Summary of “Reach for Glory”
“Reach for Glory” is a poignant exploration of youth, camaraderie, and the harrowing consequences of war, set against the backdrop of World War II. Directed by the talented John Hough, this gripping film features a cast led by Harry Andrews and Kay Walsh, along with rising stars Michael Anderson Jr. and Martin Tomlinson as Lewis Craig and John Curlew, respectively.
The narrative takes shape as a group of restless evacuees turns their idle days into intense military war games. As they navigate the complexities of adolescence amidst turmoil, the inclusion of Austrian refugee Mark Stein, portrayed by Oliver Grimm, introduces themes of trust and the search for belonging. The story intensifies when a mock court-martial spirals into tragedy, leading to a devastating real execution that starkly contrasts the innocent games the boys once played.
The film deftly examines the thin line between imagination and reality, revealing the dark depths of youth exploring their own moral and ethical boundaries in a war-torn world. With a compelling storyline and powerful performances, “Reach for Glory” serves as a chilling reminder of the impact of conflict on the young and impressionable.
Cast:
- Harry Andrews
- Kay Walsh
- Michael Anderson Jr. as Lewis Craig
- Martin Tomlinson as John Curlew
- Oliver Grimm as Mark Stein
Director: John Hough
Writer: Not specified
“Reach for Glory” invites viewers to reflect on the heavy burdens of war and the vulnerabilities of youth amidst chaotic times, making it a compelling watch for cinephiles and history enthusiasts alike.
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Video “Reach for Glory | FREE MOVIE (Harry Andrews, Kay Walsh)” was uploaded on 05/05/2026 to Youtube Channel Stream City






































It is an interesting film to watch, but the initial scenes when they swing a bag containing a cat before letting it out then chasing it on bikes are appalling. I am only hoping that a real cat was not made to run over the edge of the cliff.
Still brings me to tears over 60 years later. I was 12 when I first saw this film when it came out.
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Great film and actors!
Cruda película, pero muy bien dirigida e interpretada. El argumento se enfoca en una pandilla de muchachos en un pequeño pueblo costero, Suffolk, Inglaterra, cuando UK está participando en la II G.M. y el ambiente de los británicos, que por lo general suele ser belicista, en esos días lo era mucho más. Entonces llega al pueblo Mark Stein (Oliver Grimm), un chico refugiado judío-austriaco e hijo del nuevo profesor local. Mark es muy sensible y pacífico. Al principio, la pandilla lo rechaza debido a su origen. Sin embargo, otro chico del grupo, John Curlew (Martin Tomlinson), simpatiza con él y se hacen amigos. Así pues, John convence a Mark para que se una a la pandilla donde es aceptado como un nuevo miembro; pero cuando la pandilla participa en un enfrentamiento a puños contra otro grupo de muchachos, abrumado por la violencia real de la pelea y por su propia naturaleza pacifista, Mark huye corriendo del campo de pelea. Para el líder de la pandilla, Lewis Craig (Michael Anderson Jr.), y el resto de los muchachos, la deserción de Mark aunque haya sido a pequeña escala (la del grupo de camaradas pandilleros) es un acto de cobardía y una traición a los ideales nacionales y militares que todos ellos en conjunción con la población británica profesan, por lo que deciden…
Philip Leacock fue un director con una gran habilidad para dirigir a actores infantiles y juveniles de forma natural, algo que plasmó perfectamente en esta película; la cual, a pesar de su bajo presupuesto y poca distribución en su momento, ganó un premio especial de las Naciones Unidas (ONU) por sus valores humanos y su mensaje antibélico.
This reminds me of when I was a child in the 70s and 80s and myself and a group of friends used to go to the Churchs Lads Brigade on a Sunday so they would let us play football in the afternoon on their football pitch. It was their way of trying to get us into the church. None of us had any interest in any of their mumbo jumbo and just went to play football. They did things in the evenings too but none of us went to that. One thing they did was teach boys how to fire .22 rifles. One evening a boy was standing at the end of the hut when gun accidentally discharged at the other end of the hut and he was fatally shot in the throat. He fell to the ground and all the boys thought he was messing around, until he started to bleed everywhere. The last time I was in that area the hut was still standing but was almost falling to the ground. Nobody goes there anymore but the church still owns the land.
Nice pictures of Southwold.
I think it would’ve been a more powerful ending if Lance had come back severely disabled
INTERESTING….
Good to see Harry Andrews, a very underrated actor. My mother used to tell me how she saw his first theatre performance, at the Liverpool Playhouse, in the 1930's.
My dad grew up in Newcastle during World War Two and there weren’t any Cats in the City,what many people in fact thought they were eating Rabbit was in fact Cat ( when a cat is skinned and beheaded and it’s paws removed,you cannot tell the difference ) and of course Meat is meat and during the War even Dogs kept their distance from humans 🤷♂️.
Its a thought provoking film from the early 60s when we questioned more than we do now sadly it seems to have been forgotten
This is just not believable. Smashing a glass bottle on handlebars, and not one kid got a piece of glass. LIFE IS NOT LIKE THAT.
I saw this film as a child. I went to bed feeling real grief. I have never forgotten this experience.
Never mind the cat, I can't believe they killed that boy! I'm reporting this to the crime police
I did not recognize Harry Andrews at first for he usually plays the role of a screaming NCO.
Turn on closed captioning!
😅 good to know. People were mercenary to animals for the pleasure of entertainment. Glad things have improved, especially for animals.
49 post war battledress uniforms!
Better than most films today.
Great film…uk..
Folks, this film was not about a cat.
Geez. When we were kids, we'd have on our military gear and play out war with the kids we didn't like. Got a little real sometimes. We survived. But the idea of gangs in every town in every country still happens as always. Pointless. Fighting over territory, race, religion, money, resources. War should be fought by those who call for it and who start it. Leave innocent citizens and their towns alone. Let the 1% fight it out! It's THEIR wars and it always has been.
First time that I've seen the 'iron cross' called the 'Victoria cross'
Mmmm delicious. warm backwashed beer & broken glass.
F…..ing strange movie. Nobody acted like this during the war. A silly fictional story with poppycock 1960s anti-war morals.
FFS, there really are some ignorant people commenting. The cruelty towards the cat is a metaphor of the entire film (false bravado, only going after "enemies" who are smaller – notice they got their arses kicked but good when they ran into someone tougher), and also of how when humans can casually abuse animals, this abuse is easily transferred to abusing (and killing) other humans. Many serial killers started out torturing and then killing animals. Maybe do a little bit of reading before showing off your ignorance. Idiots!
A very upset chasing a harmless beautiful cat and a cat goes off the cliff and dies because of these assholes want to be cruel to an animal there was no need for them to be chasing a cat I'm very upset I think that this company that sponsored this film needs to be sued by animal lovers like me that love cats and I have cats watching be born and they're my children and to see this happen and in the film this it's terrible I know it's just a movie but still need to get to animal activist against you for doing this