It's the Northwest Frontier of India and we are in the company of the 41st Bengal Lancers. Led by Colonel Tom Stone , they are having mounting troubles with rebel leader Mohammed Khan. Lieutenant Alan McGregor is a tough experienced soldier who is never afraid to speak his mind or disobey orders, Stone is the complete opposite, he's a military man thru and thru. When two new recruits arrive as replacements, one of them being Colonel Stone's son, the Lancers must stop the rebels from stealing ammunition from the Emir of Gopal, all parties must put aside their problems to help the war effort.
Henry Hathaway's adaptation of Francis Yeats-Brown's novel is one of the best war films of the 30s, wonderfully scripted by Grover Jones, it's laced with army humour and tells a great story of friendships and family ties. The Indian heavy atmosphere is gorgeous, something Hathaway clearly excelled at portraying, with Charles Lang & Ernest Schoedsack's photography beautifully realising this period in history. For sure the imperialistic nature of the piece is prominent, but it is never overdone, with the rebel Indians painted more as a resourceful enemy than in other notable pictures of the time. The action sequences are adroitly handled and the acting {particularly from Gary Cooper as McGregor} is on the money, whilst the ending hits hard and quite frankly stirs the blood. The Lives Of A Bengal Lancer is a golden picture from a golden age, an adventure yarn to watch each and every year. 8/10
Henry Hathaway's adaptation of Francis Yeats-Brown's novel is one of the best war films of the 30s, wonderfully scripted by Grover Jones, it's laced with army humour and tells a great story of friendships and family ties. The Indian heavy atmosphere is gorgeous, something Hathaway clearly excelled at portraying, with Charles Lang & Ernest Schoedsack's photography beautifully realising this period in history. For sure the imperialistic nature of the piece is prominent, but it is never overdone, with the rebel Indians painted more as a resourceful enemy than in other notable pictures of the time. The action sequences are adroitly handled and the acting {particularly from Gary Cooper as McGregor} is on the money, whilst the ending hits hard and quite frankly stirs the blood. The Lives Of A Bengal Lancer is a golden picture from a golden age, an adventure yarn to watch each and every year. 8/10