Tunes of Glory

Tunes of Glory (1960), directed by Ronald Neame

The story of a power struggle between two colonels in a Scottish highlander regiment, the very Scottish Jock Sinclair (Alec Guinness) versus the very English Basil Barrow (John Mills). The two fight it out over the course of the film, ironically, neither one is actually fit to command. The problem remains unresolved due to a surprise ending.

Appropriately, this battle between two characters features powerhouse performances from the two leads. When I give the laurels to Mills, it is mainly because his is the more difficult character to bring to life. While both characters are ultimately sympathetic, Mills' performance is heartbreaking.

The cast is universally fine, not a bad performer in the bunch. The director carefully defers to his stars. In all, a good story with a phenomenal ending.