MURPHY'S WAR is a WW2 thriller shot in Venezuela to give it an exotic look. The unusual storyline is the best thing about it and similar to Wilbur Smith's SHOUT AT THE DEVIL in the tale of an Allied soldier obsessed with getting revenge on the submarine captain who massacred his men after their ship was torpedoed. Peter O'Toole headlines the cast and dominates with his portrayal of the cocky, carefree Irishman; as usual his superior acting is one of the best things about the film.The direction comes courtesy of Peter Yates, the man behind BULLITT, and like that film this is a very visual experience. There aren't many ingredients and there's rather a languid pacing but MURPHY'S LAW holds your attention regardless. The locations are fantastic and the special effects solid for their era. There's not much action but that which does occur is hard-hitting. The cast can also be relied upon to give strong performances; because there are so few characters in this, they have to work harder and they're up to the job.Philippe Noiret (re-teaming with O'Toole after NIGHT OF THE GENERALS) is the likable French ally while Sian Phillips adds plenty of character as the British nurse. Most surprising of all is Horst Janson, Hammer's star from CAPTAIN KRONOS, playing the villain of the piece. He's understated and eminently hateable, a polar opposite from his starring role in the Hammer film. MURPHY'S LAW builds to a fantastically tense climax which is the best part of the film and indeed the last twenty minutes are cinematic excellence.

Although I'm not a big fan of war movies, I found this one very good, which comes as no surprise since Peter O'Toole is in it. Here you'll see him in a rather unexpected "macho" role, and he's as convincing as Lawrence, general Tanz or any other characters he's ever played. This is pretty much a one-man-show, and what a show! While his vengeance is of course reminiscent of Ahab's personal vendetta, "Murphy's war" is all about O'Toole's intensity and his unmatched ability to capture madness, pain, obsession, self-absorption.As I understood, O'Toole did most of the stunts himself, so the horrified look on his face, in the breath taking plane sequence, was actually the real deal. Well, I guess that explains the feel of authenticity. Either way, that must be one of the most memorable moments of the genre.It was a pleasant surprise to see that Germans actually speak German, which is unusual for that particular era of movie-making. (Remember "Where Eagles Dare", where Richard Burton and Clint Eastwood wanted to pass as Germans officers while speaking in English, or "The Night of the Generals" where French generals where talking to each other in English). It's a detail of no major importance by any means, but it ads to the overall impression of realism.This drama about the devastating effects of war, with great acting, a most realistic flight sequence and a surprising conclusion that fits perfectly – is not to be missed.I'm still hoping for a better DVD transfer in Region 2.

With out a doubt. A classic and original style war movie with intense acting from Peter O'Toole. The almighty aircraft mechanic seeks revenge for the death of his shipmates by the evil nazi navy. Jona hunts his whale to get his pound of flesh. I saw it when I was a little boy thought wow this guy can fix anything. Over the years when I have caught it on TV man the old classic still holds up. A gritty telling story of one man's blind revenge to seek justice. I am all for Murphy to kill those ba$^@&d%. Proud to be in Murphy's box. A sailor who at the end of the war witnesses his ship and crew torpedoed by a German u-boat. He survives with a pilot and plane. He with the help of a local island man Louie gets the down aircraft out of the jungle. But the Germans have come back to finish the job. With a missionary doctor as subplot the story is compelling. A great line "don't worry it's just alittle ole alligator" classic. A must see for all time. I still think on of the best ever put in film art.

In scanning through these reviews, I'm very pleased to see that this movie is well liked by many people.I saw it first around the time it came out and even though I was only eleven or twelve, many things about this movie left an impression on me: the sunny, tropical locations, the excellent cast and the impeccable performances.The very last scene where Murphy is literally consumed by his own revenge is at least as memorable and disturbing as the last scene in The Planet of the Apes (60's version) and drives home the whole point of the movie as perfectly as I've ever seen it done.See it! You won't be disappointed.