Richard Attenborough’s directorial classic, Oh! What A Lovely War summarises and comments on the events of World War I using parodies of popular songs of the time, and using allegorical settings such as Brighton's West Pier to criticise the manner in which the eventual victory was won. A touching yet uplifting look at the futility of war, it features a host of famous faces including Laurence Olivier, John Gielgud and Maggie Smith.