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‘THE MINISTRY OF UNGENTLEMANLY WARFARE’ RATED R
Recently declassified files of the British War Department and a book with the lengthy title of “The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare: How Churchill’s Secret Warriors Set Europe Ablaze and Gave Birth to Modern Black Ops” by Damien Lewis inspired director Guy Ritchie for a film up his alley.
While the book’s subtitle is revealing, what matters most is that the film “The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare” delivers high-octane action when a motley crew of rogues and mavericks undertakes a secret mission against the Nazis using unconventional fighting techniques.
Although the actual history of Winston Churchill’s efforts of Operation Postmaster’s special operatives to steal German boats from a Spanish island off the coast of Africa would be more compelling to read about, Guy Ritchie spices up an entertaining adventure by taking numerous liberties.
There’s a James Bond connection here with a young Ian Fleming (Freddie Fox) inside Churchill’s intelligence circle, who apparently drew upon the exploits of the commandos to create his famous secret agent.
One of the characters who may have inspired Fleming was eccentric Major Gus March-Phillipps (Henry Cavill), who is granted an early release from prison. The Major puts together his own elite team, recruiting Danish strongman Anders Lassen (Alan Ritchson), who’s skilled with a bow and arrow.
Other members are the Irish navigator Henry Hayes (Hero Fiennes Tiffin; underwater demolitions expert Freddy Alvarez (Henry Golding); and strategist Geoffrey Appleyard (Alex Pettyfer), who has to be rescued from torture in a German camp.
On the distaff side is femme fatale Marjorie Stewart (Eiza Gonzalez), a Jewish actress tasked with seducing the sadistic, sneering Nazi commander Heinrich Luhr (Til Schweiger).
Taking a huge political chance on an illicit mission, Churchill (Rory Kinnear) is perfectly willing to take the risk of dispatching rebels to turn the tide of the war in the Atlantic when England stood alone against the Nazis.
The renegades are invincible killers, mowing down scores of Nazis as easy as a carnival shooting range. The wisecracking dialogue, along with the exciting fight scenes, turn “The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare” into a fun caper.
FINAL WORD ON THE TCM CLASSIC FILM FESTIVAL
Many celebrities appeared as special guests at the TCM Classic Film Festival. John Travolta and Samuel L. Jackson joined the opening night gala for “Pulp Fiction.”
Morgan Freeman and Tim Robbins reunited for the screening of “The Shawshank Redemption.” Mel Brooks introducing a closing night presentation of his film “Spaceballs” was a real treat for a packed theater.
No celebrity was busier during the festival than the dashing Billy Dee Williams, going strong at age 87, as he was the special guest for “Lady Sings the Blues” and “The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars & Motor Kings.”
In addition to a book signing for “What Have We Here?,” Williams participated in an hour-long conversation at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, where he described his childhood living in Harlem and getting his start in a Broadway production.
Making his feature debut in 1959’s “The Last Angry Man,” Williams developed a friendship with actor Paul Muni, who told him that race doesn’t matter and whatever he wants to play he should play it. More to the point, Williams said that “talk of race is boring.”
While achieving renown for the role of scoundrel Lando Calrissian in the “Star Wars” films “The Empire Strikes Back” and “The Return of the Jedi,” Williams expressed a love for old romantic comedies, along with how much he loved kissing Diana Ross’ character of Billie Holiday in “Lady Sings the Blues.”
At the “Bingo Long” screening, Williams revealed that the title of his autography “What Have We Here?” was the first line he delivered upon meeting Carrie Fisher’s Princess Leia in “The Empire Strikes Back.” Indeed, he was a likable rascal, and that’s part of his popularity.
An interesting find was the 1960 Jerry Lewis film “The Bellboy,” for the actor stepped into the director’s role for a film hastily put together when Paramount Pictures wanted a summer release.
Appearing as a guest presenter was Lewis’ son Chris, who said that his father wanted the already completed “Cinderfella” to be held for a Christmas release. Since Lewis was performing at the Fontainebleau Hotel in Miami, he quickly penned a script with some help from Stan Laurel.
What’s fascinating about “The Bellboy,” with Lewis in the title role, is that his eccentric bellboy named Stanley remained mute until the very end, as a tribute to silent film comedians.
Chris Lewis also observed that “The Bellboy,” filmed almost entirely in less than a month at the Fontainebleau, was a film with “no story, no plot.” It’s pretty much, as Chris noted, a “series of silly sequences” which delivers the laughs.
Another discovery of comic gold is 1951’s “The Lavender Hill Mob,” where bank clerk Alec Guinness organizes an unlikely band of thieves to steal gold and melt it down as Eiffel Tower souvenirs.
An unexpected treat is seeing pre-stardom Audrey Hepburn as a cigarette girl in the opening scene.
Tim Riley writes film and television reviews for Lake County News.
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- Written by: Tim Riley
MIDDLETOWN, Calif. — The Middletown Rancheria of Pomo Indians of California, Callayomi County Water District, and the Middletown Art Center are inviting residents from Middletown Unified School District and South Lake County Fire Protection District areas to vote in the Water Basket Project design selection.
The deadline to vote is Sunday, May 5.
The designs can be seen here.
The six designs and models on view were selected by a jury from 25 designs submitted. The jury was composed of 14 community members, both tribal and non-tribal, including two representatives each from the Middletown Rancheria, tribal cultural educators, Callayomi County Water District, Middletown Area Town Hall or MATH, Middletown Area Merchants Association, the Middletown area community and the Middletown Art Center.
The Water Basket Project will paint the two large water tanks located at the highest point in Middletown on Rabbit Hill with 360-degree murals with designs inspired by Pomo basketry and the local natural world.
A public call for work was posted in October and closed in January.
The Water Basket Project beautifies public space, uplifts and gives voice to community resilience and local identity and to our connection to this place, while honoring the heritage of the original people.
Pomo baskets were, and still are, made in this region and are found in museums worldwide. They are renowned for excellence in craftsmanship, aesthetics, and form and function using natural materials.
The project was announced at a Middletown Area Town Hall meeting in 2022 and the concept was unanimously approved by all present.
The Middletown Art Center was awarded a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts for the Water Basket Project in the summer of 2023.
Since then, numerous public events, classes and community presentations enabled people to learn more about the project and about Pomo basket designs.
Native and non-native artists and community members have engaged in cultural education and the process of creating and selecting designs for the project.
Mockups and maquettes of the selected design proposals are on display at the Middletown Art Center on Sunday, May 5, the last day to vote.
Wherever you decide to cast your vote, you may only vote once for each tank. Each design can be adapted for the larger or smaller tank.
Please note that final selected designs may have additional adjustments made to them before painting. All basket designs will undergo final approval from Middletown Rancheria tribal members.
For more information on the Water Basket project and design criteria, please visit https://middletownartcenter.org/water-basket.html.
For inquiries or further information, please contact the Middletown Art Center at 707-355-4465 orThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
Middletown Art Center is located at 21456 State Highway 175 in Middletown.
The deadline to vote is Sunday, May 5.
The designs can be seen here.
The six designs and models on view were selected by a jury from 25 designs submitted. The jury was composed of 14 community members, both tribal and non-tribal, including two representatives each from the Middletown Rancheria, tribal cultural educators, Callayomi County Water District, Middletown Area Town Hall or MATH, Middletown Area Merchants Association, the Middletown area community and the Middletown Art Center.
The Water Basket Project will paint the two large water tanks located at the highest point in Middletown on Rabbit Hill with 360-degree murals with designs inspired by Pomo basketry and the local natural world.
A public call for work was posted in October and closed in January.
The Water Basket Project beautifies public space, uplifts and gives voice to community resilience and local identity and to our connection to this place, while honoring the heritage of the original people.
Pomo baskets were, and still are, made in this region and are found in museums worldwide. They are renowned for excellence in craftsmanship, aesthetics, and form and function using natural materials.
The project was announced at a Middletown Area Town Hall meeting in 2022 and the concept was unanimously approved by all present.
The Middletown Art Center was awarded a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts for the Water Basket Project in the summer of 2023.
Since then, numerous public events, classes and community presentations enabled people to learn more about the project and about Pomo basket designs.
Native and non-native artists and community members have engaged in cultural education and the process of creating and selecting designs for the project.
Mockups and maquettes of the selected design proposals are on display at the Middletown Art Center on Sunday, May 5, the last day to vote.
Wherever you decide to cast your vote, you may only vote once for each tank. Each design can be adapted for the larger or smaller tank.
Please note that final selected designs may have additional adjustments made to them before painting. All basket designs will undergo final approval from Middletown Rancheria tribal members.
For more information on the Water Basket project and design criteria, please visit https://middletownartcenter.org/water-basket.html.
For inquiries or further information, please contact the Middletown Art Center at 707-355-4465 or
Middletown Art Center is located at 21456 State Highway 175 in Middletown.
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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
