The Manila Rope (1976): cast, story & where to watch
1976 · Film · ★ 5
Released in 1976, The Manila Rope is a drama and war film directed by Veli-Matti Saikkonen, running about 75 minutes.
What it’s about. Manillaköysi is a cult status holding TV-movie adaptation of the satirical war novel by Veijo Meri. Manillaköysi has an endless list of classic one-liners, but it is still not based on cheap laughs or anything like that. The whole humouristic aspect of it comes from describing the absurdity of war, and the whole military system, by looking it with the eyes of a simple man, who's thrown into it, and who simply does not give a rats ass of it all. The tone of it is not overly preachy or moralizing. If I would have to describe it with one word, it would be: unglamourizing. The main point of Manillaköysi is pretty much compressed in one of the most famous quotes of it: There is nothing supernatural about war, it is just work like anything else.
Who’s in it. The Manila Rope stars Erkki Pajala as Joose Keppilä, Vesa Mäkelä as Fiksu, Martti Kuningas as Iso and Esko Hukkanen as Vääpeli, among others.
How it landed. With an audience score of 5.0/10, The Manila Rope has proved divisive with audiences.
Where to watch. Streaming options change often. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch The Manila Rope page.
If you liked it. Fans of The Manila Rope tend to enjoy The Shawshank Redemption, The Godfather, Schindler's List and The Godfather Part II.
Frequently asked
- Where can I watch The Manila Rope (1976)?
- Streaming, rental and purchase options for The Manila Rope change frequently. Check our where-to-watch page for the latest availability in your country.
- Is The Manila Rope worth watching?
- The Manila Rope holds an audience score of 5.0 out of 10, and is a strong pick if you enjoy drama and war. Reactions are mixed, so it may depend on taste.
- Who stars in The Manila Rope?
- The Manila Rope stars Erkki Pajala, Vesa Mäkelä, Martti Kuningas, Esko Hukkanen and Hannu Kahakorpi.
- When was The Manila Rope released?
- The Manila Rope was released in 1976, with a runtime of about 75 minutes.