The Firing Squad (TV-1955) DAVID NIVEN
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- Опубликовано: 13 май 2024
- Four Star Playhouse Season 4 Episode 1
Stars: David Niven, Hugh Beaumont, Michael Pate
Writers: Colin MacDougall (story), Frederic Brady (screenplay)
Director: Roy Kellino
In the Australian Army in North Africa during WWII, a disgraced Captain is ordered to oversee the execution of a military deserter in exchange for the restoration of his own honor. 
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Excellent episode! David Niven is his usual brilliant self, and Michael Pate gives a low-key but superb performance. Ironically, I think this is one of the few times he has played his own nationality in his career. Thanks for uploading!
He has played his Nationality many times. Her Mr Niven is playing an Australian Officer. However he is English not Australian. perhaps you got him confused with his side kick Errol Flynn
David Niven was a British Officer in Europe during WWII, ended the war as a lieutenant-colonel and was awarded the Legion of Merit, an American award.
Wikipedia reports: A few stories have surfaced. About to lead his men into action, Niven eased their nervousness by telling them, "Look, you chaps only have to do this once. But I'll have to do it all over again in Hollywood with Errol Flynn!" Asked by suspicious American sentries during the Battle of the Bulge who had won the World Series in 1943, he answered, "Haven't the foggiest idea, but I did co-star with Ginger Rogers in Bachelor Mother!"
@@davidleonard1813 He is referring to Michael Pate, who was Australian
This was when television was in its infancy. In other words, this was made back when television was GOOD. And now, look what it has become. This production from 1955 contained more quality scripting and acting than just about anything produced in the last few years. I am so glad that there are still people who love the old programs like this one and are posting them here for our enjoyment. Keep up the good work.
Television , isn't come to where I live until the early mid , 1960s .
Yeah, but nowadays you have "diversity and inclusion."
@@redtobertshateshandles Yep. DEI = Destroying Every Institution.
You must come from a different reality than me.
Grimy picture, iffy reception and not much choice.
@@tridbant Technology improved. Programming didn't.
Many people either do not know or have forgotten that David Niven was a British Army officer in India before becoming an actor. During WW2 he took a hiatus from acting and returned to serving in the British Army, finishing with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.
No , not India, but served on the island of Malta.
So you are half right.
For more of his army career before world war 2 , please read The Moon Is A Balloon.
Having a bad day, read this book , it have you laughing all the way through to the end.
A rare chance for Michael Pate to play an Australian during his Hollywood career.
Last I heard he returned to Australia 🇦🇺 after he retired.
Hugh Beaumont, Beaver's dad.
Excellent post, excellent story 👍
Great story. And with a great cast of actors.
🍕🍕🍕Thank you 🍕Great cast 🍕 A fan of Michael Pate , always good to see this great and talented actor 👍🍕🍕🍕
Imagine producing this story today, because imagining it is all that is allowed.
Thank you Mr Pizza for another memorable movie 🍿🌷😉
Interesting treatment of the death penalty. When I saw Niven listed as the producer, that told me it was his idea and was a subject he felt strongly about. Niven didn't work nearly enough in my book, a very talented and charismatic actor. Of course, how can anyone forget his witty turn at the Oscar's when he gave the streaker the fare thee well he deserved. Hilarious. Thanks for the upload PF. Paz.
There was an episode of What's My Line where he was on the panel. The guest was a man who had served under David Niven in the Highland Light Infantry in Malta back in the 30s.
@@sreggird60 I'm gonna have to scare up that ep if I can somewhere, musta been a wonderful watch. Paz.
High quality acting by a superb cast.
Excellent.
Couldn't help but think of Capt Blackadder and his firing squad when Jones asked to see him and could he shake hands with the firing squad.
“Here’s looking at you, love from all the boys in the firing squad!” 😁
BTW By 1943 the last of the Australian Divisions (the 9th) had left North Africa for New Guinea after the Battle of El Alamein. No Australian soldier was allowed to be executed (much to the annoyance of some British Generals). Australian Army Headquarters was in Melbourne.
Most of their kit was wrong. Looked like they were wearing American webbing.
Who were these British generals that wanted to execute Australian soldiers?
Efore my time , this became public - I'm pleased it was made ( broughttears to my eyes ) as it helps show he futolity of war , and that miracles can happen .
The padre, played by Hugh Beaumont, is best remembered for his role as Ward Cleaver, the father of hapless Beaver Cleaver on the popular family comedy "Leave it to Beaver" (1957 - 1963). In real life he was also an ordained minister.
I thought that was who it was.
He played an army chaplain in Go For Broke about Nisei 442nd Regimental Combat Team.
@@c3aloha Thanks, I haven't seen that movie since I was a kid and the only actor I remember in it was Van Johnson.
Thanks 👍
After the execution of Breaker Morant and Lt Hancock during the Boer war (as depicted in the film Breaker Morant) the Australians banned execution in the armed forces. And I hate to nit pick, but the setting is given as North Africa 1943. The Australians left North Africa after El Alamein in 1942 to defend Australia from the Japanese.
The 9th Division began embarking for its return to Australia on 24 January 1943
@@stvdagger8074 Thank you for the correction.
The original story (on which this is based) was the Canadian army in Sicily.
@@lib556 en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harold_Pringle
@@stvdagger8074 That's the guy.
Where on Earth does this come from? Amazing the wonders the algorithm does throw up amidst the rubbish!
Superb, simple story. Niven at his usual best. Pity about the American Aussie accents!
I saw Michael Pate,-at the Ensemble-Theatre,-in Sydney Aust, 1980,--He was brilliant on Stage,--
Well done Captain David! Seems tv had a certain "class" to it sadly missing today.
I’m a veteran of 24 years service and I can honestly say that I am so glad that the death penalty was abolished in the British military. I do not see the point in executing someone for desertion, there is always a reason for it, but the fact is that the reasons don’t matter, execution is final and if a person is subsequently found to have been innocent or whatever they were convicted for then you can not resurrect them and a posthumous pardon would not do them any good, it would not help their families either, execution is not the answer for any criminal offence.
I’m 100% sure that any person with an ounce of integrity and humanity would not want to be tasked with commanding a firing squad, they might not have been on the courts martial board, they might not have passed the sentence, they might not have ratified the sentence, they would not load the weapons and they would not pull a trigger, but that one order………….. “FIRE” is a word nobody should want to order a firing squad to carry out, and tbh I KNOW that I couldn’t do it, and I am glad that I was never in the position to find out.
The death penalty had been abolished in the Australian Military in 1903, so this entire scenario is wrong. The last Australians executed by the British where Breaker Morant and Peter Handcock in 1902.
The only reasonable case again nst the death penalty I am aware of is that it would likely lead to more homicide as fearful perpetrators attempt to remove evidence. I could most certainly issue the order or carry out the task. And yes, I have seen death.
The film stars who formed Four Star for TV were pioneers in breaking the monopoly of the film studios on entertainment. Niven mentioned that he was already under a dark cloud with the studios at that time.
Also -watch David-Niven,--in "Seperate-Tables"--another Brilliant-movie,--with Burt-Lancaster !!
Never been a soldier executed in the Australian Army. Presumably the writer had not heard of Breaker Morant.
Might be a technicality as Australia was not a country during the Boer War
@@stuartquin8390 You’re right about Australia only becoming a united nation, as opposed to there being just a group of separate colonies, as the Commonwealth of Australia on 1 January 1901, but the crimes for which he was executed were committed in August 1901 and he was shot on 27 February 1902. The Second Boer War ended on 31 May 1902. So, he both committed the crimes and was executed after the establishment of Australia. And apparently the newly formed Australian government demanded an explanation, so they considered him an Australian. So, I still think it is an oversight by the writer. Having said that, I doubt anyone outside of Australia and South Africa (and possibly even then only military historians) had ever heard of Breaker Morant before the film in 1980.
There was no australian army in the boar war they were colonial troops under british command.
@@keithmcwilliams7424 OK, so, the Second Boer War started on 11 October 1899, therefore, from October 1899 until 31 December 1900, Australia was just a collection of colonies and any soldiers from those colonies were colonial soldiers. No problem there. But on 1 January 1901 the Federation of the colonies took place and the Commonwealth of Australia was formed as a united nation. Since the crimes were committed in August 1901 and the trial was in January 1902 and the executions were in February 1902, all at least 8 months after the Federal Commonwealth of Australia came into being, and the federated government of Australia, demanded an explanation, how were they still colonial troops and not Australian soldiers? You may be right, but, if you are, it makes no sense.
@@keithmcwilliams7424Boer war - not boar.
This tv drama is pretty well identical (but uncredited) to a 1951 short story by Colin McDougall published in the Canadian magazine Maclean's, same title , "The Firing Squad", which concerns a Canadian soldier sentenced to death and to be executed by his own army. The story won several awards, including First Prize in the Maclean's fiction contest, and McDougall used it as the basis for his 1957 (brilliant) novel "Execution". Based loosely on McDougall's own experiences in Italy during the war, and including the real-life execution of Canadian Private Harold Pringle (who was in with a gang of deserters who killed an MP in Naples.) In McDougall's novel version the execution is carried out (as it was in reality) but in short story several tv dramas the officer in charge refuses on the day and the sentence is commuted. I guess in the 1950s tv it was still too controversial to show an allied soldier (a volunteer) killed by his own army even of that happened sometimes.
If you watch closely MacDougall is credited. It says, "based on a story by Colin MacDougall". As soon as I saw this posted I just knew it must be based on MacDougall's novel. I paused the video and pulled the book from the shelf noting a copyright date of 1958. At the end on this video I noted that this teleplay was broadcast in 1955. Hmmm. So then I figured it must be based on an earlier story version of MacDougall's work. Your comment confirms this.
A Canadian TV movie was produced as well. Hollywood found Aussies more interesting than Canadians evidently.
@@steveweatherbe i
I've seen it and thought it okay. Honestly, we don't do mil history movies well in Canada. Audiences do find Australians more interesting than us. That's one of the reasons Canada's significant contributions to WW2 are often overlooked - we're kind of boring... talk like yanks and dress like Brits. Aussies have different accents, fun hats and live in an exotic far away place.
There's another reason. Australians actually take pride in their military achievements. They aren't afraid to make good movies about them. Too many Canadians act embarrassed by our military past and ignore it themselves. No wonder we get short shrift when the stories are told. If we aren't willing to be interested in our own history, why should we expect people from other countries to make an effort.
@@lib556 Ha! We are so totally on the same page we should form a club.
@@steveweatherbe I'm retired with time on my hands... West Coast.
A similar theme was taken in 1950, on the other side, Albrecht Goes' Unruhige Nacht. Goes was himself a pastor in the German forces, and goes far deeper than this.
good movie
There were two Australian soldiers killed by firing squad by the British during the Boar war.
"Boer"
Laughs in Breaker Morant.
Awesome.
General point of military etiquette: When Niven goes into the Officers’ Mess to collect his bottle of whisky, you notice that he removes his hat. Unlike the rest of his fellow officers, all of whom are in the Mess ‘with their hats on’. No officer or Senior NCO would enter the Mess wearing headgear.
What about saluting officers without head dress on. Thought the badge was saluted not the individual. In my short stint that was certainly the case.
@@andrewhoward7200 Customs differ, national army to national army. In the US Army, for example, salutes are still exchanged whether one party is wearing headdress or not. In the British Army, an individual who does not have headdress does not actually salute (that is, raise the right hand to above the right eye). That individual will normally pay the compliment by ‘bracing up’ (that is, adopting an ‘at attention’ position, head turned in the direction of the person receiving the ‘salute’). The [officer] to whom the compliment is being paid, will acknowledge the compliment in the customary manner, by returning the salute. If the officer does not have headdress when being saluted, the officer will ‘brace up’ and verbally acknowledge the salute with some remark like ‘thank you’, or similar. In the British Army, the compliment is being paid to acknowledge the [officer’s] commission from the Crown.
That was pretty good.
To the best of my knowledge, Australia did not execute soldiers found guilty of desertion in either world war, and I think in world war II, that was the case throughout the British Empire.
True. We were volunteers. Better led then driven.
Being volunteers or conscripts in not the point. According to Section 98 of the Commonwealth Defence Act 1903, no member of the Defence Force shall be sentenced to death by any court martial except for four offences:
mutiny
desertion to the enemy
traitorously delivering up to the enemy any garrison, fortress, post, guard, or ship, vessel, or boat, or aircraft
traitorous correspondence with the enemy.
Significantly, this sentence could not be carried out until it was confirmed by the Governor-General.
No Australian soldiers were executed in either world war.
The British had executed Harry 'Breaker' Morant and Lt Peter Hancock during the Boer war, as depicted in the film Breaker Morant. After the federation of the Australian colonies in 1901, executions were forbidden in the armed services.
In this play they made clear the soldier had been convicted of murder. The Australian authorities executed enough folk including indigenous folk in PNG for murder at bequest of occupying Japanese. Quite a few Japanese. But to be clear the British had a moratorium on capital punishment for desertion at the time. It was the Great War where Australia had a different policy to other Commonwealth countries.
In the Great war Australia did not have conscription@@55vmain the 2ndWW we did. While initially they could only serve in Australia territory - with pressure from US who sent conscripts to Papua, Australia redefined what was out national territory so young lads like my uncle could be deployed.
Nice to see Hugh B. not as Ward Clever.
Major plot hole though, Australia abolished the death penalty for Australian military personnel in 1903*. This scenario could not have occurred, Private Jones would have gone to prison not a firing squad.
*This was due to the British executing 2 Australian Officers in 1902 during the Boer War.
Yes your totally correct...Australia didn't execute their soldiers, the British and French armies executed in WWI ,the Germans also did but not at the same rate one American soldier was executed in WWII it was a practice discouraged post American Civil War...The British army executed 306 men in WW I ....the Germans 25 ,its unknown how many French soldiers were executed but it was frequent..
You are incorrect. The death penalty stayed on the books for four military offences, including desertion, until 1973. From 1902 a death sentence needed to be ratified by the Governor General. It is true that no Australians were executed in the First World War, but that was a policy decision - a bloody good one in my view - and not a legal constraint. This is an excellent show and only mildly hypothetical in its premise.
Frankly I’m more bugged by all those bloody hats in the mess and the fact that all Australian divisions were well and truly back in the South West Pacific by mid 1943. Niven’s 100% correct military bearing is also problematic for your average 2nd AIF junior officer. You can take the actor out of Sandhurst, but you can’t take Sandhurst out of the actor.
The Australian Government maintain capital punishment for a range of offenses including for members of armed services until 1972. It was though not utilised. In Australia the use of capital punishment faded out quickly from early 1900s. Judges didn't passed such sentences
More interesting is the Vatican maintain capital punishment on its books to 1974 - ie, after Australia had legal ended such. And the USN has not used capital punishment since 1840s ... Although it was in its law that it could be until . Well I think it still is although there is a Federal moratorium of its use.
Unfortunate incident when some builders turned up at the same time as an execution.”Some guys have arrived with ladders,what do we do?” “Put ‘em up against the wall!”
BREAKER MORANT the movie, depicts so intensely, the conundrum of Military punishment concerning Court Martial resulting in execution. The Australian military was against the death sentence but under British regulations, the sentence was carried out. The controversy over the execution of Australian soldiers remains.
Thing is Breaker Morant was English.
@@BingoFrogstrangler served in the Australian Army (light horse). many many Australians were of British birth.
"No Me Saques Sin Razon; No Me Envaines Sin Honor."
(Draw me not without reason; sheath me not without honor)
This was a common inscription found on military swords dating back many centuries.
Michael Pate lived in my area of Sydney
Hi there
was not Breaker Morant and his companions in the Australian army when they were executed.
Niven is always good
The australians had left in 1942 to fight the japanese!😢
A short movie about Australians.........with no Australians LMAO WTF!!!!
It will be most unfavorable to Pvt. Jones too.
I know they did their best with the costuming, but those aren't *hats, khaki fur felt* as issued by the Australian army. Picky, picky, picky . . .
The Canadian army only executed 1 soldier in WW2 he was a deserter in Italian campaign killed a American soldier was from my militia unit in belleville Ontario hastings and prince Albert regt.
Likely the one that inspired this story written by Canadian veteran Colin MacDougall. He was apparently involved in that execution in some aspect. This is based on his story (which later became the 1958 novel Execution). The original story is set in the Canadian army in the Italian campaign. Evidently we're not interesting enough to make a teleplay about... Australians are more...exotic.
Wasn’t that a treat
In The Guns of Navarone, David Niven had a great scene about a firing squad where Gregory Peck is goaded into killing a treacherous girl Anna (Gia Scala) by Niven who says "Come down off that cross of yours, close your eyes, think of England, and pull the trigger!"
Already on yt for ages from multiple uploaders
Hi PWS 🍕watch this: ruclips.net/video/SuaDQWjAbjg/видео.html
I think the idea is to watch it with other pwople and share our thoughts mate.
So what, pressure works. Then go watch it somewhere else!
@@HappyBear376 Exactly.
@@donnabaardsen5372 🍕 you tell 'em Donna 🍕