The Last Valley (1970 film)

The Last Valley
DVD cover
Directed by	James Clavell
Produced by	James Clavell
Written by	James Clavell J.B. Pick
Starring	Michael Caine Omar Sharif
Music by	John Barry
Cinematography	Norman Warwick John Wilcox
Editing by	John Bloom
Distributed by	Cinerama Releasing Corporation
Release date(s)	1970
Running time	128 mins
Country	United Kingdom United States
Language	English
Budget	$11,000,000 (estimated)

The Last Valley is a 1970 historical drama film directed by James Clavell. Set during the Thirty Years War, it stars Michael Caine as the leader of a band of mercenaries, and Omar Sharif as a teacher fleeing from the violence endemic to Germany during this period. They manage to find one valley, untouched by war, in which to live in peace for a time.

The Last Valley is the last feature film photographed in the Todd-AO 70 mm widescreen process until Baraka, 21 years later.

Plot

"The Captain" (Michael Caine) leads a band of ruthless mercenaries who fight for the highest bidder regardless of religion. His men pillage the countryside, raping and looting when not engaged in actual military operations. Vogel (Omar Sharif) is a former teacher who is merely trying to survive the overall slaughter taking place throughout south-central Germany. He runs from The Captain's forces and eventually stumbles upon an idyllic mountain vale, seemingly untouched by war.

The Captain and his small band are not far behind. Trapped in the valley, Vogel convinces The Captain to preserve it and the village it shelters for their own benefit as the outside world faces famine and devastation. "Live", Vogel tells The Captain, "while the army dies." The Captain decides that his men will indeed rest here for the winter. He forces the locals to submit, especially their headman Gruber (Nigel Davenport). The local Catholic priest (Per Oscarsson) is livid that the mercenaries include a number of Protestants (and nihilistic atheists for that matter), but there is little he can do to sway The Captain. The mercenaries are of one mind after The Captain kills a dissenting member of his band, and religious and ethnic divisions are set aside.

At first, the locals accept their fate. Vogel is appointed judge by Gruber, to settle disputes between villagers and soldiers. As long as food, shelter, and a small number of women are provided, the mercenaries leave the locals alone. Hansen attempts to rape a girl exiled from the group manages to lead a rival mercenary band to the valley, before the winter sets in and closes the valley to all outsiders. He and his band are destroyed and the valley goes into hibernation. But as winter fades, it becomes obvious that the soldiers will have to leave. The Captain learns of a major military campaign in the Upper Rhineland and decides to leave the valley in order to participate. Vogel wants to accompany him, fearing Gruber will have him killed once The Captain leaves. However, The Captain orders Vogel to stay as the condition of not sacking the village, leaving a few men as guards.

After The Captain departs, his woman from the village is caught engaging in devil-worshipping witchcraft. The priest orders her tortured and burned at the stake, and one of The Captain's men kills the priest by pushing him into the fire. Meanwhile, the Captain and his men engage in a major siege operation. Most of his men are killed. The Captain survives long enough to return to the valley, only to find himself ambushed by the villagers, and Vogel trying to escape before the villagers kill him too. The Captain dies of his battle wounds, declaring to Vogel, "You were right. I was wrong." A young woman from the village wants to leave with Vogel, but he tells her to stay, and runs off alone in the mist.

Production

The film was mostly shot in Tyrol, Austria (Trins and Gschnitz and the Gschnitztal Valley). It was based on the novel by J.B. Pick.

External links

• The Last Valley at the Internet Movie Database
• The Last Valley at AllRovi