrington and Margaret Leighton is terrific as his highly strung and jealous wife. The Irish actress, Noelle Middleton, is also excellent as the captain with more than a soft spot for Niven. This is a gripping and intelligent film that really deserves to be seen.

Cavaliers v Roundheads

[dwm51 · 8/10 · 19 June 2007]

The major theme of this film is the role of the war hero in a peacetime army. Carrington is an undoubted hero but the rule-breaking qualities that made him a hero are not welcome in a peacetime army where bureaucratic procedures are the norm, represented in this film by Henniker, Carrington's commanding officer and an unbending stickler for the rules. So, Carrington is romantic but wrong and Henniker is dull but right. The film, filled with great ensemble acting performances, invites you to choose which you prefer. At the time the film was made, Germany had emerged from the ruins of war with Europe's most dynamic economy whereas Britain, the victor, was mired in post-war decline. Carrington was the dashing war hero but Henniker is in charge now. Henniker, who avoided action in the war, with his Germanic name and blond hair. There's a nice metaphor here. Britain won the war, but who won the peace?

Stiff Upper Lip

[thekennelman · 2 July 2003]

This one is admittedly a bit stiff, but then again, it is British, and a military courtroom drama. It sits firmly in the middle of Niven's career but seems curiously, and sadly, unknown. I remember it from my childhood, but caught it again today forlornly filling up a gap in a minor TV channels schedule. It deserves better. **The following may contain spoilers**

Niven's character 'Copper' Carrington is a brave, correct, and a seemingly successful officer in the British army but has a number of clouds on his horizon. His marriage is weakened by an illicit liaison with a female officer and his fame has made a jealous enemy of his Commanding Officer. To top it all he is in desperate financial straits as his army pay is grossly in arrears, he has simply moved too fast from post to post for it to catch up with him. But when he tries to rectify the situation the army bureaucracy forms part of the problem and not the solution, denying him his due remuneration.

His remedy is to remove £100 pounds (some £5000 in today's money) from the army safe of his battalion `If they won't pay me, then I'll pay myself.' He quotes, and his arrogant stance, although laudable, is his undoing. He is court-martialled, and has but one defence. If he can establish that he took the money openly, and with the full knowledge of his C.O. then the charge that he stole the cash covertly will fall.

Complications abound aplenty as he also has to answer further charges relating to his extra-marital liaison. His difficulty is that there are only two witnesses who can help him. One is his C.O. who is both his accuser and the prosecution's main witness for both sets of charges, and his wife, who is slowly becoming aware of his infidelity during the course of the court martial.

Defending himself he rebuts the prosecution case as best as he can, but then in his defence he has to call his wife. What she will say and what the court makes of her testimony are the substance of this film and await the viewer. There are however enough twists and turns in this plot to keep all but the most cynical from seeing it through.

If not for the plot then watch for the supporting cast lead by the incomparable Victor Maddern. With the exception of Niven, none of the cast were superstars but they formed the backbone of the British Film and Television industry in the post-war period and have their own place in history.

Watch also for a moment of self sacrifice by Niven as his conscience wrestles with the dilemma of what to do with a crucial letter which may establish his innocence, but condemn another in the process. The members of the court too are caught in the quintessential paradox of all courtroom battles. They cannot judge the man, as we the audience are clearly invited to do, but only the evidence before them.

Final word goes to the director, Anthony Asquith. Son of Lord Asquith the British Prime Minister during the First Wold War, he would direct many British Classic movies including 'We dive and Dawn', 'Yellow Rolls Royce' and even scripted Oscar Wilde's 'The importance of being Ernest' A pity this film is not as well known, don't miss it.

Court Martial

[bkoganbing · 6/10 · 21 December 2017]

Carrington, VC finds career army officer David Niven doing something reckless and a bit stupid besides. He borrows a bit of money from the Officer's Fund of his unit to pay some household bills. He's owed a lot of back pay allowances that the fine military machine of the British army hasn't seen fit to cough up. But he is a winner of the Victoria Cross, the VC of the title and the commander of the regiment Allan Cuthbertson is a most jealous man. He might be the head of the regiment, but the men look to Niven.

If you remember the Clint Eastwood film Heartbreak Ridge at one point Gunnery Sergeant Eastwood helps out one of his enlisted men make ends meet the way Niven is having problems with his wife and family. But officers don't have concerned gunnery sergeants.

In any event Niven is being court martialed for the offense, charges brought by Cuthbertson. How it goes I will not say, but Niven is given a royal kick in the keester by a jealous wife Margaret Leighton who suspects some hanky panky going on with a female officer and her husband.

The great critique by me and others is that David Niven more than any other actor had to carry a lot of mediocre films on the strength of being debonair and charming. Not so in Carrington, VC, this is a fine military courtroom drama that stands on its own merits. Niven does well in the lead and grateful for this being a film he didn't have to carry.

Allan Cuthbertson is one of those actors who just does well in everything he's cast in. He's quite the martinet and jealous of Niven's war service and decoration. He spent the war directing a shore battery that was called upon to shoot down Mr. Hitler's Luftwaffe planes, no chance for medals or glory there.

The second member of the supporting cast who is outstanding is Victor Maddern playing Niven's sergeant and biggest fan.

Carrington, VC has a bit of The Caine Mutiny and some of The Winslow Boy in its plot and presentation. But it's a good courtroom drama and all actors love doing them.

niven could do anything.

[ksf-2 · 7/10 · 10 May 2022]

When 125 pounds goes missing on a british military base, major carrington (niven) is brought in for questioning. Quite the suspense, since most of the people present in the room are sure he's guilty, guilty, guilty. Also some humor, as the sergeant at arms always makes a racket, as he stomps around and rattles the water glasses. Several people know what really happened, but can he convince them to tell the truth? Hopefully, they will respect an officer wearing the victoria's cross. A good story, very realistic. This film was made a couple years before niven's oscar winning separate tables. Directed by anthony asquith, son of the prime minister. Quite an interesting connection in asquith's bio here on imdb, involving oscar wilde. This film is also called carrington v.c.

Soldiering On

[writers_reign · 7/10 · 28 May 2017]

As something of a Puffin Asquith completist I naturally made a point of watching this on Talking Pictures yesterday. As a rule I tend to avoid British films that focus on one or more aspects of the military but I was pleasantly surprised at how Puffin put the ensemble cast through its paces. Apart from David Niven and Margaret Leighton, an unlikely married couple, the support was largely Second Eleven, Laurence Naismith, Geoffrey Keen, Noelle Middleton, Victor Maddern and they even wheeled out old Newtie Blick. The old adage that you can't go wrong with a courtroom drama holds up here albeit it's a courts martial rather than a civilian court with Niven in the dock and acting as his own defence lawyer. It all hangs together nicely and makes for solid entertainment.

" .. I said an affair wan't good enough for you; not the same thing at all...."

[Brucey_D · 9/10 · 28 February 2018]

Asquith's courtroom drama is surprisingly gripping. Trapped within the rigid confines of a military structure, a social structure and his own personal integrity, Niven plays a man whose career and reputation (if not his stiff upper lip) are at stake in a court martial.

This film was made sixty years ago and things have changed a lot since then; unless one bears in mind how things were then, this film's plot make less sense. However if you take this into account, it is a pretty good film.

it has been commented by others that there are commonly certain protocols observed whenever a VC holder enters a room; there is no formal requirement that this is done but traditionally VC holders may be saluted by others regardless of rank. This may or may not be the case within a court-martial situation but that this was omitted in the film is understandable since it would have been distracting to the thrust of the plot, with the whole court up and down like jack-in-the-boxes all the time.

Taken on its merits this is a pretty good film, IMHO deserving of a better score than it currently has on here.

England's Answer To The Caine Mutiny

[boblipton · 7/10 · 13 December 2019]

Major David Niven V.C. is up on charges. Two are minor, but the third one can break him, and possibly sent him to prison: that he surreptitiously took 125 pounds from the company safe. His defense is that he was owed the money, which no one denies, and that he told his Commanding Officer that he was going to do it. He told his wife, Margaret Leighton so over the phone; he also told fellow officer Noelle Middleton he had told his C.O. However, the C.O., Allan Cuthbertson, denies it. This being David Niven at the peak of his career, the movie is clearly slanted in Niven's favor, although the evidence presented to the Court is not. That's a necessary part of the dramatic tension.

Anthony Asquith directs this to bring out the ritual nature of Army life. The performances vary between those ritualized interactions, and things said in private in a very engaging fashion.

Asquith had begun his directing career in the silent era with a bang, with two late silent stunners, SHOOTING STARS and UNDERGROUND. Then something happened to his career in the mid-1930s. When he returned to directing in 1938, he specialized in films derived from stage works by Shaw, Rattigan and Oscar Wilde. The performances he got for these first-rate properties were wonderful, but they certainly seemed more staged plays than movies.

Although this movie is an original screenplay, it very much seems an opened-out play. Certainly, it is a a fine adaptation, but it would have taken little work to convert its borders to a proscenium arch. Despite this, it is a fine story with excellent performances all around.

A good reputation is hard won,easily lost and rarely regained.

[ianlouisiana · 9/10 · 21 January 2009]

Released at a time when the majority of the audience would have been only too familiar with the culture of the armed forces,"Carrington VC"raises the thorny issue of the different qualities required of an army officer in peace and war."Copper" Carrington,brave,dashing and debonair as he might have been when up to his neck in mud and bullets has failed to impress his war - dodging CO Col.Henniker(the splendidly disdainful Mr Alan Cuthbertson)in the performance of his more mundane administrative duties.Furthermore he is admired and respected by his men in a way Henniker will never be.Carrington(Mr D.Niven) and his wife(Miss M Leighton) have been moved from base to base so often that his allowances have not kept up with him,and,fed up with receiving no co - operation in this matter,Carrington informs Henniker that he is removing a sum of money from the safe consistent with that owed to him which he will repay when his overdue cash arrives. The money is found to be missing and Henniker denies having been spoken to about it.Carrington is consequently put up for Court Martial. To add to his woes,distraught about the behaviour of his increasingly drunken wife,Carrington embarks on a brief fling with a female colleague(the winsome Miss N.Middleton)and is further charged with that. Back in the 1950s adultery was a serious matter whether committed by serving army officers or no.He is in serious trouble. At his trial his defence - obviously - is that as he informed his CO that he was taking the money there was no criminal intent involved. Unfortunately the malevolent Henniker perjures himself,the wronged wife perjures herself and he is convicted on all charges despite the doubt of two of the five "Judges". Jealousy,envy and prudishness have won out over courage and integrity. The career,indeed, the life of one of the bravest of the brave is in tatters. Further,ridiculously,in my opinion,he could have been stripped of his VC as a result of his conviction,as if his subsequent conduct - however reprehensible - could have any bearing on the act of heroism that earned him the medal in the first place. Carington refuses to appeal in order to prevent his wife having to undergo a further ordeal but at the last minute,having been left in no doubt how his men felt about the verdict,a witness emerges,a switchboard operator who overheard Carrington's telephone conversation to Henniker about taking the money from the safe.Immediately,Carrington's Defending Officer (Mr R.Francis)gives Notice of Appeal,but it is hard to see how his career will remain unaffected even if he is acquitted at a later date. Henniker,the bean counter/flower grader/button pusher will have succeeded in ruining the "lead from the front" hero officer. A good reputation is hard to win,easy to lose and almost impossible to regain. Mr Niven's Carrington is seemingly a rather ineffectual,hesitant character.Clearly in his moment of glory it was a case of "cometh the hour,cometh the man".Susceptible to a well - turned ankle,he has many of the ills the flesh is heir to yet was capable of selfless bravery at the right time.No vainglorious Flashman - type hero he. "Carrington VC" tells us that literally anyone can be a hero given the circumstances,that it can be thrust upon those least likely to be seeking it,and that it's blessings can be considerably mixed.

Carrington V.C.

[CinemaSerf · 7/10 · 21 November 2022]

This is quite a decent military court-room drama in which David Niven finds himself accused of pinching a large sum from his battalion funds. At the ensuing court martial, he must answer the charges relying on his honesty and integrity - he has a V. C. after all - and on receiving, somewhat naively, a reciprocal degree of honesty and integrity from others. It's quite a neat little story about revenge and snobbery; tempered with the odd bit of human decency and Niven is ideal for the part. Margaret Leighton is also quite good as his rather aloof wife and Allan Cuthbertson as his supercilious commanding officer "Col. Henniker" who clearly both have axes to grind. The ending isn't great, but otherwise it is a simple story well told.

Even better than The Caine Mutiny

[HotToastyRag · 9/10 · 15 February 2018]

Imagine a cross between The Caine Mutiny and 12 Angry Men, and you'll get Court Martial. This military courtroom drama is tense, thrilling, and will keep you at the edge of your seat from beginning to end.

David Niven is a highly respected and decorated major, and he's been court martialed for three offenses: stealing money, entertaining a woman in his quarters, and leaving the base without permission. The entire film takes place in the courthouse, and it is intense! The men on the jury all know David Niven personally, and they try to put their bias aside for the sake of the law. Noelle Middleton, a captain, tries to defend him-but is she also biased, since she was the woman in his quarters? And finally, Niven's wife: Margaret Leighton. Niven insists she's too ill to testify, but when she shows up in court, will she condemn or defend him?

The acting in this film is fantastic, not only by Niven and his two leading ladies, but also by the supporting men on the jury. It's very hard to act in a real-time film, because you constantly have to have an emotional buildup in your character's performance-there's no "three weeks later" downtime in the plot, or a cutaway to another character's side-story. Anthony Asquith must have given his actors great direction, because they were all very convincing. John Hunter's script, based on Campbell and Dorothy Christi's play, is intelligent, thoughtful, and fast-paced; you're going to need to pay close attention on this one, but it's worth it! Unfortunately for this movie, it came out the same year as the more successful The Caine Mutiny, so the Academy forgot about the British drama at the Oscars. Although Humphrey Bogart was very good, David Niven absolutely deserved a nomination for his incredible performance.

The "in" thing!

[JohnHowardReid · 7/10 · 8 October 2017]

Director: ANTHONY ASQUITH. Screenplay: John Hunter. Based on the stage play by Dorothy Christie, Campbell Christie. Photography: Desmond Dickinson. Film editor: Ralph Kemplen. Art director: Wilfred Shingleton. Make-up: David Aylott. Hair styles: Ida Mills. Miss Leighton's costumes: Rahvis. Wardrobe: Dolly Smith. Camera operator: William Allan. Set continuity: Beryl Booth. Military technical adviser: David Rooke. Court-martial technical adviser: A.G.C. Grant. Production manager and assistant director: Basil Keys. Dubbing editor: Stanley Hawkes. Sound recording: A. G. Ambler, Red Law. Producer: Teddy Baird.

A Remus Production for Romulus, released in the U.K. by Independent/British Lion: 10 January 1955; in Australia by 20th Century-Fox: 19 July 1956; in the U.S.A. by Kingsley International: August 1955. Registered: November 1954. "A" certificate.

New York opening at the Trans-Lux 52nd Street: 1 August 1955. Sydney opening at The Embassy. 9,532 feet. 106 minutes. U.S. title: Court Martial. (Available on an excellent Network DVD).

SYNOPSIS: Major Carrington V.C., is accused of stealing military funds.

COMMENT: "Carrington, V.C." holds the interest throughout, though it is not one of Asquith's best films. In fact the direction is quite routine and even at times uninspired. This, along with all the dialogue, the complete lack of on-camera action and the fact that most of the scenes take place in the court, reinforces the impression of a photographed stage play.

Still, the characters are engagingly if one-dimensionally drawn, and the players, particularly Allan Cuthbertson, breathe them convincingly into life.

The photography has little contrast and is even at times under-lit. And the film was made at a time when a complete absence of background music and an emphasis on sound effects was considered the "in" thing.

Good film but a bit dry in places and certainly not Niven's best

[johngilbert-3 · 5/10 · 28 January 2007]

I'm not going to discuss plots here or spoilers but my concern is to the military correctness of the film. Carrington VC indicates that he was winner of the VC and on that basis alone the respect that should have been shown a VC holder clearly was missing throughout the whole of the film. For example when a VC holder enters the room, all military personnel (regardless of rank) stand in acknowledgement of the holder of that VC action regardless of whether it was a single VC followed by other medals or on its own, at no time during the film did I feel he was shown the respect for a VC holder and in all honesty a plot that included theft of money against such a holder would have provoked an outcry in the highest echelons of military ranks not to mention his colleagues. All in all good performances, bit dry as noted in places, I have seen Maurice Denham in several pictures of late and I must admit I like the chap, a commensurate actor who is sorely missed. Disappointingly unrealistic film given Carrington's VC honour and this spoiled it for me entirely.

Carrington V.C.

[wilsonstuart-32346 · 6/10 · 25 May 2018]

Also release as Court Martial. David Niven is on form as a much respected WW II veteran (the Victoria Cross being the UK's highest award for bravery) facing trial on trumped up charges of theft and embezzlement; his opponent is a vindictive commanding officer; his defence hampered by a neurotic wife, a complicated liasion...and his own code of honour.

Those expecting A Few Good Men will be disappointed in an intelligent, slightly staid court room drama that was very much of its times. Not to everyone's taste but a solid flick from a bygone era in British filmmaking.

excellent courtroom drama

[mmyy · 8/10 · 6 June 2020]

This movie was originally a stage play and it shows. The writing is excellent and the sets are few and it is all about the interpersonal relationships that unfold as the movie unfolds. The direction is excellent. Simple and sparse. Asquith let's the words and the actors do their thing and they do it very well. One of the gems hidden in Amazon Prime. To hide it further, the movie even has two names. Either Court Martial or Carrington VC. It's very British but when the British do it right, it is well worth watching. David Niven, Margaret Leighton are excellent as is everyone else.

The Copper Key

[richardchatten · 8/10 · 28 December 2023]

Nearly a decade after 'A Matter of Life and Death' David Niven once more finds himself on trial - this time conducting his own defence - in this very respectable addition to the rollcall of theatrical adaptations directed by Anthony Asquith, although Niven himself neglects to mention in his memoirs.

In 'The Winslow Boy' the accused was charged with purloining a postal order, this time the bone of contention is £125 missing from a safe. Aside from the quality of the acting Asquith makes good use of acoustics by making the soundtrack totally devoid of music and the comic effect when Geoffrey Keen tells the court orderly to stop stamping in observance of an enormous sign reading 'Silence Court-Martial in Progress'.

Brilliant drama, beautiful 1950s UK production

[fung0 · 9/10 · 31 May 2023]

The overall rating for this movie is much too low. Anyone who gives this film less than an 8 or 9 clearly has a bias against intelligent British drama. (I reserve my 10-star ratings for movies that push beyond the merely excellent.)

Carrington VC is a clever character piece, typical of the best British films of the 1950s. Ignore the ham-handed "Court-Martial" title applied in the US - the story isn't about the details of British military justice, nor about Niven's fitness as an officer. (In stark contrast to movies like The Caine Mutiny or Rules of Engagement). It's purely about Carrington's personal integrity. Did he or did he not lay the proper groundwork for a rather foolish action he took? What kind of person is he, really?

The "VC" of the original title is emphatically NOT incidental - it's what the whole story is about. We are asked to consider what traits might make someone a true hero. To help us decide, we are offered a comparison between Carrington and people who, for reasons of their own, would like to see him fall.

The acting is spot-on. Niven has rarely been better - he takes what could be a straightforward portrayal and adds the necessary nuance to bring out Carrington's personality. The supporting cast consists entirely of British stalwarts who couldn't give a false performance if they tried.

The black-and-white cinematography is elegant, but stops short of drawing attention to itself. (In contrast to some of the more spectacular-looking Ealing dramas of the same period.) But while the production is relatively simple, it does not, as some reviewers allege, feel "stagy." Action shifts fluidly across a number of locations, with several key scenes taking place outdoors on the parade ground.

There are even some nice touches of wry humor that keep things from becoming too oppressive - and serve to humanize some of the peripheral characters, whose opinion of Carrington is ultimately an important part of the drama.

To sum up, I'm extremely glad I managed to catch up with this movie. Anyone who appreciates British dramas of the 1950s - or who simply enjoys a solid script, solidly performed - will not be disappointed.

spent ages hunting for this,a bit dissapointed.

[ib011f9545i · 5/10 · 12 January 2023]

I am a big fan of the director's work and Margaret Leighton as an actress.

So while I must have seen this on tv many years ago I was glad to find the dvd recently.

I just watched it and wish I had enjoyed it more.

I give no plot spoilers but it is a (British) army set legal drama.

The peacetime army setting reminds me a lot of Paths Of Glory but that is a much more satisfying film in my opinion.

One of the pleasures for me of these old British films is spotting the same actors again and again.

Film fans will recognise many of the actors in this,eg Geoffrey Keene.

I can't say this is an awful film but I am surprised how much it is praised by people on here.

No plot spoilers but I didn't find the plot easy to follow,it did not grip me.

A veddy, veddy stagey period piece

[joachimokeefe · 3/10 · 19 March 2010]

The always charming David Niven, ex-Guards (Carrington), and always convincing Allan Cuthbertson, ex RAAF (Hennicker), strike big sparks off each other in this static military courtroom drama, but that's the only proper entertainment 'Carrington, VC' has to offer. The rest of it is a terribly, terribly middle-class (and low-budget) army court procedural with Geoffrey Keen as presiding officer. Geoffrey Keen is typecast as the self-important little man behind a big desk in much British film and TV of the period, and in this he gives his usual lightweight, nasal turn, along with many familiar and clearly aging Brit stalwarts who give the same routine whether in a comedy - or in uniform - or not.

The whole point is whether the dashing Carrington's nemesis lies on oath about him 'borrowing' £125 from the barracks safe, ticking many socio-cultural boxes for a 1950's UK audience and weakly echoing 'The Winslow Boy'.

**SPOILER**

You are rewarded for sticking with the film by having Carrington found guilty, but disappointingly, the dastardly Hennicker's ultimate come-uppance is not in the film. Cuthbertson would have owned that.

These days, watching women in unattractive uniforms calling one another 'Vel' for 'Val' gets old very quickly. Though if that does turn you on, the crucial, and almost throwaway telephonists' scene that sets up Carrington's (unseen) appeal will really, um, appeal.

It's only Niven's easy charm, and Cuthbertson's fulminating uptightness that gave me any reason to care. The rest is khaki-coloured cardboard, mouldering away in a damp, forgotten cupboard. Skip this and rent 'Tunes of Glory (1960)' instead.