A virtual copy of the 1939 film: "The Four Feathers", based on the 1902 novel of the same title. Both were directed by Zoltan Korda, who is also the producer of the new film, taking the place of his brother in the '39 film. The present film is 8 min. shorter than the original. Much stock footage from the original film was reused. Anthony Steel takes the place of John Clements, as the lead character: Harry Faversham. James Justice takes the place of charismatic C. Aubrey Smith, with the bushy eyebrows, as General Burrows. The other players are also different in the two films.
This is mainly the story of one man: Harry Faversham, torn between the desire to live a quiet comfortable life in England with his present fiancé, and his sense of duty to his recently deceased father and forebearers, and to Britain. His regiment is to be shipped to the Sudan, to reinforce General Kitchener's army, and hopefully redeem the slaughter of General Gordon, 10 years earlier. This was an imperialistic undertaking that Harry saw no sense in: a waste of good British men and materials over a rabble of peasants in a land with little obvious importance to the British Empire. Hence, he resigned his commission in the royal army: a great shock to his superiors and comrades. He received a small package containing 3 white feathers, each with a calling card attached, from 3 of his former comrades in the service, as a statement of their impression of him as a coward. Harry asked his fiancé for a white feather, but she refused, inducing Harry to pluck one from her fancy fan. The feathers made Harry change his mind as to his plans for the immediate future. He prepared to journey to Egypt and eventually the Sudan. Evidently, he felt more comfortable being a spy or some other solitary role in which he had more control over his destiny than being part of a marching army.
Harry disguised himself as a despised Sangali Arab, complete with a brand on his forehead, and pretending he couldn't talk, to disguise the fact that he knew no regional language. He attached himself to a large army of rebels, where his oddity was less apparent. This army was headed away from the Nile, into the desert, where some British soldiers had been spotted. This was Kitchener's strategy, to divert the main enemy army from the Nile, so that his boats could pass unmolested up the Nile. The huge Khalifa(rebel) army quickly overran the small British force, killing many and taking the remainder prisoners, including 2 of the 3 soldiers who had sent Harry white feathers. That is, all except for Harry and the now blind Durrance: the 3rd soldier who had sent him a white feather. They had avoided capture or death by pretending to be dead, among the many corpses. "Nobody left except a blind man and a dumb lunatic" remarked Durrance. Harry led him over the desert, reaching the Nile. They fashioned a small boat out of reeds and drifted down the Nile until reaching a British installation. From there, Durrance was sent back to England. Meanwhile, Harry was thought by the British to be a thief(he refusing to talk), and sent to a prison work gang. Strangely, he found the 2 friends there. I'm confused why Harry, a captive of the British, was sent to the same prison as his 2 friends: captives of the rebels?! Eventually, Harry concocted a mass prisoner escape plan, which was to coincide with Kitchener's attack on the prison and nearby city of Omdurman(How did he know when Kitchener was going to attack?).
Meanwhile, back in England, Harry's fiancé decided Harry was probably dead. Thus, she suggested that she wed the blind Durrance, having pity on him....Back in the prison, the British gunboat began shelling the prison walls as the prisoners overpowered the guards. They raised a spare British flag over the prison to stop the shelling.(Where did they obtain this flag? In someone's back pocket?) Soon, Kitchener would defeat the main rebel army nearby and take nearby Khartoum....Back in England, Durrance learned about these victories and Harry's role in one. As a result, he withdrew his engagement to Ethna, hoping she would resume her relationship with Harry, who eventually arrived. I noticed that Harry's forehead brand was gone. Plastic surgery?...Yes, Harry had returned a hero, but only with incredible luck that he should be located where and when he could help save his former comrades.
This film, as well as the original, were produced in gorgeous Technicolor. Viewable at YouTube.
This is mainly the story of one man: Harry Faversham, torn between the desire to live a quiet comfortable life in England with his present fiancé, and his sense of duty to his recently deceased father and forebearers, and to Britain. His regiment is to be shipped to the Sudan, to reinforce General Kitchener's army, and hopefully redeem the slaughter of General Gordon, 10 years earlier. This was an imperialistic undertaking that Harry saw no sense in: a waste of good British men and materials over a rabble of peasants in a land with little obvious importance to the British Empire. Hence, he resigned his commission in the royal army: a great shock to his superiors and comrades. He received a small package containing 3 white feathers, each with a calling card attached, from 3 of his former comrades in the service, as a statement of their impression of him as a coward. Harry asked his fiancé for a white feather, but she refused, inducing Harry to pluck one from her fancy fan. The feathers made Harry change his mind as to his plans for the immediate future. He prepared to journey to Egypt and eventually the Sudan. Evidently, he felt more comfortable being a spy or some other solitary role in which he had more control over his destiny than being part of a marching army.
Harry disguised himself as a despised Sangali Arab, complete with a brand on his forehead, and pretending he couldn't talk, to disguise the fact that he knew no regional language. He attached himself to a large army of rebels, where his oddity was less apparent. This army was headed away from the Nile, into the desert, where some British soldiers had been spotted. This was Kitchener's strategy, to divert the main enemy army from the Nile, so that his boats could pass unmolested up the Nile. The huge Khalifa(rebel) army quickly overran the small British force, killing many and taking the remainder prisoners, including 2 of the 3 soldiers who had sent Harry white feathers. That is, all except for Harry and the now blind Durrance: the 3rd soldier who had sent him a white feather. They had avoided capture or death by pretending to be dead, among the many corpses. "Nobody left except a blind man and a dumb lunatic" remarked Durrance. Harry led him over the desert, reaching the Nile. They fashioned a small boat out of reeds and drifted down the Nile until reaching a British installation. From there, Durrance was sent back to England. Meanwhile, Harry was thought by the British to be a thief(he refusing to talk), and sent to a prison work gang. Strangely, he found the 2 friends there. I'm confused why Harry, a captive of the British, was sent to the same prison as his 2 friends: captives of the rebels?! Eventually, Harry concocted a mass prisoner escape plan, which was to coincide with Kitchener's attack on the prison and nearby city of Omdurman(How did he know when Kitchener was going to attack?).
Meanwhile, back in England, Harry's fiancé decided Harry was probably dead. Thus, she suggested that she wed the blind Durrance, having pity on him....Back in the prison, the British gunboat began shelling the prison walls as the prisoners overpowered the guards. They raised a spare British flag over the prison to stop the shelling.(Where did they obtain this flag? In someone's back pocket?) Soon, Kitchener would defeat the main rebel army nearby and take nearby Khartoum....Back in England, Durrance learned about these victories and Harry's role in one. As a result, he withdrew his engagement to Ethna, hoping she would resume her relationship with Harry, who eventually arrived. I noticed that Harry's forehead brand was gone. Plastic surgery?...Yes, Harry had returned a hero, but only with incredible luck that he should be located where and when he could help save his former comrades.
This film, as well as the original, were produced in gorgeous Technicolor. Viewable at YouTube.