Amazon.com

Hollywood made few movies about the desert conflict during World War II--and curiously, two that they did (Five Graves to Cairo is the other) were remakes of films set elsewhere. John Howard Lawson based his script on a prewar Russian film (Lawson would later be blacklisted, incidentally) about a military patrol besieged by Asian bandits. The situation readily lent itself to a wartime parallel and became one of the most engrossing story lines of its era.

A U.S. tank crew and their commander (Humphrey Bogart), separated from the main force, make their way through the desert, accumulating a veritable United Nations of stragglers as they go: a few of Montgomery's tommies (including that old limey Lloyd Bridges) and a towering African (Rex Ingram) and his prisoner--a garrulous Italian (Oscar-nominated J. Carrol Naish) who can't wait to tell his new friends about his relatives in "Peets-a-bourg Pennsylvania." They come upon a ruin, the onetime site of an oasis, and almost immediately find themselves defending it against a small army of Germans who believe there's still water to be had there. Yes and no--there's a biblical wrinkle to this tale--and the standoff between the polyglot democrats and the Nazis who far outnumber them is a fine, sun-baked study in suspense.

For Bogart, this Columbia picture was a rare furlough from Warner Bros., where he always felt embattled. His pleasure must have seeped into his work, because Sgt. Joe Gunn is one of the most sympathetic and heartfelt characterizations the actor ever gave us. This is one good movie. --Richard T. Jameson ... Read more

Reviews (28)

SAHARA, Bogart's Desert War Classic now on DVD !
It was 1943 and the United States was at war. Humphrey Bogart had just finished "Casablanca" (considered the #2nd greatest Movie of the last 100 years by the American Film Institute (AFI)1998) with Ingrid Bergman at Warner Brothers.

As the war effort continued Hollywood began to use the power of their stars with patriotic themes, against all odds stories to give Americans and the world hope for victory.

Warner Brothers having the greatest stable of stars lent the services of Humphrey Bogart to Columbia Pictures for the making of the Classic Desert War story "Sahara".

This movie had a great ensemble cast which included a very young Llyod Bridges, Bruce Bennett, J. Carrol Naish and Dan Duryea. Filmed in the Mojave Desert near the great Salton Sea in Southern California. The filmed was endorsed by the War Department and the extras were supplied by the United States Army (playing the Germans, Americans and Allies).

"SAHARA" became Columbia Pictures top grossing film of 1943 at a whopping $2.3 million and a very effective propaganda war vehicle.

Summary: Sgt Joe Gunn (Bogart) a WWII tank Commander and his crew (Bennett & Duryea) are surrounded by Germans in the Sahara desert. Their only escape is south into the desert with only their tank "Lullabelle". The race is against time, finding gas, water & their allies before the Germans find them.

This DVD quality is outstanding !! (remasterd video & audio.) FullScreen (before Widescreen) and Black/White presentation. Extras include a picture montage of original lobby poster art, trailers from other WWII movies and star film chronoligies.

This is a "WWII Sleeper Classic Bogart Film". Bogart is a master craftsman, an American Icon Hero. You become very attached to this cast of desert marooned characters in a grand story about unsummountable odds and the pure devoted attitude to succeed!! Enjoy.

Sahara: A Pre-Politically Correct Call For Multiculturalism
By 1943, the war in Europe had been going on for four years, and the United States had been involved for two. The war was far from being won, and Hollywood accordingly presented images of good old-fashioned American virtues of grit that sound increasingly quaint in the light of the modern tendency to downgrade the military. But in SAHARA, director Zoltan Korda involves the viewer directly in the war against fascism by presenting Humphrey Bogart as Sgt. Joe Gunn, in a role as memorable as any that he ever had. He, Dan Duryea, and Bruce Bennet are tankmen lost somewhere in the North African desert just before the battle of El Alemain. They seek to reenter the war and in doing so, pick up a number of equally lost fighters, two of whom are the enemy. J. Carrol Naish is Guiseppe, an Italian infantryman who has long since lost confidence in Mussolini. Kurt Krueger is a downed Luftwaffe pilot who is forced to ally himself with Guiseppe, a man who he is sure is not far elevated, racially speaking, over the Jews who were being tossed into crematoria. Bogart discovers an oasis that provides just enough water to keep his men alive. The plot complicates when an Afrika Korps battalion is short on water and attacks the oasis for its precious water.

SAHARA is typical of the war films of the time in that Hollywood knew that audiences would respond patriotically if the film combined crackling scenes of realistic combat with powerful and believable characters. Bogart as Joe Gunn more than delivers in nearly every scene in which he appears. His craggy face and gravel voice are totally convincing, especially in scenes like the one in which he responds to the not unreasonable question as to why they should risk their lives in battle when to run away seems the more prudent course. Bogie deadpans that delaying the Nazis at every step is the surest way to win the war. Director Korda makes sure that Bogart's tank crew is a multinational ethnic mix of Brits, French, Nigerian, and even Guiseppe, who in one stirring scene, repudiates his Italian Duce by telling Kurt Krueger, "Must I kiss the hand that beats me and lick the boot that kicks me? No! I'd rather stay in this miserable hole than to return to an Italy like that." SAHARA provided just the right note of infectious enthusiasm for a nation to rally around its military, even if today's peace-at-all-cost activists can't quite understand why.

Desert wartime conflict
The incomparable Humphrey Bogart is tough, gritty and determined as Sgt. Joe Gunn commander of the remainder of a U.S. tank crew retreating south from the Nazis into the Libyan desert. His crew including a young Dan Duryea and the veteran actor Bruce Bennett pick up a small group of Allied stragglers on the way. Running low on supplies and water they set out for a well marked on a map. They encounter a British Sudanese sergeant major played by Rex Ingram leading an Italian prisoner played by the versatile and Oscar nominated J. Carroll Naish. Finding the well to have dried up, the rag tag bunch is led by the beautifully spoken Ingram to a distant well by following an old caravan trail.

Little do they know but they are being pursued by a mechanized German battalion of about 500 men also desperate for water. Bogart and his group find a scant supply of water at the second well which is located amid some ruins deep in the desert. They ambush a German scouting party and learn of their quandry. They release prisoners with the false knowledge that there is plenty of water to be found to lure the battalion in. They decide to make a stand at the well to delay the Nazi troops while sending out Bennett in a captured Nazi vehicle for help.

Sahara is an excellent wartime movie which serves as a testimony to the resolve of our troops to defend their country and ideals in the face of deplorable circumstamces. Bogart is terrific as usual. J. Carroll Naish does a superb acting job playing the disillusioned Italian prisoner, a mechanic from Turin, Giuseppe.

Excellent
This little know Bogart movie was an astounding find for me. The story is based on a Soviet Photoplay article about a group of stranded soliers in the Sahara desert who make a stand against an approaching band of Germans during World War II. A bit heavy on the "why can't we just all get along" line (excluding the Germans, of course) but notable for its humanization of all the disparate people involved, their political beliefs and other religions. In addition, it is an entertaining story of clever manipulations by our heroes to assure their survival versus the overwhelming Germans. Has a great ending. Dan Duryea shines, as does Bogart.

A quest for water...
Sergeant Gunn (Humphrey Bogart) is the chief for an American tank in the war against the Nazi's during World War II. As they pull back they come across a group of soldiers consisting of a Frenchman, a South African, and four Brits. These soldiers join the Americans on their retreat, since it is easier to ride on a tank than walking and because they are low on water. As the party journeys deeper into the Sahara desert, they meet a Sudanese soldier who has an Italian prisoner. The Sudanese soldier is great help for the international group of armed forces, since he knows where there is water. The journey becomes a pilgrimage for water and it leads the men into a tough decision, which will most likely lead them to their death. Sahara is an interesting film, since it was filmed during the war and enhanced the support for soldiers that were fighting in World War II. In addition, it has some elements that offer some understanding for different cultures, which was needed in the time of war. Overall, the film offers an adventure for those who seek entertainment, which in the end provides the audience with a good cinematic experience. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Far too many film versions of the The Four Feathers have been made over the years, which is especially surprising considering that this 1939 Korda brothers production is surely definitive. The film simultaneously celebrates and pokes fun at British imperialism, showing the kind of dogged stiff-upper-lippery that forged an Empire, but also the blinkered attitudes and crass snobbishness of the ruling classes (and those accents--did people ever really talk like that?). Whatever political subtext may or may not be read into it, though, the film is best celebrated for its magnificent vistas: partially made on location in the Sudan, as well as at the famous Denham Studios, this is British cinema from the days when it thought to rival Hollywood for sheer spectacle. Vincent Korda's production design and the glorious early color cinematography are helped greatly by fellow Hungarian émigré Miklos Rozsa's epic score.

John Clements is the notional hero, the man who determines to show the world that he is not a coward after resigning his commission (even though it would surely have saved everyone a lot of bother if he had just stuck with it) but the film is stolen by Ralph Richardson, magnificent as an officer struck blind and led to safety by Clements' Harry Faversham. The later scenes when Richardson's Capt. Durrance realizes the truth and its implications are the most poignant and emotionally truthful in the film. C. Aubrey Smith is delightful as the old buffer who relives his battles on the dinner table; to a modern audience, however, the "blackface" casting of John Laurie as the Khalifa strikes a discordant note. But adjusting some expectations for its vintage, this is a triumph of derring-do and far and away the most gripping version of this oft-told story on film. --Mark Walker ... Read more

Reviews (20)

A timeless classic!
Alexander Korda's "The Four Feathers" (1939) is perhaps one of the greatest triumphs of British filmmaking -- a crowning achievement in Imperialistic propaganda and a nostalgic testimony to the societal traditions which once inhibited us as individuals. Simply put, "The Four Feathers" is a cinematic masterpiece in the vein of "The Drum" (1938), "Kim" (1950"), "The Jungle Book" (1942) and "Gunga Din" (1939). It also represents a rare instance in which a film is far superior to the original novel.

The original novel upon which the film is loosely based was penned by A.E.W. Mason and has an actual excuse for being somewhat flimsy: Following the bloody outbreak of World War I, Mason wrote the story as a mere identity cover while doing espionage work for the British government. He was able to scout northern Africa under this guise of an accomplished author gleaning material for the plot of the novel.

The plot of "Four Feathers" is simple yet engrossing: A young man, Harry Faversham (the dashing John Clements), is brought up by his distant father (Allan Jeayes) in a lonely household steeped in Imperial tradition which values courage and honor above happiness or life itself. His natural human instinct of self-preservation is accentuated into possible cowardice by the horrifying war stories told around the dinner table by old veterans. As he matures, Faversham falls deeply in love with Ethne Burroughs (the radiantly beautiful June Dupréz) and decides that he would rather spend his life in his own way than be trapped in the futile repetitiveness that is a soldier family. On the eve of his unit sailing for Africa, he resigns his commission and is branded a coward -- one of the worst labels in Victorian England -- by both his friends and his betrothed. To reclaim his honor and prove both to himself and others that he is not a coward, Faversham sails to darkest Africa.

In Africa, our dauntless hero is embroiled in unfolding military history as General/Lord Horatio Kitchner ventures into the blistering Sudan with 20,000 British personnel against the varied 50,000 warriors of the Khalifa (John Laurie). The film terrifically climaxes in the breathtaking Battle of Omdurman, a historical engagement which a young Winston S. Churchill witnessed and, in one of his most famous literary pieces, fittingly described as a "victory snatched from the jaws of peril!"

When I was very young, my parents would show me this particular film as an example of a forgotten way of life: of lavish ballrooms where uniformed officers and young ladies in ornate Victorian gowns danced the night away on the eve of war amidst whispered pledges of love and marriage. The film taught me that a true gentleman never insults another in public; a leader must be able to command his own self before he can command others; to honor your word even if it may kill you in the process and to be unafraid of whatever befalls you as long as you are true to yourself.

Film Rating: ***** (five) out of ***** (five) stars.
A mesmerizing period piece.

Ultimate Thin-Red-Line
As the movie's youthful hero Harry Faversham sidles down an imposing hallway of the family mansion, past life-size portaits of illustrious forebearers in service to King and Country, we feel the oppressive weight of generations bearing down on this stripling lad. How can he live up to the mighty expectation of generations past. Right then, we know it won't be easy. Then again, he is English nobility and there is an Empire to defend, so there will be opportunity. And that's what this adventure film is all about. It's told in grand and glorious fashion, with abundant on-location spectacle and memorable scenes, from the massing of the Mahdi's tribes, to authentic knife-wielding fuzzy-wuzzies, to glowing technicolor renditions of Victorian England. It's first-rate colonialist propaganda , of course, but still the best of all thin-red-line celebrations. Nevertheless, I do reject the underlying politics, and unlike earlier years, find myself rooting now for the native rabble who - when all else is said - have no other place to go. Still, who would not like a chance at honorable derring-do, a scarlet tunic, or a chance to be adored by the luscious June Duprez. Such is the power of art, not only to motivate but to mislead.

four feathers on DVD
Film Buffs look to your neighbors across the Pond. I ordered "A Matter of Life or Death in VHS/Pal and converted it to DVD.The Brits have it in DVD/PAL The locals (USA) dont seem to want to budge (people who could get this on DVD). I'd suggest the same with this wonderful movie. I wrote to Carlton Films/e-mail to check on titles. Film Buffs of the Classics of Korda - there is a wealth of film sitting on the shelf. To serve the many the few are forgotten. Thanks.

IF THE 2002 DULL VERSION IS ON DVD, WHY THIS VERSION IS NOT?
"The Four Feathers" has been translated to the big screen in a lot of opportunities, but without a doubt the 1939 version directed by Zoltan Korda is by far the best. It's spectacular cinematography surely was a big influence for David Lean when he created his masterpiece "Lawrence Of Arabia". Naturally, "The Four Feathers" deserves an adaptation on the best home video format: the DVD.

"The Four Feathers" is the story about the human fears, and the ability to gain courage to defeat those fears and fulfill goals. Also, the movie shows situations when the love and the loyalty help to defeat our fears and insecurities.

This movie has an excellent photography that captures spectacular landscapes and very realistic battles. The performances are good, too. Without a doubt, Zoltan Korda did a great job with this film.

Recommendable for all the novel fans or the fans of the even more spectacular movie "Lawrence Of Arabia".

The Best Version of the Four Feathers
While I really enjoyed the new version of the Four Feathers, I think that this is by far superior. The cast and settings are really great. Especially the supporting cast. Just a great classic film. Anyone who enjoys adventure movies and the great movies of the '30's and '40's will enjoy this movie. This is a Must Have video that rates right up there with classic Bogart films. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Fine Tale of Derring-Do, 1935-style!
This fine British pre-war adventure film is a pleasure to watch. Sanders (played by Leslie Banks) plays the decent District Officer trying to to put and end to chaotic inter-tribal warefare in colonial Africa, using mostly his powers of persuaion. But the fun of it all is in the 1930's style of the film, which is full of dashing, derring-do. Paul Robeson plays a native helper to Sanders (look for the King George medal ["G. V. I." - George V, Emperor] around his waist) - he's not the star of the film (as the box says). The theme of "good government is a good thing" was perhaps noted by an extra in the cast - Jomo Kenyatta, who went on to become the first leader of independent Kenya (alas, his successors have not taken the message to heart.) There is an eerie prophetic quality to this light-hearted adventure - it may remind a few viewers of the awful, bloody Mau Mau uprising in 1950's Kenya, in which various tribes went for each others throats in an orgy of violence. Fortunately, this film is just a wonderful piece of 1930's British cinema!

If you like this, try: The Drum, Kim (the old version, starring Sabu), The Four Feathers, Gunga Din, the Charge of the Light Brigade, A Passage to India, Out of Africa, Gandhi, the Jewel in the Crown, the Man Who Would Be King and Zulu.

QUALITY COMPLAINT.
Bought as new, the picture quality of this video can only be described as AWFUL. After only a few minutes viewing I trashed it. It is a disgrace that unsuspecting buyers should receive goods of such a low standard from both "Timeless Video Inc" and "Madacy Entertainment". ... Read more

Reviews (26)

Greatest golden age fantasy still well worth owning
This masterpiece, often referred to as the greatest fantasy movie ever, still holds up well over 60 years later. The Thief of Bagad has a terrific story with enchanting magic, enticing romance and terrific suspense. The acting is absolutely superb with fine performances turned in by Sabu the little thief, Rex Ingram as the powerful and scary genie, and Conrad Veidt who as the evil Vizier Jaffar is one of the best villians ever. John Justin, the blinded Caliph and his beloved princess (June Deprez) provide an engaging and often tragic romance that lends terrific depth to this story.

Best yet is the awesome imagination brought to life in this masterpiece epic. While some of the effects show their age (The spider, for instance), others, such as the flying mechanical horse and the magical carpet are still captivating. The immense attention to detail is evident in the palaces, the ships and the sultan's toy collection. Miklos Rosza's musical score along with this movie's wonderful cinematography recreates the legendary time of the Arabian Nights.

For my one complaint, while this movie clearly rates 5 stars, I'm knocking my review down to 4 stars due to the lack of DVD extras. When compared to spectacular golden age DVDs like Robin Hood, one begins wish all were made this way. Children from 8-13 (as well as adults) will still find joy in this delightful picture.

Brilliant Fantasy Adventure!!!
A blinded beggar, Ahmad, with his wise dog, is begging for food and coins in the harbor of a distant city. The Grand Vizier Jaffar requests that the beggar should be brought to the palace to help his beloved Princess wake up from a deep trance like sleep, since legends tell him that only a blind man can awaken the princess. During the blind man's visit, he tells the story of his life and how he once was the King of Bagdad and his dog was a thief named Abu. The story also reveals that he was blinded by the evil Vizier Jaffar and how he fell in love with the Princess. Thief of Bagdad is a captivating fantasy tale with magical items, dubious creatures, and enchanting adventures of a long lost king. The wide variety of creatures, items, and adventures is delicately balanced with a well written story, precise cinematography, and special effects that do not ruin the story despite the age of the film. The experience that is provided through this cinematic event is a magical story that offers both entertainment as well as contemplation, which is useful for young and old.

A masterpiece to been seen by all generations
"The Thief of Baghdad" is a masterpiece and should be seen by the present and future generations. It is a movie complete and all its aspects. I was 10 when I first saw "The Thief of Baghdad" and since then I could never forget the moments of enchantment it brought to me everytime (more than 10 times)I went to the movies to see it on the big screen. It was and still is my fantasy favorite movie. In the Middle 60's I finally found a copy in 16mm at a distributor and had to rent a projector to show the film at home. Although the copy was in very bad conditions I could even so, be able to go back to the days of my childhood while enjoying this wondereful film.
Recently I púrchased a VHS copy at Amazon[.com] and virtually "obliged" my 18 year-old daughter to watch it. It was a prize to have the film with me at all times. The new edition in DVD is perfect and reveals all the splendor the film brings.

A Fairy Tale concealing the Prennial Wisdom
I first saw this movie as a child in the 1940's. The effects were the best ever for the time, and even look really good today. This is another hero tale complete with a lowly but likable thief who undergoes the classic perils all heros face, but the placement is beaufifully fantasic with the mystery of sultans, evil vizer, genii, minerets, blue rosess of forgetfulness, and magical toys that come to life in Baghdad and Basra. It became my family's all time favorite, along with another Sabu movie, Jungle Book. If this is the type of fantasy and truth you like, go for it.

A Dream
Superb remake of Douglas Fairbanks silent classic; with Sabu as the charming little thief, helping a blinded caliph (John Justin), victim of evil Jaffar (Conrad Veidt), to recover her position and her sweetheart (June Duprez), setting for just amazing adventures.

Filled with wild ideas (the menacing shadow of Jaffar, the blue rose, the horse-toy, the sculpture of many hands, the giant spider, the laughing Genius), and a very, very beautiful color photography (June Duprez is beautiful and John Justin's eyes sparkle with intensity), this film is a certainly unspeakable dazzle for me. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Disney has mined Rudyard Kipling's Mowgli stories twice, but it has never topped this elegant, lush classic by the British Korda brothers. Producer Alexander Korda brought director Zoltan and designer Vincent to California, where they used Hollywood's resources to create a storybook India of verdant jungles, beautiful lagoons, and modest peasant villages. Sabu plays Mowgli, the man-cub raised by wolves and schooled in the jungle who returns to civilization as a young man. When greedy villagers discover that he knows of a hidden treasure, they turn the town against him and follow him to the ruins of an ancient palace (a magnificent, crumbling temple of glowing blue stone overrun with vines and vegetation). Sabu gives a vital, energetic performance, leaping and climbing like he was born to the wild and innocent of corruption and fear that infects the village. As the treasure hunters turn on one another and resort to murder for the prize they all desire, the film gets darker and fiercer than Disney ever dared in its remakes. It's still the most glorious of all versions, a grandly realized epic vision with a sense of wonder and a magnificent fantasy landscape of deep, rich colors, like a painting come to life. Joseph Calleia plays the greedy villain with his usual conniving flair. Miklós Rósza wrote the gorgeous score. Be wary of inferior video copies: the film has fallen into the public domain and is available in a proliferation of substandard prints. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Great oldie that desperately needs restoration
Dark, poor sound quality, quite scratchy (didn't they have a master to use?) Terribly disappointed in this, as I recall it from my youth and wanted to pass along a treasure. Instead, my 5-year-old only lasted about halfway before he asked for something else (he has great concentration and listened attentively while I read him the entire The Hobbit, so I know it wasn't a lacking on his part) Alas, the old treasure is not gold, but brass. Given the state of technology, someone could easily clean this up and make every viewer thrilled. As it is, I sadly say, pass it by, it's better remembered than seen in its present wretched state.

KORDA CLASSIC.
Sabu appears to be having a very good time as Mowgli, the child adopted by wolves who lives among the wild beasts as one of them; he swings from tree to tree like a nursery Tarzan. In the dark-green jungles of this lush, handsome Alexander Korda production (directed by Zoltan Korda) Mowgli has more to do with humans than in the original Kipling novel. Patricia O'Rourke is around for a suggestion of precocious romance; also Joseph Calleia is there for posterity...the screenplay by Laurence Stallings perhaps wandered a bit from Kipling, the segments concerning the python, the treasure and the ruined city are still thrilling in their way. Children will probably still love the movie, and adults will have a better time than they expected... Look for a very young, very American Rosemary DeCamp!

Late Bogie!
This stuff is great! Obviously taken from the original film and transfered to disc, this movie is the essence of black and white reel to reel cinema. Bogart's acting truly expresses why we revere this man as a legend of the big screen. Watch this on a big screen TV to get the full effect!

pure poetry
Seldom has live film so captured the mood of the original book on which it was based. The framing device of the old story teller (who turns out to be the villain of his own story) and the overvoice narration is Kipling all the way. While the cartoon versions degrade the material and put in riduculous songs, in this film the visual is poetry itself and the Rosza score is magnificent. This and its companion film are examples of movie making at its finest. And if the animals have more screen presence than do some of the actors, so be it. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

A sad commentary about apartheid
Adapted from the novel by Alan Paton, this 1951 film is set in South Africa and is a sad commentary about apartheid. It stars Canada Lee as a native aging Christian priest, who travels to Johannesburg in search of his sister and his son. He finds that his sister is a prostitute and his son is missing. After a long search with the help of his fellow priest, played by Sidney Poitier, they discover that his son is involved in a murder of a white man. Charles Carson plays the father of the murdered man, a bigot who changes his views as he reads some of his own son's writings about the inhumanity of apartheid. There is a major scene when he and murderer's father, both grieving, come face to face.

Sidney Poitier is listed as a star but his role was actually quite small. He became star years later but his name on a video box does bring instant recognition. The theme is a good one and so is the story and the acting is superb.I did enjoy it but found it a bit slow and hard to follow. Perhaps it was the editing or just the way the film was transferred to video but it distracted from the high drama. It is worthwhile seeing, of course, and it was done well, but it just didn't grab me enough to give it my highest recommendation.

Still a riveting movie
The subjects covered in this movie are still of great concern in today's world. It is well worth seeing. Makes one much more compassionate--makes one want to do somthing about African and world problems.

A heart breaking story of South Africa in the 1950's
This movie tells the parallel stories of an old black priest and a old white farmer who leave their rural communities to travel to Johannesburg and the tragedies that draw them there. While the story is a moving portrait of that troubled time and place, it is still chillingly current. An encounter between the two men when they discover the extent to which their lives (and the lives of their sons) are related could as easily be about two men meeting in Colorado today. I wonder if today's fathers would do as well. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A magificent spectacle
Based on story by A.E.W. Mason. The story takes place during the British Raj during the Edwardian era. A wonderful antique. Particularly appropriate now. Note the speech of the character of Raymond Massey who plays an Islamic radical bend on world conquest. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Fine Tale of Derring-Do, 1935-style!
This fine British pre-war adventure film is a pleasure to watch. Sanders (played by Leslie Banks) plays the decent District Officer trying to to put and end to chaotic inter-tribal warefare in colonial Africa, using mostly his powers of persuaion. But the fun of it all is in the 1930's style of the film, which is full of dashing, derring-do. Paul Robeson plays a native helper to Sanders (look for the King George medal ["G. V. I." - George V, Emperor] around his waist) - he's not the star of the film (as the box says). The theme of "good government is a good thing" was perhaps noted by an extra in the cast - Jomo Kenyatta, who went on to become the first leader of independent Kenya (alas, his successors have not taken the message to heart.) There is an eerie prophetic quality to this light-hearted adventure - it may remind a few viewers of the awful, bloody Mau Mau uprising in 1950's Kenya, in which various tribes went for each others throats in an orgy of violence. Fortunately, this film is just a wonderful piece of 1930's British cinema!

If you like this, try: The Drum, Kim (the old version, starring Sabu), The Four Feathers, Gunga Din, the Charge of the Light Brigade, A Passage to India, Out of Africa, Gandhi, the Jewel in the Crown, the Man Who Would Be King and Zulu.

QUALITY COMPLAINT.
Bought as new, the picture quality of this video can only be described as AWFUL. After only a few minutes viewing I trashed it. It is a disgrace that unsuspecting buyers should receive goods of such a low standard from both "Timeless Video Inc" and "Madacy Entertainment". ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Great oldie that desperately needs restoration
Dark, poor sound quality, quite scratchy (didn't they have a master to use?) Terribly disappointed in this, as I recall it from my youth and wanted to pass along a treasure. Instead, my 5-year-old only lasted about halfway before he asked for something else (he has great concentration and listened attentively while I read him the entire The Hobbit, so I know it wasn't a lacking on his part) Alas, the old treasure is not gold, but brass. Given the state of technology, someone could easily clean this up and make every viewer thrilled. As it is, I sadly say, pass it by, it's better remembered than seen in its present wretched state.

KORDA CLASSIC.
Sabu appears to be having a very good time as Mowgli, the child adopted by wolves who lives among the wild beasts as one of them; he swings from tree to tree like a nursery Tarzan. In the dark-green jungles of this lush, handsome Alexander Korda production (directed by Zoltan Korda) Mowgli has more to do with humans than in the original Kipling novel. Patricia O'Rourke is around for a suggestion of precocious romance; also Joseph Calleia is there for posterity...the screenplay by Laurence Stallings perhaps wandered a bit from Kipling, the segments concerning the python, the treasure and the ruined city are still thrilling in their way. Children will probably still love the movie, and adults will have a better time than they expected... Look for a very young, very American Rosemary DeCamp!

Late Bogie!
This stuff is great! Obviously taken from the original film and transfered to disc, this movie is the essence of black and white reel to reel cinema. Bogart's acting truly expresses why we revere this man as a legend of the big screen. Watch this on a big screen TV to get the full effect!

pure poetry
Seldom has live film so captured the mood of the original book on which it was based. The framing device of the old story teller (who turns out to be the villain of his own story) and the overvoice narration is Kipling all the way. While the cartoon versions degrade the material and put in riduculous songs, in this film the visual is poetry itself and the Rosza score is magnificent. This and its companion film are examples of movie making at its finest. And if the animals have more screen presence than do some of the actors, so be it. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Great oldie that desperately needs restoration
Dark, poor sound quality, quite scratchy (didn't they have a master to use?) Terribly disappointed in this, as I recall it from my youth and wanted to pass along a treasure. Instead, my 5-year-old only lasted about halfway before he asked for something else (he has great concentration and listened attentively while I read him the entire The Hobbit, so I know it wasn't a lacking on his part) Alas, the old treasure is not gold, but brass. Given the state of technology, someone could easily clean this up and make every viewer thrilled. As it is, I sadly say, pass it by, it's better remembered than seen in its present wretched state.

KORDA CLASSIC.
Sabu appears to be having a very good time as Mowgli, the child adopted by wolves who lives among the wild beasts as one of them; he swings from tree to tree like a nursery Tarzan. In the dark-green jungles of this lush, handsome Alexander Korda production (directed by Zoltan Korda) Mowgli has more to do with humans than in the original Kipling novel. Patricia O'Rourke is around for a suggestion of precocious romance; also Joseph Calleia is there for posterity...the screenplay by Laurence Stallings perhaps wandered a bit from Kipling, the segments concerning the python, the treasure and the ruined city are still thrilling in their way. Children will probably still love the movie, and adults will have a better time than they expected... Look for a very young, very American Rosemary DeCamp!

Late Bogie!
This stuff is great! Obviously taken from the original film and transfered to disc, this movie is the essence of black and white reel to reel cinema. Bogart's acting truly expresses why we revere this man as a legend of the big screen. Watch this on a big screen TV to get the full effect!

pure poetry
Seldom has live film so captured the mood of the original book on which it was based. The framing device of the old story teller (who turns out to be the villain of his own story) and the overvoice narration is Kipling all the way. While the cartoon versions degrade the material and put in riduculous songs, in this film the visual is poetry itself and the Rosza score is magnificent. This and its companion film are examples of movie making at its finest. And if the animals have more screen presence than do some of the actors, so be it. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Great oldie that desperately needs restoration
Dark, poor sound quality, quite scratchy (didn't they have a master to use?) Terribly disappointed in this, as I recall it from my youth and wanted to pass along a treasure. Instead, my 5-year-old only lasted about halfway before he asked for something else (he has great concentration and listened attentively while I read him the entire The Hobbit, so I know it wasn't a lacking on his part) Alas, the old treasure is not gold, but brass. Given the state of technology, someone could easily clean this up and make every viewer thrilled. As it is, I sadly say, pass it by, it's better remembered than seen in its present wretched state.

KORDA CLASSIC.
Sabu appears to be having a very good time as Mowgli, the child adopted by wolves who lives among the wild beasts as one of them; he swings from tree to tree like a nursery Tarzan. In the dark-green jungles of this lush, handsome Alexander Korda production (directed by Zoltan Korda) Mowgli has more to do with humans than in the original Kipling novel. Patricia O'Rourke is around for a suggestion of precocious romance; also Joseph Calleia is there for posterity...the screenplay by Laurence Stallings perhaps wandered a bit from Kipling, the segments concerning the python, the treasure and the ruined city are still thrilling in their way. Children will probably still love the movie, and adults will have a better time than they expected... Look for a very young, very American Rosemary DeCamp!

Late Bogie!
This stuff is great! Obviously taken from the original film and transfered to disc, this movie is the essence of black and white reel to reel cinema. Bogart's acting truly expresses why we revere this man as a legend of the big screen. Watch this on a big screen TV to get the full effect!

pure poetry
Seldom has live film so captured the mood of the original book on which it was based. The framing device of the old story teller (who turns out to be the villain of his own story) and the overvoice narration is Kipling all the way. While the cartoon versions degrade the material and put in riduculous songs, in this film the visual is poetry itself and the Rosza score is magnificent. This and its companion film are examples of movie making at its finest. And if the animals have more screen presence than do some of the actors, so be it. ... Read more