'TUNES OF GLORY'; A TRULY GREAT FILM.

I've just watched an oldish film, 'Tunes of Glory' starring Alec Guinness and John Mills, and with a superb supporting cast as well.

Most younger viewers will not have watched this and have probably never heard of its stars; if they have heard of the principal actors, they wouldn't have watched it because it's old and lacks the crash, bang wallop lunacy of the rubbish they habitually watch.

I've actually seen this film on several occasions and was every bit as gripped today as I have ever been. It's a wonderful story centering on the tensions created in a Scottish regiment when a new colonel, John Mills, is appointed. The senior Major who's been acting Colonel, Guinness, and the new Colonel have vastly different approaches to, experience of, and history of army life and the result is a brilliant film, culminating in the suicide of Mills and the collapse of Guinness as he realises, and tries to make up for, the enormity of the actions of himself and his fellow officers.

There is little background music other than is needed for the direct needs of the scenes and, what there is, is mostly provided by bagpipes, in my opinion the greatest instrument ever invented (and I'm not Scottish, or even have Scottish ancestry). The supporting cast are marvellous and the petty jealousies and little intrigues add to the whole effect of the film.

As 'Major Sinclair', Guinness should undoubtedly have been a genuine contender for the 'Best Actor Oscar', and yet he wasn't even nominated. Mills could easily have been in contention for 'Best Supporting Actor' but, again, wasn't even nominated. Of course, they weren't American and Guiness had won the Oscar only a couple of years before for 'Bridge Over the River Kwai', so their chances must have been reduced; the yanks do like to give their accolades to their own obscure 'stars', rather than to genuine talent, and only deign to go outside of their borders on rare occasions. Nonetheless, this is a film I shall watch again and again, and I'd encourage everyone else to see it at least once.