A comprehensive online resource about writer Len Deighton

_{Oh! What a Lovely War - the script}

I recently managed to obtain a rare original script from the pre-production process for Oh! What a Lovely War, Len Deighton's anti-war film seta against the First War War, which became Richard Attenborough's directorial debut in 1968-9. Attenborough was a co-produer with Deighton on the film, which was produced by the company he'd set up for the purpose, Accord Productions Ltd.

This script is one of the originals produced for the purposes of pre-production financing and planning. It is produced in old-school foolscap paper size and has clearly been printed and bound professionally, although the cover is only thick card. It is a complete script, 122 pages long, containing the screenplay written by Len Deighton (adapted from the stageplay) which is pretty much what ended up on screen. The script is dated March 14 1968. In total, it contains text and directorial guides for all 303 scenes in the film.

Oh! What a Lovely War

Len Deighton wrote the original script, his first film script. He did though have experience of writing drama with his script for Pests, a drama shown first on the BBC in 1962.

Oh! What a Lovely War

Inside front cover of the original scrip from 1968

Oh! What a Lovely War

(c) R Mallows 2009

Detail from the script featuring the character of Dickie Smith, from the family around which the story revolves.