THE FOUR FEATHERS (1939) |
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Review by Chuck "Feather #5" Dixon |
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Maybe you saw the strictly “okay” version of this story recently. The one with Heath Ledger. I thought it was an acceptable adaptation of this sturdy adventure story of honor lost and redeemed. But it was terribly under-dramatized especially in comparison with the 1939 original directed by Alexander Korda. Now the original is available again in a stunning new transfer on DVD. This movie was an international hit from Britain at a time when the English film biz was in a decades- long slump. John Clement and Ralph Richardson bring everything they have to this story of a man who betrays his honor and his comrades and then sacrifices all to regain their trust. It’s set during Britain’s Sudan campaign against Muslim fanatics in the 1880s and is shot on location in North Africa with a cast of thousands. I imagine Korda (a Hungarian immigrant to the UK) saw a bit of Hitler in the Mahdi, the crazed leader of the Sudanese rebels. And the movie was shot ion locations later to be overrun by the Afrika Korps. The drama is excruciating and I won’t give away the major plot gimmick. But this flick looks astounding with its windswept and barren locations. It’s also a chance to see Ralph Richardson in a major role. An actor of tremendous talent who should be better known than he is these days. Most of you will remember him in his role as God in Time Bandits. A brilliant transfer and restoration. The Miklos Roza score has never sounded better.
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©2005 by Chuck Dixon. All Rights Reserved. No part of this article may be reproduced without permission. |
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