James Clavell was captured by the Japanese in 1942 and was in Changi prison in Singapore. This was his first novel and is a first-person account of his experiences.

@LearningaboutMovies

3 жыл бұрын

thank you.

@ThomasVanhala

Жыл бұрын

I am at the moment reading though James Clavell's Asian saga and is on King Rat at the moment. Shogun have always been my favorite but that might just be from growing up with the mini serie.

@nataliestclair6176

3 ай бұрын

Yes and he based the character of Marlow on himself

the book was really excellent, glad they did a good movie for it

Great movie and great book!

The blond officer who Dr. Matthews refers to as following the King is actually the character Marlowe played by James Fox (the Jackal in Day of the Jackal) and not Max played by Patrick O’Neal.

@LearningaboutMovies

3 жыл бұрын

If I got it wrong, thank you for that correction.

@dmk5n1

3 жыл бұрын

Edward Fox is the Jackal. James Fox is the man here (looks like Bowie, a bit). They are brothers

@ketmaniac

Жыл бұрын

James Fox wasn't in Day of the Jackal. Around that time, he was in The Servant opposite Dirk Bogarde, and also played the gangster in Performance, co-starring Mick Jagger.

Flt Officer Malone is James Fox. O'Neal plays the Staff Sargent who goes crazy at the end. King is not the villain. He doesn't steal and he provides for his friends and employees, allowing them to survive where others do not. He even brings resources into the camp while the British officers do not and skim off the top. It's a critique on socialism and why it creates misery.

Hi Dr Josh. I saw this movie some days before. It has got some uncanny similarity with Stalag 17. The similar WWII backdrop with a seemingly slimy character taking advantage of the tragedy. But Stalag 17 was somehow a comedy with happy ending. And King Rat is very hardh and brutal. It is like the grasshopper triumhed over the honest and hardworking ant. These movies are also epitomes of extraordinarily good movie making and character development. The black and white filming brings out the tragedy in more brutal way. Again the nagging thought bothers me that technological revolutions like Digital format, UHD cameras, etc. have smothered the art of storytelling through pictures. With love from India Jiten

@LearningaboutMovies

3 жыл бұрын

thank you. yes, King Rat talks to Stalag 17, in just about every way!

Great review. James Fox is the blond chap (Edward Fox's younger brother). An under-rated actor, he gave it up in the late 60s after finishing Nic Roeg's performance. Became a born again Christian and returned to movies in the early 80s. EDIT: apologies, I see someone has already pointed this out. Incidentally Patrick O'Neal plays Seagal's "batman". Another under-rated actor, probably remembered by most audiences for his villainous role in The Stepford Wives.

@LearningaboutMovies

Жыл бұрын

thank you.

Haven’t seen the film yet. The book is excellent. Evidently, either the film gave the story some bizarre slants, or the producer of this video did. The entire set of novels from James Clavell’s “Asia Saga” series is a fantastic read, with dozens of plots and subplots. Clavell himself was a WWII POW, and one would be hard pressed not to believe he used this experience in writing KR.

British satirical cartoonist/illustrator Ronald Searle was held prisoner at Changi; he produced a sketchbook from his time there, drawing the guards and prisoners.

@LearningaboutMovies

3 жыл бұрын

great, did not know that. if you know the book's title, feel free to post it here.

@stevecurcuru

3 жыл бұрын

Searle’s book is “To The Kwai and Back”

"I've never been a good chair-price-guesser".

@LearningaboutMovies

2 жыл бұрын

heh.

Great essay - thank you. King Rat was filmed not far from where I lived as a boy in Thousand Oaks, CA. It was in an area later developed into a community called Westlake Village.

@LearningaboutMovies

2 жыл бұрын

you're welcome. Always remarkable that they can get CA to look like any environment in the world.

I recently got into James Clavell’s writing and I knew he co-wrote the screenplay for The Great Escape, but I had no idea that his own book, King Rat, had been adapted for film as well! Definitely going to add this to my watchlist.

@LearningaboutMovies

3 жыл бұрын

excellent.

@markfreeman-uv7si

2 жыл бұрын

Clavell also co-wrote the screenplay for 633 Squadron which definitely deserves a watch.

@tabbott59

2 жыл бұрын

James Clavell was a WWII Japanese POW himself. After being shot in the face in Java and initially imprisoned there he was later transferred to Changi Prison in Singapore.

@gardensofthegods

2 жыл бұрын

@@tabbott59 interesting ... that information , thank you

a rare warmovie indeed. Segal played nice in "The Bridge at Remagen" (1969).

Have not seen this film for almost forty years and will have to look at it once more.✔✔✔✔

@LearningaboutMovies

3 жыл бұрын

I think it's just now out on the Criteiron Channel, probably in HD.

Would be interesting to compare King Rats character with John malkovichs Macy in Stevem spell betgs Empire of the sith

Great flick, the opposite of John Wayne storming a beach.

King is very likeable in the book, because a lot of shit happens and there is this value system taking shape between Marlowe and the King. I can tell as usual with adaptations a lot of nuance got lost making the runtime.

It's been eons since i've seen this movie but was quite gripped by it when i did.... I would compare it to social/cultural systems perhaps as well as to economic systems as you've pointed out. The Brits were a bit clannish and class ridden where-as the yanks were more independent minded as reflected in the show. (It recalls to me an incident i read of in one of the Japanese 'hell' ships that a group of prisoners were transported in. The conditions were indescribably horrific and in extremis the Brits held together somewhat whilst the Yanks fell apart.) Anyway i believe 1/3 of allied prisoners died in Japanese camps thru starvation and vile abuse - the remainder were marked for life i expect. In such conditions the veneer of civility frays rather easily and i would be hesitant to judge him. The king held it together for himself and a few friends/allies perhaps the best one could do faced with such circumstances and i don't recall him undermining others - basically just surviving from his wits and 'charm'. If i recall correctly the character was based on a real person who went on to run a gas station in Texas after the war...

@LearningaboutMovies

3 жыл бұрын

Great comment, thank you.

@gardensofthegods

2 жыл бұрын

Aldo , it would have been really interesting to know more about this guy King Rat was based on and to find out really what his life was like after he got out of the war and if he really did work at a gas station or went on to have a pretty cushy life ... the guy was a Wheeler Dealer and charming so I would imagine he maybe did good for himself in life .

one of my favorite movies.

@LearningaboutMovies

Жыл бұрын

excellent! thank you.

I like the movie it’s awesome 😎

An excellent consideration of a brilliant movie... (The original novel, by James Clavell, contains elements which the film didn't choose to explore, including the presence and tacit acceptance of homosexuality within the camps... "What happens in camp stays in camp...") What might be added to your thoughtful review is the way the movie, (and the novel...) look obliquely at the British 'Class System' in which men of supposed social rank, (and thus military rank...) are inherently expected to be 'more honourable' than ordinary working class soldiers. (They're not, as we discover...) This facet might pass an American viewer by, as in the US the 'class system' is not as prevalent as it is in Britain. Moreover, in the UK, the ruling classes tended to come from the aristocracy, the more privileged people by birth, and it was commonplace to assume a 'natural' nobility/morality from such 'social superiors'. (Again, the movie explodes this myth...) Your observation that the film (and book) could be considered as an argument for 'Capitalism' over 'Socialism', while valid, fails to consider that, in fact, the British Officers controlling the 'Socialist' distribution of food and resources are every bit, (and more) corrupt than THE KING's unapologetic 'Capitalist' practice. (In fact, it is THE KING who rewards those who control the method of production and the British officers who criminally abuse a supposedly egalitarian system to profit for themselves.) It's telling that THE KING, (selling rat-meat in the guise of 'dwarf' deer meat...) only sells to officers! As much as he profits from exploiting his own class, (that's just business...) he won't lie to them. There are morals even in his philosophy. Another consideration is how the film illustrates how men, (all men) can abandon all propriety and morality when faced with possible death as the rules of society no longer apply. (The powerful will exploit the weak...) The character of GREY, (played brilliantly by Tom Courtenay) is perhaps the most interesting character in the film. He, a middle-class officer, (tortured in the book by thoughts of an unfaithful wife back in England and feelings of inferiority...) looks up to his superior officers and attempts to impossibly enforce the rule of moral law by properly policing his men to avoid corruption and injustice. He is psychologically DESTROYED when he realises that his superiors, those men who he aspired to be accepted and respected by, turn out to be, if anything, even more odious and corrupt than THE KING... *SPOILER ALERT* (He eventually allows himself to become corrupted and is promoted... But he now sees the emptiness of everything he believed in...) Great review of a great film. (Hope you don't mind my comment!!!) xx SF

@LearningaboutMovies

2 жыл бұрын

thank you, great stuff here.

@stevesandford1437

2 жыл бұрын

@@LearningaboutMovies Thank you SO MUCH for your reply... (*Learning About Movies* says it all...) We get to comment and add our opinions and thoughts... YOU open the dialogue, we comment... (Just subscribed!!!) Will look at more of your vlogs... Thank you for responding. xx Stephen

@abdelghanibenamara

Жыл бұрын

@@stevesandford1437 i spent days and nights looking for a review as good as yours

@nickbrook234

11 күн бұрын

The British officers do not just control the distribution of resources but also the means of production. Free enterprise is strictly controlled and you could argue that King's forays to trade with guards brings resources into the camp, allowing services to be procured and thus the wealth to be shared. Meanwhile, the British officers share the pie they have, somewhat unequally, and prosper directly off the back of the men. The overwhelming feeling towards King is envy and whether his wealth actually makes them poorer.

I ate dog in Bosnia it was like lamb had been three days without food and I didn’t think twice, young men war fear and hunger you’d eat it to. Only thing I hate everyone one who knows me, knows I ate dog and look at me odd. Sometimes I get truly angry when strangers talk about this event. I was in bad shape after that conflict and all people wanna know is. What does dog taste like no one asks about killing just that fxxking dog.

I think that the interesting thing about the movie is that you don't know just how dirty and self-serving King is. There are hints that he has cheated people and he is willing to threaten violence. It's also unclear if he has affection for Marlowe or just treats him as a means to an end. Grey also makes a jibe at the end about Churchill losing power to Labour, as if to suggest that the capitalism that allowed for few haves, many have-nots and corrupted rules is finally being brought to justice by socialism. Watching at the end you aren't sure if you should have been rooting for King or Grey after all.

@nickbrook234

11 күн бұрын

It's intentionally ambiguous and we are predisposed to dislike King because he breaks the rules and like Grey because he represents the system. The contradiction is that King does far less harm than Grey outside who is essentially forced to police a corrupt system of resource distribution and a regime that actively prevents free enterprise. As a result, the prisoners die of malnutrition and expect execution on Japan's surrender. The Americans do not and King plans to bribe his way out before they are killed. Grey is trapped on the outside of the officer class as he has been commissioned from the ranks. King does not suffer this despite his elevated position as the Americans do not have such strict distinctions and there are fewer of them at the camp. Grey piously and bitterly applies the rules regardless of the outcome. King's only rules are those of the deal. King thrives, even helping those around him, for instance paying for services and sharing the dog. He even supplements the camp's overall wealth by trading with the guards and bringing in resources with which to pay other prisoners with. Grey survives barely on his hate, suffering physically throughout. it's essentially and not very subtly about socialism versus capitalism and class structures. The British officers are the real villains because they truly take advantage of their men while doing very little to serve their interests outside keeping order. I apologetically admire King. Maybe I would have felt differently when younger when I saw life in black and white. The book is fantastic and builds on these themes while adding a few other social commentaries.

I agree with everything you're saying but, unfortunately, "King Rat" has a taint to it. It's one of my annoying brother-in-law's favorite movies. Every time this movie comes up I dismiss it as "okay" or "pretty good". I know it's childish but you don't know my brother-in-law. Thanks again for a great video.

@LearningaboutMovies

3 жыл бұрын

ah, how can an annoying person like this movie?? Your bro-in-law would seem to have good taste. Perhaps it's an anomaly.

@jitendradoc

3 жыл бұрын

Brothers-in laws should be banned under the Geneva Convention.

@gardensofthegods

2 жыл бұрын

Maybe just give your brother-in-law a break and sit and watch it with him and really enjoy it and maybe he'll stop being so annoying ... you never know .