Technically, this is one of the best films of the early sound era, looking far advanced to most films even though some of the acting is terribly paced and ridiculously melodramatic even in the standards that would be created for films in the next few years after it. It's definitely a triumph for director John Ford, lavish and fascinating, but unfortunately tacky in many aspects that would make many classic film fans turned off by it.
Star Victor McLaglen comes off fine in the leading role, later played by the very different Tyrone Power who starred in the remake that used the original novel title, "The King of the Khyber Rifles". Rising starlet Myrna Loy would have to wait a few more years to escape from the unfortunate roles she was being cast in, this one rivaling "The Mask of FuManchu" in poor taste. As the most un-Indian looking of Indian princesses, Loy gives a jaw droppingly bad performance, speaking so slowly that her most lyrical of voices is painful to listen to.
As a curiosity, it's definitely worth watching just once, and had I been around in 1929. I probably would think of this as a masterpiece, which it is in that era's terms of what made a good picture. Some of the elements are very similar to later day silent films, the dialog cheezy in a way that reminded me of the early sound films within the plotline of "Singin' in the Rain", so I wouldn't be surprised if the more serious critics and filmgoers made fun of it. The direction and technical aspects get praise here regardless of how poor it comes off as in modern terms.
Star Victor McLaglen comes off fine in the leading role, later played by the very different Tyrone Power who starred in the remake that used the original novel title, "The King of the Khyber Rifles". Rising starlet Myrna Loy would have to wait a few more years to escape from the unfortunate roles she was being cast in, this one rivaling "The Mask of FuManchu" in poor taste. As the most un-Indian looking of Indian princesses, Loy gives a jaw droppingly bad performance, speaking so slowly that her most lyrical of voices is painful to listen to.
As a curiosity, it's definitely worth watching just once, and had I been around in 1929. I probably would think of this as a masterpiece, which it is in that era's terms of what made a good picture. Some of the elements are very similar to later day silent films, the dialog cheezy in a way that reminded me of the early sound films within the plotline of "Singin' in the Rain", so I wouldn't be surprised if the more serious critics and filmgoers made fun of it. The direction and technical aspects get praise here regardless of how poor it comes off as in modern terms.