King Rat (1965)

Director:

Bryan Forbes

Writers:

James Clavell (novel)
Bryan Forbes (written for the screen by)

Release Date:

27 October 1965 (USA)

Genre:

War | Drama

Tagline:

He entered WWII a soldier... and left a King.

Plot:

The Japanese prisoner-of-war camp Changi in Singapore, which houses Allied POWs, is a living hell. The...

Plot Keywords:

Prisoner Of War | Singapore | WWII | Deep Focus | Japan

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 1 nomination

Cast

George Segal	...	Corporal King: The American Hut
Tom Courtenay	...	Lt. Robin Grey: The Provost Staff
James Fox	...	Peter Marlowe: Hut 16
Patrick O'Neal	...	Top Sgt. Max: The American Hut
Denholm Elliott	...	Lt. G.D. Larkin: Hut 16
James Donald	...	Dr. Kennedy: The Hospital Staff
Todd Armstrong	...	Tex: The American Hut
John Mills	...	Col. George Smedley-Taylor: The Senior Officers
Gerald Sim	...	Lt. Col. Jones: The Senior Officers
Leonard Rossiter	...	Maj. McCoy: Hut 16
John Standing	...	Capt. Daven: Hut 16
Alan Webb	...	Col. Brant: The Senior Officers
John Ronane	...	Capt. Hawkins: Hut 16
Sammy Reese	...	Kurt: The American Hut
Michael Lees	...	Stevens: The Hospital Staff
Wright King	...	Maj. Brough: Hut 16
Hamilton Dyce	...	Chaplain Drinkwater: Hut 16
Joe Turkel	...	Dino: The American Hut (as Joseph Turkel)
John Merivale	...	Col. Foster: The Senior Officers
Geoffrey Bayldon	...	Squadron Leader Vexley: Hut 16
Reg Lye	...	Tinker Bell: The Australians
Arthur Malet	...	Sgt. Blakeley: The Australians
Hedley Mattingly	...	Dr. Prudhomme: The Hospital Staff
Dale Ishimoto	...	Yoshima: The Japanese
John Levingston	...	Myner: Hut 16
Teru Shimada	...	The Japanese General: The Japanese
Richard Dawson	...	Capt. Weaver: The Paratrooper
Michael Stroka	...	Miller: The American Hut
William Fawcett	...	Steinmetz: The American Hut
Roy Duane	...	Peterson: The Provost Staff
John Orchard	...	Pte. Gurble: The Australians
Larry Conroy	...	Townsend: The Australians
John Warburton	...	The Commandant: The Senior Officers
David Haviland	...	Masters: The Provost Staff
Anthony Faramus	...	Prisoner
Dick Johnson	...	Pop: The American Hut
John Barclay	...	Lt. Spence: Hut 16
Edward Ashley	...	Prouty: The Australians
David Frankham	...	Cox: Hut 16
Louis Neervort	...	Torusumi: The Japanese
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
George Pelling	...	Maj. Barry
Bryan Forbes	...	Radio (voice) (uncredited)
Brian Gaffikin	...	Prisoner in hut (uncredited)
Mickey Simpson	...	1st Sergeant Camp Liberator (uncredited)

Directed by
Bryan Forbes

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
James Clavell		novel
Bryan Forbes		written for the screen by

Produced by
Marvin Miller	....	associate producer
James Woolf	....	producer

Original Music by
John Barry

Cinematography by
Burnett Guffey

Film Editing by
Walter Thompson

Production Design by
Robert Emmet Smith		(uncredited)

Art Direction by
Robert Emmet Smith		(as Robert Smith)

Set Decoration by
Frank Tuttle

Costume Design by
Ed Ware		(uncredited)

Makeup Department
Ben Lane	....	makeup supervisor
Joe DiBella	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Russell Saunders	....	assistant director

Sound Department
Roy Baker	....	dubbing editor
John Cox	....	sound
James Z. Flaster	....	sound
Charles J. Rice	....	sound supervisor

Special Effects by
John Burke	....	special effects (uncredited)
Gerald Endler	....	mechanical effects (uncredited)

Stunts
Steven Burnett	....	stunts (uncredited)
George Orrison	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Andrew J. McIntyre	....	camera operator (as Andy McIntyre)

Music Department
John Barry	....	conductor

Other crew
Marie Kenney	....	script girl

Production Companies

• Coleytown (as A Coleytown Production)
• Columbia Pictures Corporation (presents)

Distributors

• Columbia Pictures (1965) (USA) (theatrical)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1967) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Columbia Pictures Home Video (USA) (VHS)

Runtime:

134 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Certification:

Norway:16 | Australia:PG | USA:Approved (PCA #20928) | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | UK:PG

Filming Locations:

Thousand Oaks, California, USA

Company:

Coleytown

Trivia:

Both Paul Newman and Steve McQueen were offered the chance to star in the film. They both turned it down and the role went to George Segal.

Goofs:

Boom mic visible: After Maj. McCoy and the others have been arrested for possessing a radio, and Col. Smedley-Taylor is waiting outside for news, the shadow of the boom mic being lowered is cast over the actors in the background.

Quotes:

Cpl. King: [while preparing meal] If you don't want to eat it, you can sit and watch, it's a free prison!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Good Morning, Miss Bliss: The Boy Who Cried Rat (#1.8)" (1989)

The Best POW Film Ever!

This film, the best of 1965, was tough and disturbing and seriously under-rated. Great performances and a haunting soundtrack. George Segal, one of the best actors of the 60's and 70's creates an insidious yet charming character who runs things in the camp. James Fox (excellent actor who quit for many years on some kind of spiritual journey) is superb as is Tom Courtney and even Patrick O'Neal (who has never been impressive in any other film I can think of) delivers a punch as Max the stooge.

Bryan Forbes created a somber world of dog eat dog that should have been up for a host of awards. Throw in John Mills, James Donald and other familiar faces and you have a near-classic. A 9 out of 10. Best performance George Segal. Well worth your time.