Arrow Video Looks To Jan. 30 For The Release Of A Limited Edition Blu-ray Of Director Peter Yates' Murphy's War

Arrow Video, with domestic sales and distribution expertise provided by MVD Entertainment Group, has a Limited Edition Blu-ray presentation of director Peter Yates’ 1971 film adaptation of Max Catto’s 1968 novel, Murphy’s War, planned for release on Jan. 30.

This production, starring Peter O’Toole, was an odd duck for Paramount at the time.   Robert Evans was head of the studio and focused (as it turns out) heavily on the production of The Godfather (among other things), but in keeping with his pension for optioning literary works, Murphy’s War fits right in.

The other oddity was the selection of Peter Yates to direct the film.   He had been working in British television during the late 60s and got an opportunity to direct a feature film, Robbery (with Stanley Baker) in 1967, which was a success and that landed him the directing gig for Bullitt the following year.

Murphy’s War, while a World War II tale, is really about the futility of war and an unrelenting thirst (on the part of Peter O’Toole’s character, Murphy) for revenge (arriving at a sort of a deranged madness by the film’s end).  Fascinating, fatalistic and depressing, well produced and blessed with an outstanding performance by O’Toole, but not Bullitt in terms of action … instead, perhaps a message in a bottle for contemporary times.

Bonus goodies included on the Blu-ray edition from Arrow Video on Jan. 30 include the newly prepared featurette titled “Running Out of War,” featuring film critic David Cairns, plus three archival featurettes — “A Great Adventure,” “Dougie, Chic and Me” and “One Man Army.”