The Charge of the Light Brigade

source: The Charge of the Light Brigade

Puh-LEEZE! Enough, already. All you well-meaning folks knocking the historical accuracy of this classic film, you're on the wrong website! It's Hollywood, not HISTORY. You probably think Tennyson's poem is a bad summary of the event, too. This is a great movie, with an excellent cast, by one of Hollywood's best and most overlooked Directors, Michael Curtiz. You want a laundry list of great movies? Go look up Michael Curtiz whose credits include rescuing THE ADVENTURES OF ROBIN HOOD after William Keighly was excused, CASABLANCA and YANKEE DOODLE DANDY. Throw in a memorable score by one of the best movie composers of all time, Max Steiner (KING KONG, GONE WITH THE WIND). The Climatic charge is STILL one of the best action sequences you will ever see. Done, as has been previously pointed out, without the aid of computers and 21st century FX, and directed by noted 2nd unit director, B. Reeves Eason, who was also responsible for the 1925 BEN-HUR chariot race as well as the burning of Atlanta for GONE WITH THE WIND. See this film (On DVD beginning 3/27) and enjoy it for what it is: A sterling example of the Hollywood Dream Factory in it's golden age. You want to criticize films that purport to be historically accurate? Go jump on JFK or some other piece of Oliver Stone revisionist propaganda.

The studio bosses saw all those potential customers in the British Empire and were not going to show the true picture of how it was really run. Thats why the British got to stiff upper lip it through big budget and grade Z flicks. Anyway this is a swashbuckler that I still enjoy though my sympathies now lie with Surat Khan rather than Errol's Major Vickers character; Surat Khan is in his Homeland and Errol and Co. are lording it over them. But for some well staged battle scenes and the chance to see Mr. Flynn leaping cannon this is a good one. Way better than Lives of a Bengal Lancer, Gunga Din and that travesty Wee Willie Winkie!

At the beginning the tale is set in Suristan , it could be seen as part of the "Great game" that was fought for nearly a century between the British and Russian empires for control in the Middle East . After that , a massacre takes place at Chukoti , it seared into the minds of the 27th Lancers , a livid scar never to heal . International events , however , were soon to overshadow it in the world at large ; for the hounds of war had been unleashed and England was pouring troops into the Crimea to oppose the Russian hordes , the wave of war preparations swept into Calcuta . This drama deals with the chronicle of events that led to the British involvement in the Crimean War against Russia . In Balaklava is the Allied Headquarters , Army of the Crimea , and the new post of the 27th Lancers . Later on , occurs the siege of Sevastopol and the fierce ¨Battle of Balaklava¨ on October 25, 1854 which climaxed with the heroic, but near-disastrous cavalry charge made by the British Light Brigade against a Russian artillery battery in a small valley which resulted in the near-destruction of the brigade . As military minds blunder and six hundred Britishers , sabers flashing , ride to their deaths . The film is dedicated "to the officers and men of the Light Brigade who died victorious in a gallant charge at Balaklava for Queen and Country - A.D. 1856." It is based on Lord Tennyson's famous poem : Half a league , half a league onward , all in the valley of death rode the six hundred . Cannon to right of them , cannon to left of them , cannon in front of them volley'd and thunder'd . ¨Forward , the Light Brigade ¡ Charge of the guns¨ he said , into the valley of death rode the six hundred . When can their glory fade ? O the wild charge they made ¡ All the world'd . Honor the charge they made ¡ Honor the Light Brigade , Noble Six Hundred ¡ . Good film with lavish production values dealing with events leading up to British involvement in Crimean war with stunning final battle sequence . This epic movie contains feats , a romantic love story , adventures , thundering action , thrills , and historical events . The film was originally set entirely in India, but the Crimean War was added due to fears by Warner Brothers that the story was too similar to Paramount's The lives of a Bengali Lancer (1935). Exquisitely made battle scenes being magnificently directed by action specialist B. Reeves Eason . Although during the filming of the charge sequence, a stuntman was killed when he fell off his horse and landed on a broken sword that was lying on the battlefield . The original script used the real-life siege of a British fort at Cawnpore , and subsequent massacre of its survivors , during the Sepoy Rebellion -, a nationwide mutiny of Indian soldiers in the British army - as the reason for the famous Charge of the Light Brigade at Balaklava during the Crimean War . The second of nine movies made together by Warner Brothers' romantic couple Olivia de Havilland and Errol Flynn , here playing star-crossed lovers . The success of this film set the seal on Olivia and Errol Flynn's super-stardom . The support cast is frankly excellent such as Patrick Knowles , David Niven , C. Henry Gordon , Henry Stephenson , Nigel Bruce , Donald Crisp , EE Clive , Roger Barrat and J. Carrol Naish . The picture climaxes with one of the most dramatic and immortal cavalry charges in history . For the filming of the climactic charge, 125 horses were trip-wired ; of those, 25 were killed outright or had to be put down afterward . Superb and evocative cinematography in black and white by Sol Polito , though is also shown in a lousy computer-colored version . Breathtaking score by the maestro Max Steiner in his first one for Warner Brothers . The motion picture produced in big budget by Hal B. Wallis , Harry Warner and Jack Warner was compellingly realized by Michael Curtiz .

Unfortunately for "The Charge of the Light Brigade," I am an animal lover, so I was somewhat repulsed by the battle scenes in this film. Killing 200 horses and a stuntman to make a movie is unacceptable - it was even considered bad in 1936. For this reason, unlike Errol Flynn's other adventure movies, it was not re-released. The film also did nothing for Olivia de Havilland's career, typecasting her with Warner Brothers as a typical ingénue, when in fact, she was a fantastic actress. Errol Flynn, Patric Knowles, Henry Stephenson, and Nigel Bruce star in the film, along with the aforementioned de Havilland. Knowles was sort of a B-movie Flynn, so it's good casting that he plays Flynn's brother. Both of them are in love with Elsa Campbell (de Havilland), whose father is a colonel (Donald Crisp). This is a highly fictionalized version of the actual battle and the events leading up to it. No expense was spared. The battle scenes are very graphic, and you can really see why horses would have died. I've seen thousands of films, and I've never seen horses falling and ending up on their backs. Flynn is at his handsomest best; the still up and coming Niven has a supporting role. Not recommended - by me, anyway.

In the mid 1930s and well into the 40s, Warner Brothers made many fine films starring Errol Flynn that were very high on production values and fun but also of dubious historical value. While historically speaking this is not the worst of the lot (that honor goes to SANTA FE TRAIL), this film doesn't seem to have a lot to do with the Tennyson poem or the Crimean War and in fact, much of the movie is set around the same region of the world as GUNGA DIN--around Pakistan or Afghanistan. So, assuming you aren't looking for a history lesson, the film is packed full of excellent acting, sets and fast-paced fun. Part of the reason I particularly liked it was because it teamed Errol Flynn with Olivia de Havilland--a wonderful combination that began with CAPTAIN BLOOD and lasted for seven films. So, if you like this film, check out all their other films together--especially CAPTAIN BLOOD and THE ADVENTURES OF ROBIN HOOD. Their chemistry was always excellent and it is further enhanced by such wonderful supporting actors as Henry Stephenson, Nigel Bruce, Donald Crisp and David Niven.

What a gross misrepresentation of historical facts(not too unusual for Hollywood.) There was never a massacre, no Surat Khan, etc. The true life character of Major Geoffrey Vickers, was Captain Louis Nolan, who was a true life hero. Now the sun sets on Britannia. Long Live the Queen, and all the members of the 27th Lancers!!

It's 1856 and the generous and loving British forces are in India, bringing dignity and freedom to an evil and oppressive country. Major Geoffrey Vickers and his brother Captain Paul Vickers are both serving in the same unit but, in a terrible twist served up by a cruel Cupid, both men are in love with the very white and clean Elsa Campbell. Things are made worse when, while the main regiment are on manoeuvres, the dastardly and untrustworthy Surat Khan attack the fort and massacre soldiers, women and children. Of course, Major Vickers survives and his quest for revenge leads to one of the most notorious military attacks ever (well, not really). You may detect a certain amount of tongue in my cheek as I wrote my plot summary and, if so, you'd be right, because this is a terrible misrepresentation of history in a film that is average at best. The plot is a simple "Brits good, Savages bad" story that might have been accepted by an audience in the 1930's but now seems horribly simplistic and simply untrue. The film starts very slowly by setting up a love triangle while also making sure we get a good look at the Indian devils in all their non-white glory – the film never gets into full on racism but to call it horribly jingoistic is to be kind to it. The characters are paper thin and none of their stories really ever engaged me; meanwhile the liberty taken with history was just plain annoying – we mock Hollywood today retelling history to suit them but lets not forget that England have benefited from it as well! The action is impressive but lets not think that it was very well planned and professionally staged – the death of hundreds of horses during the actual charge caused the introduction of the animal protection laws that exist today within. The cast are also lost below a lot of noise and the only lasting impression made on me was by Errol Flynn's teeth, which are the straightest, whitest thing I've seen since the opening scene of Blue Velvet. De Havilland is bland, Knowles is obvious and even David Niven just goes through the motions. Overall this is a fairly average film. Fans of swashbuckling will find this devoid of fun and energy, with only a load of dead horses served up to satisfy them in that regard; meanwhile the rest of us sit bored though pointless subplots while wondering why the makers bothered to put the disclaimer up the front of the film – that this film has little basis in real life will be of no surprise to anyone who has watched it.

I thoroughly enjoyed this film. But then again, any movie boasting the talents of both Errol Flynn AND David Niven is always going to be a treat. My favourite part of Charge of the Light Brigade is at the ball in Calcutta, every man in the place is trying to avoid the interfering old bint (can't remember her name). The looks on their faces every time she approaches is priceless. It doesn't matter that it's full of nonsense, Charge of the Light Brigade is an entertaining film that takes you back in time to the genteel goings-on of colonial times.

Hollywood screenwriters have an uncanny talent in producing historically inaccurate and picayunish melodramas. "The Charge of the Light Brigade (1936)" is a prime example of Hollywood screenwriters at their worst. The plot makes no sense whatsoever. In this movie, the massacre of British women and children during the Sepoy Mutiny occurred before the charge of the light brigade (the Hollywood screenwriters wanted the charge to be an act vengeance against the massacre of the helpless ones). Historically, the massacre of British women and children occurred after the charge of the light brigade in the Crimean War . The charge occurred in late 1854 while the Sepoy Mutiny raged from 1857 to 1859. The Sepoy Mutiny rebels attacked the British after Hajimullah Khan, one of its leaders, saw firsthand the incompetence of British army in the Crimean Peninsula. Also, how did Khan (probably a dramatic combination of Hajimullah Khan and Nana Saeed, the two historical leaders of the Sepoy Mutiny) conveniently end up as a guest of the Russians in Crimea? What was he doing in Crimea? I can find no logical reason for him to stay in Crimea. (Maybe Indian tourists of 19th century liked to travel through battlefields!!) Moreover, this movie gives a false impression that Indian insurgents rebelled against the British because Indians are intrinsically villainous and unethical. Even though the Indian rebels of the Sepoy Mutiny did indeed commit inexcusable, bloodthirsty atrocities, Indian resentment against the British made logical sense. From the 18th to mid-20th century, the British occupied the Indian subcontinent without any moral or logical justification and treated many Indians as virtual slaves. Based on the belief that Europeans are far superior to blacks and Asians, even the British ladies treated Indians as filthy barbarians. This movie conveniently grosses over these inconvenient historical facts. Even though I agree with many other IMDb commentators that some of the battle scenes in this work were staged magnificently and that the musical score of Max Steiner is a masterpiece, these two positive elements do not salvage this cheap, ludicrous movie.