This film has been assaulted for assuming there was nothing wrong in British colonialism in Egypt and the Sudan. This is a knee jerk reaction from critics who pay little or no attention to the dialogue. There is no question that Faversham is the hero of the story and the voice of reason. When he explains to his fiance the reason for his resignation he denounces England's colonial assumptions and supports doing more at home for the people. It was already established in the movie that he is widely read and respects great writers. The scene in which his father and the other retired officers celebrate the horrors of war is very sarcastic and even over the top as they say. We have no problem understanding that in the War Room scene in Dr. Stangelove or the Mcgready/Menjou scenes in the palaces in Paths of Glory! This is made very clear when C Aubrey Smith consistently identifies himself with a pineapple and turns out to have been a liar all along. The scenes of the British soldiers proudly marching to the ships should not be taken literally. The sergeant 's baby knows it will never see it's father again and the wife is already dressed as a widow. Pay Attention!
Review of The Four Feathers
