Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Moderate
- gritty
- tense
- sun-bleached
- classic war movie night
- peter o'toole retrospective
What critics said
Critics generally regarded the film as a dated, cliched and sluggish adventure spectacle, while acknowledging its high production values and Peter O'Toole's performance.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Murphy survives a U-boat massacre and constructs an increasingly elaborate campaign to sink the German submarine.
The World War II conflict continues in the Orinoco delta, where river geography replaces familiar European fronts.
Murphy turns available aircraft, cranes, and river equipment into tools for attacking the surfaced U-boat.
Aerial photography and the Orinoco waterways provide the film's defining visual scale and production-value appeal.
Films like Murphy's War, and why
The African Queen
shared World War II survival, revenge-driven adventure, and isolated tropical setting
The Enemy Below
shared wartime maritime suspense, damaged protagonists, and morally complicated revenge
Das Boot
shared submarine warfare, survival tension, and claustrophobic military drama
Movie Details
- Director
- Peter Yates
- Release Date
- 1971-01-13
- Runtime
- 107 min
- Rating
- 6.1 / 10 (103)
Cast
- Peter O'Toole
- Siân Phillips
- Philippe Noiret
- Horst Janson
- John Hallam
- Ingo Mogendorf
- John Clifford
- Harry Fielder
- George Roubicek
- Bob Simmons
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Murphy's War about?
- A lone World War II survivor wages an obsessive campaign against the German submarine that destroyed his crew, using ingenuity and improvised weapons in the Orinoco delta.
- What is Murphy's War like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Murphy's War as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Murphy's War violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in Murphy's War as moderate.
- What did critics think of Murphy's War?
- Critics generally regarded the film as a dated, cliched and sluggish adventure spectacle, while acknowledging its high production values and Peter O'Toole's performance.
- Which films are like Murphy's War?
- Films with a similar feel include The African Queen, The Enemy Below, and Das Boot.
- How long is Murphy's War?
- Murphy's War runs 107 minutes.
- Where can I watch Murphy's War?
- In United States, Murphy's War is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
