‘Murphy’s War’ or — Deceptively Charming?
There’s a moment in ‘Murphy’s War’ (1971) where, in only a three word sentence, the film and its central character fully click into place. Philippe Noiret’s crane-owning Frenchman stands behind Peter O’Toole’s Murphy watching the Irishman operating a lathe with furious concentration as he cuts the mechanical pieces needed to repair a damaged seaplane. The Frenchman asks Murphy if he likes machines.
“I love ‘em” is Murphy’s instant reply and immediately we know everything we need about the guy.
We know he is practical. We know he possesses the skills and determination to achieve his goal. We know he prefers oil and gears to human intimacy. We know he is more than likely single and without children. Indeed, he might even still be a child himself which could account for his black and white view of life. We know he is focused to the point of obsession. It tells us everything we need to know about Murphy and, more importantly, that there’s nothing else we need to know either. The only aspect about him it doesn’t tell us is — why do we love the guy so much?
‘Murphy’s War’ tells the tale of merchant seaman Murphy who is the sole survivor of a German U-boat attack off the shores of Venezuela. The attack is shocking in its senseless brutality meaning we fully understand Murphy’s desire for absolute revenge.
Murphy is convinced the U-boat is now hiding up the Orinoco (a top secret mission would explain why it left no witnesses behind who could reveal its location and/or its war crime) but Dr. Hayden (Siân Phillips), a Quaker missionary, thinks Murphy is crazy to imagine a submarine could sail such a shallow river and that he’d be even crazier to attack it single-handedly if it was.
Yet when Murphy discovers, then starts repairing, a damaged seaplane that could, theoretically, be capable of spotting then bombing the enemy sub Murphy is determined to show the doctor and the rest of the locals just how crazy he is!
‘Murphy’s War’ is an incredibly simple movie — Murphy wants to blow up the submarine, and that’s it — but it is this simplicity, combined with a tight construction, that helps make the movie so darned engaging. This is best exemplified in the scene where Murphy is attempting to fly the seaplane for the first time. Objective? Get plane in air. But our hearts are in our mouths and eyes glued to the screen as the waves smash over the struggling craft which is constantly emitting a straining whine of engine and propellers (the sound design in this film is oozes personality) as Murphy and machine battle for flight.
When successes are achieved we feel like cheering. Is this why we love Murphy? Maybe.
However, every triumph seems to automatically lead to failure with Murphy having almost Wile E. Coyote levels of success in killing his prey and when it comes to the climax his plan is so cartoonish, so pathetic and anti-climatic it’s hilarious (ah, I think this is why we love the guy).
Peter O’Toole brings just the right amount of charm to Murphy, a character who could come across as somewhat hideous considering what he’s attempting to do. And charm might be the key to ‘Murphy’s War’s enjoyment because this is a very charming war movie: the relationship between O’Toole and Noiret is charming; the bond between Murphy and plane is charming; the aerial sequences drip with the charm of engineering and flight (I’ll admit to falling in love a little with Murphy’s seaplane). The cinematography and music by Douglas Slocombe and John Barry are charming and take an obvious delight in showing off and celebrating the sky, sea and machines. Even the sound design is charming, specifically during a montage repairing sequence when Noiret has to get up and put the record back on because the music we’d been listening to had been diegetic all along. It’s both funny and kinda sweet.
‘Murphy’s War’ is an unusual, unique and refreshingly beguiling war movie as it contains moments of brutality and murderous obsession yet the overriding experience is one that’s almost warm and fuzzy in tone as we watch this traumatised madman running amok. It’s not perfect with its simplicity frequently working both for and against it and it could be accused of being as shallow as the Orinoco itself whilst the clash of bursts of violence with cartoonish tomfoolery can be a tad jarring, but this is still an engaging, captivating and yes, charming movie.
