James Clavell's The Last Valley

I was a bit surprised by all the positive feedback this film received. While it is a well-produced film in terms of costumes and cinematography it lacks in storyline. The narrative is too fragmentary to be entirely cohesive. Perhaps Clavell was attempting to convey the sudden power shifts and chaos that actually characterize war but on screen in comes across as incomplete. Also the characterizations are inconsistent. For example at the end of the film Michael Caine's character returns to the valley suddenly remorseful and war weary. It seems like a tacked on ending without the necessary character development that would lead a viewer to understand his change of mind. Most noticeably this film has too much dialogue with characters explaining their views of the situation. The dialogue was stale most of the time. That's why I thought this film was rather boring.

Superficially about the 30 years war in Europe in the early part of 17th century, this insightful film portrays much about human personality and relationships. Much of human thought is influenced by thought disorder (loose associations and delusions). This thought disorder often goes unrecognized as it is shared by many others, and thus regarded as reality-based. The people in this film (except for the main characters of the Captain, village leader, and wandering teacher) are a study in this human tendency to construct ideas based on thought disorder. This makes for a more fascinating film that adds to the enjoyment of the fine story depicted. Caine's laid back performance is brilliant. Sharif does his Dr. Zhivago thing as modified to fit this story. This is a classic that one can enjoy in repeted viewing every 5 to 10 years.

It's a bit long and drags in the second half, but it's worth seeing for Caine and for the unusual setting: how many films in English are set in early 17c Germany? Caine is the captain of a multinational band of mercenaries who stumble upon Eden-- the only valley in Germany left untouched by war and plague-- and decide to stay a while. Sharif plays the educated refugee who keeps looking appalled (he's also the proxy for the writer). It's all decked out realistically but it isn't really a re-creation of 17c. It's more like a modern writer's take on the 17c. In its conception the Catholics are blind idol-worshipping fanatics and the Protestants are wild idol-smashing fanatics and boys who see men shoot guns grow up to be killers. While all this is arguably true, it gets laid on a bit too thick. And it's planned out in scenes, just like a TV movie. But the photography and the locations in the Alps look great. And Caine is believably, and occasionally hilariously, German.

My fiancee has mentioned this movie to me often. However, she only picked up a DVD of it a few days ago. I just watched it with her, and must say that it is one of the best films I have come across in some considerable time. The cast are all in top form, James Clavell's direction is top notch, and it is one of those films that leaves you with a lot to think about long after the end. Special mention should also be made of the excellent cinematography, and John Barry's fine score which must rank as one of his best.

Touted on IMDb as a lost gem, as you know this is set in Germany in the 1600s, during the 30 Years War, where Protestants are fighting Catholics and death and destruction is commonplace. It stars Omar Shariff as a wanderer who happens upon this idyllic valley hidden from the rest of the world, and a bearded but still handsome Michael Caine as the head of a bunch of mercenaries who've seen their share of fighting and massacre. James Bond composer John Barry does the score and there's an early prototype of Moonraker's Space March as the main war theme, though Space March is more melodic to my ears. I know Barry can do no wrong supposedly, but it does seem to be that he and Bond were a perfect match. In other films his signature style is often distracting and the romantic theme of this film, used repetitively and sometimes inappropriately, is intrusive and pretty corny. Caine has an early protype too - the "Ve ALL love you Freddie" German accent he would adopt 15 years later in the comedy Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. It's pretty iffy and unintentionally comic at times, he's the only one who bothers with a German accent, perhaps to take away the London wideboy. "You're only supposed to sack the bloody church!" The film didn't quite grab me. For a start, it's odd that Omar Shariff should be fleeing a plague pit and soldiers for only 2 minutes before stumbling upon this idyll. The valley doesn't seem too hidden to me, and if it is, how come the other soldiers found it at the same time? The happy and lovely aspects of the village passed me by, as the inhabitants - especially the women - had that neurotic German temper and look characteristic of the Luthran era, if you believe historian Kenneth Clark's take on it. The Lost Horizon did all this much better. Still, it's a noble and unusual idea, just let down by unintentionally risble moments. It only really picks up when there's a bit of discord, which runs counter to the film's message.

Is this movie historically accurate? - my answer is I don't know Is this movie entertaining? - NOT in my view. 2 hours - find an alternative of something better to do, even given such a good cast as it has, I cannot to be fair, call this in any way shape or form as having any "entertainment value" whatsoever

This is a terrifically well-done film. Hard to believe it doesn't get more recognition. I don't remember talking about it with anyone who has ever heard of it but I'm glad it's in print on DVD because it was out of print on VHS for a long time. I don't buy every halfway decent movie but this one I did. Now I can show it to friends and see if anyone else agrees with me that it's very worth seeing. Michael Caine gives a very good performance as an the captain, an authoritative and detached veteran of bloody war, burned out and ready to embrace a better way of life when he finds the idyllic little valley. I should say mostly ready, because the plot revolves around his dilemma of violent and ugly past vs. potentially pacific future. Omar Sheriff is very good as the scholar who carries a passion for a better world, being the source of encouragement to the captain's yearning for what the valley represents. It's a tale of a man who cannot quite let go of his past, which has been done many times and is very well done here. Highly recommended if the genre appeals to you.

This film suffers from a triple whammy of mediocrity, since James Clavell features as writer, director and producer. It is hard to say in which capacity he did the worst job, but I have to go for writing, because the script is unbearably clunky throughout. The complexities of the Thirty Years are simplified which is fair enough, but the result simply lacks any tension, dynamism or electricity. What is particularly sad is that Clavell's two leads, Caine and Sharif, had recently starred in movies which offer the viewer so much, viz Zulu and Zhivago. Why could Clavell not learn something about effective script-writing from those two masterpieces? The acting style, a weird mix of the deadpan and hysterical, was parodied to death in the Monty Python films and needs no further comment. All in all, the movie is best consigned to the dustbin.

I saw this movie when it was first released in the UK, and that was a long time ago. As others have said, it was not well received by the critics and the public largely stayed away. I went to see it because it had Michael Caine in it and the music was by John Barry. Reasons enough I thought, and I wasn't wrong: it is a mesmerising movie with a well written story beautifully realised for the screen. John Barry more than rose to the occasion; I think he must also have been greatly inspired by the images and story he was working to. Now it is available on DVD for everyone to see, at last, and I can't recommend it highly enough. If you want more then have a look here http://www.silvascreen.co.uk/master.cfm?SilvaCode=FILMCD355&id=3466 where you can also get hold of a recreation of the complete original music score composed by John Barry, lovingly and accurately recreated by Nic Raine with The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra and Crouch End Festival Chorus. What are you waiting for?

Skip it – This is an exceedingly strange movie that blends war with the concept of a utopian society. It takes place in Germany during the Thirty Years War. War and plague have ravaged the entire country, except for one small hidden valley in the mountains. When a small band of soldiers, led by Michael Caine's character, discover this valley, they decide to join with the villagers in order to co-exist. Eventually, they must defend the valley from outsiders. The two main battle scenes that take place during the film are pretty good, but they are few and far between. Also, this film would have been better if it was made before 1970. The director decided to focus on religion rather than war. Although religion was the conflict that started the Thirty Years War, it is portrayed in a fanatical way that only the 1970's could offer.