Gunga Din (1939)

User Rating:

7.6/10   

Director:

George Stevens

Writers:

Joel Sayre (screenplay) &
Fred Guiol (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

17 February 1939 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | War

Tagline:

Barbaric Splendor - Gasping Magnitude - Adventure !

Plot:

In 19th century India, three British soldiers and a native waterbearer must stop a secret mass revival of the murderous Thuggee cult before it can rampage across the land.

Plot Keywords:

British | India | Thuggee | Sergeant | Army

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 1 win

US TV Schedule:

Sat. Nov. 14

4:30 PM

TCM

Cast

Cary Grant	...	Cutter
Victor McLaglen	...	MacChesney
Douglas Fairbanks Jr.	...	Ballantine
Sam Jaffe	...	Gunga Din
Eduardo Ciannelli	...	Guru
Joan Fontaine	...	Emmy
Montagu Love	...	Colonel Weed
Robert Coote	...	Higginbotham
Abner Biberman	...	Chota
Lumsden Hare	...	Major Mitchell

Runtime:

117 min | 96 min (reissue)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Victor System)

Certification:

Norway:16 | Finland:K-16 | UK:U | USA:Approved (PCA #4452)

Filming Locations:

Alabama Hills, Lone Pine, California, USA

Company:

RKO Radio Pictures

Trivia:

The "bridge over the deep chasm" scene, in which Annie the elephant shakes a rope bridge while trying to cross, was actually filmed on a bridge eight feet off the ground. The background was a realistic painting of a chasm.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: In every scene with the snake pit, the strings making them move are visible.

Quotes:

Sgt. 'Mac' MacChesney: You ain't so stupid as you look.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Andy Barker, P.I.: The Lady Varnishes (#1.6)" (2007)

Soundtrack:

God Save the King!

Star Wars with actors

Obviously a film that has had great influence not only on the buddy genre but action genre as well. George Lucas had to be a fan of this flick as so much of his Star Wars series seems to a homage to Gunga Din. The characters that Grant, McLaglen, and Fairbanks play are just precursors of Han Solo, Luke Skywalker, and Chewbacca. Even Sam Jaffe's Gunga Din morphed into C-3PO and R2-D2 and like him or not: Jar Jar Binks.

Today this film is viewed as non PC but there is a speech by Eduardo Ciannelli as Guru the leader of the Indian opposition to the British raj that could can be echoed in the sentiments of many today.

To a young boy this was a great film. Three strong male leads and only a hint of romance. There was a time when young boys deemed kissing the girl in Saturday matinee film was just mush. Not like today when the more skin is greeted with delight. Too late to lament lost innocence.

Hopefully this film will not be forgotten and a few who are channel surfing will stop at TCM and catch a film with action, adventure, and a cast of thousands instead of CGI actors.