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Bitter Victory

Bitter Victory

Drama · War · 1957

During the second world war, two British officers, Brand and Leith, who have never seen combat, are assigned a vital mission. Their relationship and the operation are complicated by the arrival of Brand's wife, who had a tryst with Leith years earlier.

Movie details

Bitter Victory

“THE DESERT COMMANDO RAID THEY WIPED OFF THE RECORD BOOKS!”

1957 Drama · War 1h 42m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

6.4 / 10

Community rating

During the second world war, two British officers, Brand and Leith, who have never seen combat, are assigned a vital mission. Their relationship and the operation are complicated by the arrival of Brand's wife, who had a tryst with Leith years earlier.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over Bitter Victory?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Nicholas Ray

Written by

René Hardy · Nicholas Ray · Gavin Lambert

Richard Burton

Richard Burton

Capt. Leith

Curd Jürgens

Curd Jürgens

Major David Brand

Ruth Roman

Ruth Roman

Jane Brand

Christopher Lee

Christopher Lee

Sgt. Barney

Raymond Pellegrin

Raymond Pellegrin

Mekrane

Anthony Bushell

Anthony Bushell

General Paterson

Alfred Burke

Alfred Burke

Lt. Colonel Callander

Court is in session

Put Bitter Victory on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Prestige Tourist

“Ambition earns the room.”

The film reaches for consequence and scale, accepting the risk of seriousness instead of shrinking from it.

The prosecution The Popcorn Loyalist

“Importance has entered the chat.”

The production keeps announcing its significance, as though awards-season posture were proof of insight.