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The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, starring Eiza Gonzalez and Henry Cavill
Trailer: Lionsgate

The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare
Directed by Guy Ritchie
Rated R
Fought 19 April 2024
#UngentlemanlyWarfare

Guy Ritchie’s in his element with this terrific, little-known World War II true story.

The Dirty Baker’s Half-Dozen

Movie poster for The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare

The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare is based on an Ian Fleming James Bond adventure.

No. Wait. Wait. Scratch that.

Ian Fleming — who actually plays a role in this story — based his James Bond creation, at least in part, on Gus March-Phillips, the real-life hero in this crazy, unlikely tale that, according to an opening title card, was made public after Winston Churchill’s personal documents were declassified in 2016.

That’s interesting. It’s also confusing. The movie’s based on a book by Damien Lewis, fully titled The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare: How Churchill's Secret Warriors Set Europe Ablaze and Gave Birth to Modern Black Ops, published in 2014 (before the declassification). That, in turn, is not to be confused with Churchill’s Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare: The Mavericks Who Plotted Hitler’s Defeat, another book on the same subject, albeit a different adventure with some different players, written by Giles Milton and published in 2017.

So many sources. So many dates. So much derring-do. Such long titles. It can be a little challenging parsing what’s real and what’s not, but that’s also part of the fun. After all, basing a movie on a true story is not the same thing as telling a true story. But, in this case, it’s very well possible the truth is even crazier than the movie.

Inglourious Gentalmen

It starts with a whistle and a vintage title treatment. Think of Sergio Leone and his spaghetti westerns, one with evocative music by Ennio Morricone. Ritchie also teases a bit of a Tarantino sensibility, which is painful to think about and acknowledge in writing; Ritchie has repeatedly carved out his own unique style and approach that stands alone. At least Ritchie doesn’t rewrite entire passages of history with over-the-top twists that warp the sensibilities differentiating between telling a true story and basing one on true events.

It’s a great story told so very well. There’s something thematically, cinematically rich in that spaghetti western vibe as the “ministry” (formally known as the Small Scale Raiding Force, a splinter group of the British Special Operations Executive) sets out to blow-up an Italian ship supplying German U-boats with all manner of necessities.

It’s an unauthorized, unsanctioned mission that will almost certainly land the team in hot water one way or another, regardless of whether they’re captured by German soldiers or their fellow British forces. Churchill’s in a bind; he lacks Parliamentary support. As fate would deal it, they are ultimately thrust into a strategy that finds them traversing the seas between British and German ships to speed their arrival into Fernando Po, a neutral territory which harbors the Italian ship Duchessa.

Operation Postmaster

In Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, Ian Fleming is portrayed by Freddie Fox (King Arthur: Legend of the Sword) and Henry Cavill stars as Gus March-Phillips. In this setting, Cavill once again proves he’s actually a good actor when he’s not stuck playing a super-bland Superman (with or without a mustache).

Fox and Cavill are merely two members of the quite likable cast that also features Cary Elwes (The Princess Bride) as “M,” Alan Ritchson (Reacher) as Anders Lassen and Babs Olusanmokun (Wrath of Man) as Richard Heron. Alex Pettyfer (Magic Mike) as Geoffrey Appleyard. They are all O so very good here. But, they’re all overshadowed by the exceptional Eiza Gonzalez (Baby Driver), who shines so bright as Marjorie Stewart. What a great female character. Smart, talented and a sharp shooter. In Ungentlemanly Warfare, Gonzalez slays Mack the Knife. The real Marjorie would even go on to appear in movies including The Master Plan and The Weak and the Wicked.

But not to be overlooked is Rory Kinnear (the calm, soft-spoken agent Bill Tanner in Daniel Craig’s Bond series), who delivers a wholly transformative performance as Winston Churchill. It’s an incredible display of immersion very much on par with Gary Oldman’s Oscar-winning take on Churchill in Darkest Hour.

Lassen? The bespectacled muscleman wants to collect Nazi hearts (literally) as the most definitive way to avoid any shadow of a doubt of each Nazi’s demise. March-Phillips? He’s the guy you hire in hopes he will not do what he’s told.

This talented cast does justice to a collection of the bravest (and, okay, craziest) who not only undermined Hitler’s quest for world domination, they also (literally) cleared the way for the U.S. to provide critical support to England.

Chequers

As with Ritchie’s under-rated and highly entertaining King Arthur and Operation Fortune, no doubt there was hope this would be the start of a new series. The true-life material is right there for the telling and Ritchie delivers a marvelous entertainment with this opening salvo.

But this story of bravery in the face of the darkest of evil is up against its greatest adversaries: abysmal marketing and public indifference.

At times, Ungentlemanly Warfare seems like it’s telling a tale of drunk history. But the movie ends with a series of title cards, each displaying a vintage photo of the real heroes and a little bit of what followed. It’s breathtaking — inspiring — to think these people (regardless of any level of cinematic hyperbole) walked the earth. And it’s also a bit depressing to question whether their kin (in spirit) roam it today.

• Originally published at MovieHabit.com.