Oh! What a Lovely War
“The ever popular war games. With songs, battles & a few jokes.”
Synopsis
The working-class Smiths change their initially sunny views on World War I after the five boys of the family witness the harsh reality of trench warfare.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
Masters of Cinema TrailerOfficial
Type: Trailer • Published 2026-03-26
Top Cast
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Laurence Olivier
Field Marshal Sir John French
Vanessa Redgrave
Sylvia Pankhurst
Maggie Smith
Music Hall Star
John Mills
Field Marshall Sir Douglas Haig
Corin Redgrave
Bertie Smith
Maurice Roëves
George Smith
Ian Holm
President Poincare
Juliet Mills
Nurse
Michael Bates
Drunk Lance Corporal
Edward Fox
Aide to Field-Marshal Haig
Dirk Bogarde
Stephen
Jean-Pierre Cassel
French Colonel
John Clements
Gen. von Moltke
John Gielgud
Count Leopold Von Berchtold
Jack Hawkins
Emperor Franz Josef
Kenneth More
Kaiser Wilhelm II
Michael Redgrave
Gen. Sir Henry Wilson
Ralph Richardson
Sir Edward Grey
Release History & Theatrical Window
October 3, 1969
Wide Cinema Exhibition
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Richard Attenborough
- Screenplay & Story
- Len Deighton
- Original Title
- Oh! What a Lovely War
- Country of Origin
- United Kingdom
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 2h 24m
- Production Studios
- Accord Productions
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Richard Attenborough
Len Deighton, Joan Littlewood
Gerry Turpin
Kevin Connor
Richard Attenborough, Brian Duffy
Department Leadership Roster
Richard Attenborough
Director
Len Deighton
Screenplay
Kevin Connor
Editor
Gerry Turpin
Director of Photography
Anthony Mendleson
Costume Design
Richard Attenborough
Producer
Brian Duffy
Producer
Donald M. Ashton
Production Design
Joan Littlewood
Writer
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
G: General Audiences — All ages admitted. Nothing offensive for children.
International Certification Matrix
Parental Guidance — Unlikely to upset children 8 and older.
General Audiences — All ages admitted. Nothing offensive for children.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for Oh! What a Lovely War.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring Oh! What a Lovely War.
War: World War I
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Musicals
Curated film musicals: songs and musical staging tell the story, express character and relationships, or create its fantasy/theatrical language. Includes classical, animated, backstage, rock and experimental musicals. Onstage songs can qualify; music-making or showcasing talent alone does not. Compiled from Time Out and BFI selections plus our own curation, filtered for this channel. Not an official publisher list. Sources: https://www.timeout.com/movies/best-movie-musicals-of-all-time ; https://www.bfi.org.uk/lists/10-great-rock-musicals
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Musicals
Every film Wikidata tags as a musical film.
list_War
Movies categorized under War
Cult Classics
Every film on Wikipedia's List of cult films.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Oh! What a Lovely War
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is Oh! What a Lovely War about?
The working-class Smiths change their initially sunny views on World War I after the five boys of the family witness the harsh reality of trench warfare.
Who directed Oh! What a Lovely War?
Oh! What a Lovely War was directed by Richard Attenborough.
Who stars in Oh! What a Lovely War?
The principal cast of Oh! What a Lovely War includes Laurence Olivier, Vanessa Redgrave, Maggie Smith, John Mills, Corin Redgrave.
When was Oh! What a Lovely War released and how long is it?
Oh! What a Lovely War was released in 1969 with a total runtime of 2h 24m.
What is the age rating and content advisory for Oh! What a Lovely War?
Oh! What a Lovely War holds official age classifications: GB: PG (Parental Guidance — Unlikely to upset children 8 and older.); US: G (General Audiences — All ages admitted. Nothing offensive for children.).