“The Night of the Generals” / 「将軍たちの夜」, Original Japanese Movie Poster 1967, B2 Size (51 × 73 cm) D286
Sale price$200.00
This is an original Japanese B2 theatrical poster printed for the Japanese release of The Night of the Generals / 「将軍たちの夜」, Anatole Litvak’s 1967 wartime murder mystery starring Peter O’Toole and Omar Sharif.
Combining a psychological thriller with the scale and historical setting of a major World War II drama, the film follows an obsessive investigation into a brutal murder whose principal suspects are senior officers within the German military command.
Film background
In Nazi-occupied Warsaw, a prostitute is murdered with exceptional violence. German military intelligence officer Major Grau learns that three high-ranking generals were nearby at the time and begins investigating them despite the danger of challenging powerful members of the military hierarchy.
His pursuit continues across several years and through different stages of the war, eventually moving to Paris and intersecting with the 20 July 1944 plot to assassinate Adolf Hitler.
Directed by Anatole Litvak and produced by Sam Spiegel, the screenplay was written by Joseph Kessel and Paul Dehn, based on the novel by Hans Hellmut Kirst.
The film stars Peter O’Toole, Omar Sharif, Tom Courtenay, Donald Pleasence, Joanna Pettet, Philippe Noiret, and Charles Gray.
Reuniting O’Toole and Sharif after Lawrence of Arabia, the film is distinguished by its tense atmosphere, complex narrative, and unusual fusion of murder mystery, psychological drama, and wartime spectacle.
Poster design
The poster uses a richly illustrated montage centred on themes of military authority, suspicion, and psychological instability.
The right side is dominated by a large portrait of Peter O’Toole in the uniform of a German general, aiming a pistol directly outward. His rigid expression and formal military dress give the image an immediate sense of threat and command.
At left, Omar Sharif appears in a military overcoat beneath a vast, ghostly eye, suggesting surveillance, obsession, and the central investigation. Above him are portraits of the other suspected generals, including the characters played by Donald Pleasence and Charles Gray.
A narrow staircase rises through the centre of the composition, with a solitary uniformed figure positioned upon it. At lower left, a romantic embrace introduces a contrasting human element beneath the surrounding imagery of murder and war.
The red vertical text along the left margin reads:
「ドイツ壊滅前夜！軍首脳部の狂奔の渦中に異常な殺人犯を追う！強烈、緊迫の超大作！」
“On the eve of Germany’s destruction! Pursuing an abnormal murderer amid the frenzy of the military high command! A powerful and intensely suspenseful epic!”
The top of the poster is dominated by the Japanese title:
「将軍たちの夜」
rendered in a bold, heavily textured black brush style.
Beneath it appear the production formats:
「パナビジョン・テクニカラー」
The names Peter O’Toole and Omar Sharif are prominently printed in golden-orange lettering, while the original English title:
“THE NIGHT OF THE GENERALS”
appears in white block typography at the lower left.
Detailed production, director, composer, and distribution credits run along the bottom edge.
Release note
This poster was printed for the film’s original Japanese theatrical release in 1967 and distributed in Japan by Columbia Pictures.
It is an original period Japanese cinema poster, not a later reproduction or commercial reprint.
Condition
Excellent condition. A highly attractive example, with strong colour, crisp illustrated imagery, clear typography, and excellent overall display impact.
There are light signs of age and handling consistent with an original Japanese theatrical poster from this period, but overall it presents extremely well.
Reference: D286.
Please review the photographs carefully, as they show the exact poster for sale.
This is an original 1967 Japanese theatrical poster. It is not a reproduction or a reprint.
