Gunga Din (1939)

Director:

George Stevens

Writers:

Joel Sayre (screen play) &
Fred Guiol (screen play) ...
(more)

Release Date:

17 February 1939 (USA)

Genre:

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 | Thuggee | India | Sergeant | Army

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 1 win

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
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
John Alban	...	(uncredited)
Charles Bennett	...	Telegraph Operator (uncredited)
Joe De La Cruz	...	(uncredited)
George Du Count	...	Pandu Lal (uncredited)
Ann Evers	...	Girl at Party (uncredited)
Richard Farnsworth	...	Bit Part (uncredited)
Olin Francis	...	Fulad (uncredited)
Bryant Fryer	...	Scottish Sergeant (uncredited)
Sam Harris	...	(uncredited)
Jamiel Hasson	...	Thug Chieftain (uncredited)
Cecil Kellaway	...	Mr. Stebbins (uncredited)
Frank Leyva	...	Merchant (uncredited)
Audrey Manners	...	Girl at Party (uncredited)
Joe McGuinn	...	(uncredited)
Fay McKenzie	...	Girl at Party (uncredited)
Lal Chand Mehra	...	Jadoo (uncredited)
Thom Metzetti	...	(uncredited)
Art Mix	...	(uncredited)
Clive Morgan	...	Lancer Captain (uncredited)
Satini Pualoa	...	(uncredited)
George Regas	...	Thug Chieftain (uncredited)
Allen Schute	...	(uncredited)
Reginald Sheffield	...	Rudyard Kipling - Journalist (uncredited)
Paul Singh	...	(uncredited)
Leslie Sketchley	...	Corporal (uncredited)
Tom Tamarez	...	(uncredited)
Carlie Taylor	...	(uncredited)
Roland Varno	...	Lt. Markham (uncredited)
Bruce Wyndham	...	(uncredited)

Directed by
George Stevens

Writing credits
Joel Sayre		(screen play) &
Fred Guiol		(screen play)
Ben Hecht		(story) &
Charles MacArthur		(story)
Rudyard Kipling		(poem "Gunga Din")
Lester Cohen		contributing writer (uncredited)
John Colton		contributing writer (uncredited)
William Faulkner		contributing writer (uncredited)
Vincent Lawrence		contributing writer (uncredited)
Dudley Nichols		contributing writer (uncredited)
Anthony Veiller		contributing writer (uncredited)

Produced by
George Stevens	....	producer

Original Music by
Alfred Newman

Cinematography by
Joseph H. August		(photographed by) (as Joseph H.August)

Film Editing by
Henry Berman		(edited by)
John Lockert		(edited by)
John Sturges		(uncredited)

Art Direction by
Van Nest Polglase

Set Decoration by
Darrell Silvera		(set decorations)

Costume Design by
Edward Stevenson		(gowns)

Makeup Department
James R. Barker	....	makeup artist (uncredited)
Dan Berns	....	makeup artist (uncredited)
Irving Berns	....	makeup artist (uncredited)
Mel Berns	....	makeup department head (uncredited)
Layne Britton	....	makeup artist (uncredited)
Russell Drake	....	makeup artist (uncredited)
Charles Gemora	....	makeup artist (uncredited)
Abe Haberman	....	makeup artist (uncredited)
Joe Hadley	....	makeup artist (uncredited)
Walter Hermann	....	makeup artist (uncredited)
Dick Johnson	....	makeup artist (uncredited)
Ben Libizer	....	makeup artist (uncredited)
Harry Pringle	....	makeup artist (uncredited)
Louis Saintly	....	makeup artist (uncredited)
Al Senator	....	makeup artist (uncredited)
Howard Smit	....	makeup artist (uncredited)
Armand Triller	....	makeup artist (uncredited)
William Woods	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Pandro S. Berman	....	in charge of production

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Edward Killy	....	assistant director
Dewey Starkey	....	assistant director
Robert Parrish	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Perry Ferguson	....	associate art director
Nathan Barragar	....	props (uncredited)
Claude E. Carpenter	....	set dresser (uncredited)
Thomas Grady	....	props (uncredited)
Maxwell O. Henry	....	props (uncredited)
James Lane	....	props (uncredited)
Kenneth J. Marstella	....	props (uncredited)
Gene Rossi	....	props (uncredited)

Sound Department
James G. Stewart	....	recordist (as James Stewart)
John E. Tribby	....	recordist
George C. Emick	....	sound (uncredited)
John C. Grubb	....	sound (uncredited)
S.G. Haughton	....	sound (uncredited)
Aubrey C. Lind	....	sound (uncredited)
Jack Mark	....	sound (uncredited)
Gordon McLean	....	sound (uncredited)
Eric Meisel	....	sound (uncredited)
Arthur C. Robbins	....	sound (uncredited)
Fred Rodgers	....	sound (uncredited)
Cecil Shephard	....	sound (uncredited)
Jean L. Speak	....	boom operator (uncredited)
Kenneth C. Wesson	....	sound (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Vernon L. Walker	....	special effects (as Vernon L.Walker)
Russell A. Cully	....	special effects (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
P. Brook	....	photographic effects (uncredited)
William Collins	....	assistant camera: camera effects (uncredited)
Horace L. Hulburd	....	photographic effects (uncredited)
Mario Larrinaga	....	camera effects artist (uncredited)
Roger Shearman	....	photographic effects (uncredited)
Clifford Stine	....	second camera: camera effects (uncredited)
G. Swartz	....	photographic effects (uncredited)
M. Zamora	....	photographic effects (uncredited)

Stunts
Richard Farnsworth	....	stunts (uncredited)
David Sharpe	....	stunts (uncredited)
Barlow Simpson	....	stunts (uncredited)
Tom Steele	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Joseph A. August Jr.	....	second camera operator (uncredited)
H. Barrett	....	grip (uncredited)
Pete Bernard	....	grip (uncredited)
H.J. Brandon	....	grip (uncredited)
Charles Burke	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Tom Clement	....	grip (uncredited)
William H. Clothier	....	camera operator (uncredited)
T. Connelly	....	grip (uncredited)
Charles Davis	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Thomas East	....	best boy (uncredited)
Earl Gilpin	....	grip (uncredited)
Alexander Kahle	....	still photographer (uncredited)
George Marquenie	....	gaffer (uncredited)
C. Noren	....	grip (uncredited)
W. Norton	....	grip (uncredited)
Eddie Pyle	....	second camera operator (uncredited)
William Record	....	grip (uncredited)
F. Reed	....	grip (uncredited)
Cliff Shirpser	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
Charles Straumer	....	second camera operator (uncredited)
Leon Turen	....	camera operator (uncredited)
William Whitaker	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Joe Zaslove	....	camera operator (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Ray Camp	....	wardrobe (uncredited)
Harold Clandenning	....	wardrobe (uncredited)
Bill Durant	....	wardrobe (uncredited)
Eugene Joseff	....	costume jeweller (uncredited)
Harry Lawrence	....	wardrobe (uncredited)
Bill Rabb	....	wardrobe (uncredited)
Fred Starns	....	wardrobe (uncredited)
Wesley Trist	....	wardrobe (uncredited)
Pat Williams	....	wardrobe (uncredited)

Music Department
Robert Russell Bennett	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Edward B. Powell	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Conrad Salinger	....	orchestrator (uncredited)

Other crew
William Briers	....	technical advisor (as Sergeant Major William Briers)
Robert Erskine Holland	....	technical advisor (as Sir Robert Erskine Holland)
Clive Morgan	....	technical advisor (as Captain Clive Morgan)
Art Bruggerman	....	stand-in (uncredited)
Phoebe Campbell	....	stand-in (uncredited)
Gordon B. Clarke	....	stand-in: Douglas Fairbanks Jr. (uncredited)
Hilda Grenier	....	technical advisor (uncredited)
Sam Harris	....	technical advisor (uncredited)
Mal Merrihugh	....	stand-in (uncredited)
Barlow Simpson	....	elephant trainer (uncredited)

Production Companies

• RKO Radio Pictures (presents) (as R K O Radio Pictures)

Distributors

• RKO Radio Pictures (1939) (USA) (theatrical) (as An R K O Radio Picture)
• Filmituonti (1939) (Finland) (theatrical)
• RKO Radio Films (1939) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• RKO Radio Pictures Argentina (1939) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• RKO Radio Pictures (1939) (France) (theatrical) (as RKO Radio Films S.A.)
• RKO Radio Pictures (1942) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release) (as An R K O Radio Picture)
• RKO Radio Pictures (1949) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release) (as An R K O Radio Picture)
• RKO Radio Pictures (1954) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release) (as An R K O Radio Picture)
• C&C Television Corporation (1955) (USA) (TV)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1957) (USA) (TV)
• Lii-Filmi (1959) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Nostalgia Merchant, The (1987) (USA) (VHS) (For Fox Hills Video)
• Yleisradio (YLE) (1988) (Finland) (TV) (2002)
• Castle Video (1989) (Finland) (VHS)
• Pan Vision Oy (2003) (Finland) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• Continental Home Vídeo (????) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Epoca (????) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Warner Bros. Television (????) (USA) (TV)

Also Known As:

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:

Finland:K-16 | UK:U (passed with cuts) | USA:Approved (PCA #4452) | Norway:16 | Portugal:M/12 | Netherlands:14 (original rating) (1939) | USA:TV-PG (TV rating) | Argentina:13

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 Cutter and Gunga Din are trying to cross it, was actually filmed on a bridge just eight feet off the ground. The background was a realistic painting of a chasm.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: During the fighting of the natives (none of whom speak English) a voice can be clearly heard shouting, "Watch out!"

Quotes:

Colonel Weed:[reading from the poem by the journalist, Rudyard Kipling] "Though I've belted you and flayed you / By the living God that made you / You're a better man than I am, Gunga Din."

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "General Hospital: Episode #1.11857" (2009)

Soundtrack:

The Atholl Highlanders

Politically incorrect only to the historically ignorant

While it is fashionable in too many circles to condemn anything which portrays European colonialism generally, and the British Empire specifically, in a favorable light, a little historical knowledge will show that Kipling's story, as well as this superb film, are hardly the reactionary racist screed some would like to demote them to. Gunga Din is a regimental bhisti - a water carrier - and in 19th century India that meant that he had a job which guaranteed a place to sleep and food in a very brutal society. Considering that he was also an "untouchable" - a member of India's lowest caste - this was something. Colonel Weed is correct in saying "he had no official status as a soldier" - bhistis were non-military auxiliaries. As for his loyalty to the British, there were many Indians who clearly preferred British rule to that of their fellows - and not just the maharajas and princes.

If you read the story - and watch the movie with an objective eye - at the end, all the major characters have nothing but respect for Gunga Din. Sergeant MacChesney (Victor McLaglen) is clearly shamed by the fact that Din, in the end, was not only the better soldier but the better man - he sacrificed himself to prevent the ambush and massacre of the British column. The most telling example that the movie doesn't "put down" Gunga Din is at the end when Colonel Weed posthumously appoints the former regimental bhisti as a Corporal in the regiment. Corporal was a BRITISH rank - the equivalent Indian rank was Havildar. So, he was appointed as a BRITISH non-commissioned officer who could command British troops - hardly an example of political incorrectness.

Yes, this is "men-as-buddies" flick. However, this movie has a special appeal to anyone who has actually served in the military - those are the types of friendships you make (you'll share your last drop of water with your mess mate) and keep for the rest of your days. It acknowledges that. So enjoy it - it is a rousing tale - and keep the PC-nonsense out of it. The bad guys lose in the end while the best man is recognized for his virtues - you don't even get that it in real life.