CARRINGTON V.C.

UK, 1955, 105 minutes, Black and white.
David Niven, Margaret Leighton, Noelle Middleton, Alan Cuthbertson, Victor Maddern, Geoffrey Keen, Mark Dignam, Maurice Denholm, Lawrence Naismith, Clive Morton, Michael Bates.
Directed by Anthony Asquith.

Carrington VC is a very British film. It was directed by Anthony Asquith, son of the prime minister of England, who made many feature films during the 40s to the 60s, many of them celebrated like The Way to the Stars as well as The Winslow Boy. He also directed such films in the 60s as The Yellow Rolls Royce and The VIPs.

The film presents David Niven in a very typical role – one which could be compared to his Oscar-winning major in Separate Tables three years later. Margaret Leighton appeared in many British films as a strong character – sometimes neurotic. There is a gallery of British character actors in support.

The film is basically a court-martial, a courtroom film. It presents quite a number of moral dilemmas. David Niven portrays Major Carrington who has been promoted but has entangled himself, especially in his financial difficulties as well as an extramarital relationship. As he is accused in court of embezzlement, he tries to defend himself but the difficulty is that a witness to what he did is the prosecutor, his commanding officer, and he needs the support of his wife. However, this will lead to the revelation of his affair.

David Niven is able to convey both strength and weakness in his characters and this is a very strong portrait study of a flawed man.

1. What retained interest in this film? The Court Martial drama? The human interest?

2. What did the film have to say about judgments and evidence? Audience judgment on Carrington changing impressions? The Tribunal's judgment on him? The inter-relation of law, justice, humanity?

3. How important was the British background and style of this film? How important the Army background with its laws and styles and precision? The army as giving a view of modern society and its attitudes towards justice? What comment on army life was being made via this film – the influence of its styles and precision on ordinary human behaviour, the conflicts inevitable in power struggles and confrontations, jealousies etc.? How much insight was given into this conflict?

4. Was Carrington an interesting hero in himself? Carrington as a man, his relationship to Valerie, his past career and support of her, his love for his wife, his relationship with Captain Graham, his desire for integrity? The importance of the question of his back pay and his appeals and his desperate situation? Did his aristocratic background help him or hinder him, his racing, slander by Henniker, being made a victim? How much dignity was there in his character, how honourable and courteous, towards the army, his wife, bearing in the trial and his defence? The quality of his speeches in communicating his character?

5. How important for the film was the loyalty of the sergeant to Carrington? What motivated him? Hero-worship? Bending the law for him?

6. How important was Captain Graham for the plot? As a typical army woman? Her loyalty and support of Carrington? Her love for him - were you surprised at their affair?

7. The dramatic importance of Valerie for the film? Her life with Carrington, the questions of pay, her neuroses? Her appearance and rather sumptuous style? Her selfishness and her testimony? Audience response to her? Her manipulation of truth and falsity? Her asking Carrington not to humiliate her and his compliance with her request? The bitterness of her resentment about the affair? The harshness of her lying? What insight into malicious character and selfishness did this give?

8. The dramatic importance of Henniker In the film - the class distinctions, the jealousy, his telling of lies, his snooping behaviour and catching Carrington? His reputation with the people and the Tribunal? Audience response to his behaviour at the trial? What insight into this kind of character and his suspicions did the film give?

9. What was the overall impact of the film on questions of justice, the letter of the law, the letter of the law crushing individuals, encouragement? The personalities on the tribunal and their discussions amongst themselves? The reasons for their attitudes? Personal views confronting circumstantial evidence and the influence on decisions?
Could the members have given any other verdict?

10. The significance of the ending - Carrington and his appeal? The fortuitous nature of overhearing the telephone call?

11. What insight into character and human behaviour did the film give? Was it a worthwhile exploration of character and confrontation?