Watch ‘Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare’ Cast Teach You to be a Gentleman

April 25, 2024

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The Big Picture

Learn how to behave like a gentleman in combat with exclusive tips from Henry Cavill, Henry Golding, and Hero Fiennes-Tiffin.
Explore the daring and innovative tactics of the
Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare
during WWII, as depicted in Guy Ritchie’s film.
Discover the unconventional methods used by the SOE to fight Nazis behind enemy lines, now playing in theaters.

Collider is delighted to be partnering with Lionsgate to bring our readers this exclusive featurette for their new film, The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, as three of its cast, Henry Cavill, Henry Golding and Hero Fiennes-Tiffin teach you, the discerning reader of Collider.com, how to behave like a proper gentleman even in the face of combat. The clip, which is interspersed with scenes from the movie, will educate you on how to keep your cool in a hot spot.

The action thriller from the acclaimed director Guy Ritchie, which boasts a star-studded cast including Cavill, Golding, Fiennes-Tiffin, Alan Ritchson, Eiza González and Alex Pettyfer, follows a gang of lethally trainer, covert operatives who were recruited surreptitiously by the British Government with the goal of infiltrating and taking down the Nazis by any means necessary.

What Was the Real ‘Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare’?

The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare was an unofficial name given to a secretive division of the British government during World War II. Officially known as the Special Operations Executive (SOE), it was established in 1940 by Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Minister of Economic Warfare Hugh Dalton to conduct warfare by means other than direct military engagement. The purpose of the SOE was to conduct espionage, sabotage, and reconnaissance in occupied Europe (and later, in other parts of the world), supporting local resistance movements and helping to undermine the Axis powers from within.

The SOE was famous for its unconventional tactics, which Churchill referred to when he instructed the organization to “set Europe ablaze.” Its agents, including both men and women drawn from various nationalities, were trained in a variety of espionage and guerrilla warfare techniques. This included everything from demolitions to foreign languages, and operations often involved collaborating closely with resistance fighters in countries under Nazi occupation.

The name “Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare” captures the essence of their mission: it was about fighting the enemy using methods that were not traditionally used in war, employing surprise and secrecy over conventional military force. The activities and operations of the SOE were among the most daring and innovative of the war, and they played a significant role in several key victories for the Allies.

The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare is playing in theatres now. The exclusive clip is available to view in the player below. Check out our review of the film, by Maggie Lovitt, here.