How I Won the War is a 1967 British black comedy film starring Michael Crawford, Jack MacGowran, Roy Kinnear, Lee Montague, and John Lennon in his only non-musical acting role. The film, which was directed and produced by Richard Lester, is based upon the 1963 novel of the same name by Patrick Ryan. The film uses a variety of styles such as vignettes, straight-to-camera, and docu-drama to tell the tale of the fictional 3rd Troop, the 4th Musketeers and their misadventures through the Second World War. The screenplay takes a comic and absurdist attitude towards the conflict through the Western Desert Campaign in mid-late 1942 to the crossing of the last intact bridge on the Rhine at Remagen in early 1945. Synopsis Lieutenant Goodbody is an inept, idealistic, naïve, and almost relentlessly jingoistic wartime-commissioned (not regular) officer. One of the main subversive themes in the film is the platoon's repeated attempts or temptations to kill or otherwise rid themselves of their complete liability of a commander. While Goodbody's ineptitude and attempts at derring-do lead to the gradual demise of the unit, he survives, together with the unit's persistent deserter and another of his charges who become confined to psychiatric care. Every time a character is killed, he is replaced by an actor in bright red, blue, or green-coloured Second World War uniform, whose face is also coloured and obscured so that he appears to be a living toy soldier. This reinforces Goodbody's repeated comparisons of war to playing a game. Cast Michael Crawford as Lieutenant Earnest Goodbody John Lennon as Gripweed Roy Kinnear as Clapper Lee Montague as Sergeant/Corporal of Musket Transom Jack MacGowran as Juniper Michael Hordern as Grapple Jack Hedley as Melancholy Musketeer Karl Michael Vogler as Odlebog Ronald Lacey as Spool James Cossins as Drogue Ewan Hooper as Dooley Alexander Knox as American General Omar Bradley Robert Hardy as British General Sheila Hancock as Mrs. Clapper's Friend Charles Dyer as Flappy-Trousered Man Bill Dysart as Paratrooper Paul Daneman as Skipper Peter Graves as Staff Officer Jack May as Toby Richard Pearson as Old Man at Alamein Pauline Taylor as Woman in Desert John Ronane as Operator Norman Chappell as Soldier at Alamein Bryan Pringle as Reporter Fanny Carby as Mrs. Clapper Dandy Nichols as 1st Old Lady Gretchen Franklin as 2nd Old Lady John Junkin as Large Child John Trenaman as Driver Mick Dillon as 1st Replacement