Oh! What a Lovely War Oh! What a Lovely War Oh! What a Lovely War is a 1969 British comedy musical film directed by Richard Attenborough (in his directorial debut), with an ensemble cast including Maggie Smith, Dirk Bogarde, John Gielgud, John Mills, Kenneth More, Laurence Olivier, Jack Hawkins, Corin Redgrave, Michael Redgrave, Vanessa Redgrave, Ralph Richardson, Ian Holm, Paul Shelley, Malcolm McFee, Jean-Pierre Cassel, Nanette Newman, Edward Fox, Susannah York, John Clements, Phyllis Calvert and Maurice Roëves. The film is based on the stage musical "Oh, What a Lovely War!", originated by Charles Chilton as a radio play, "The Long Long Trail" in December
Oh Dear! What Can the Matter Be? And nobody knew she was there. The second old lady was Abigail Splatter. She went there 'cause something was definitely the matter. But when she got there, it was only her bladder, And nobody knew she was there. </poem> One suggested precursor to the bawdy song, recorded in William's "Upper Thames" collection is the following "old morris fragment": <poem> Oh, dear, what can the matter be? Three old women tied to an apple tree! One ran away, the others stopped till Saturday. Oh, dear, what can the matter be? </poem> As with many folk songs and tall tales each verse