The Four Feathers (2002)

A British officer resigns his post just before battle and subsequently receives four white feathers from his friends and fiancee as symbols of what they believe to be his cowardice.

Director:

Shekhar Kapur

Writers:

A.E.W. Mason (novel), Michael Schiffer (screenplay),

Stars:

Wes Bentley, Mohamed Bouich, Kate Hudson

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Wes Bentley	...	Jack Durrance
Mohamed Bouich	...	Sudanese Storyteller
Campbell Brown	...	Dervish Ansar
Daniel Caltagirone	...	Gustave
James Cosmo	...	Col. Sutch
Andy Coumbe	...	Colonel Other Regiment
Angela Douglas	...	Aunt Mary
Karim Doukkali	...	Egyptian Orderly
Lucy Gordon	...	Isabelle
Megan Hall	...	Millie
James Hillier	...	Drunken Corporal
Nick Holder	...	British Lion
Djimon Hounsou	...	Abou Fatma
Kate Hudson	...	Ethne Eustace
Alex Jennings	...	Colonel Hamilton

Storyline

Set in 1884 Sudan, this fifth film to be adapted from the A.E.W. Mason novel follows a British officer who resigns his post right before his regiment ships out to battle the rebels. Perceiving his resignation as cowardice, his friends and fiancée give him four white feathers, the symbol of cowardice, but little do they know he's actually going undercover and plans to redeem his honor.

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Plot Keywords:

cowardice | battle | friend | white feather | british | 

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Taglines:

What would you kill for?

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Genres:

Adventure | Drama | Romance | War

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for intense battle sequences, disturbing images, violence and some sensuality

Details

Official Sites:

Official site Paramount

Country:

USA UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

20 September 2002 (USA)

Also Known As:

Las cuatro plumas

Filming Locations:

Bledlow, Buckinghamshire, England, UK

Box Office

Budget:

$80,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$165,725 (Japan) (19 September 2003)

Gross:

$495,874 (Japan) (26 September 2003)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Pictures, Miramax Films, Jaffilms

Technical Specs

Runtime:

132 min 125 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Jude Law was the original choice for the role of Harry Feversham.

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Goofs

British forces fighting in the Omdurman campaign of 1898 wore khaki uniforms, not the scarlet jackets used in this film. However even while earlier British infantry soldiers did wear red coats, the cavalry of that period wore blue jackets. The scene in which Dervish horsemen impersonate British cavalry wearing red jackets would be historically inaccurate for both periods.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Title Card: By 1884 over a quarter of the earth's surface had been conquered by the British Army. There was no greater honor for a young man than to fight for Queen and Country. Those that refused the call to arms brought shame and humiliation on their friends and families...
Title Card: The Symbol of their disgrace was the white feather of cowardice...

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Connections

References Lawrence of Arabia (1962)

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Soundtracks

"Good Night Ladies"
(uncredited)
Traditional

User Reviews

As an entertaining adventure film, "The Four Feathers" stands firm…

The story is set in 1884 during the British Empire uprising…

Harry Faversham (Heath Ledger) is a young army officer from a distinguished military family who never wanted to join the army… He did it for his father… He resigns his commission on the eve of his regiment's departure for Sudan… Harry has already disgusted his strict father, a respected General in the Queen's Army, by declaring no interest in a soldier's life and now that he is about to be married to his beloved Ethne (Kate Hudson), he wants to settle down…

When his closest friends and fellow officers find out that he disgraced the regiment, they send him a box of feathers of cowardice… When Ethne sends him another feather, he then disappears to redeem himself, to face up to his fears, to discover himself, to win back his self-respect...

Shekhar Kapur's "The Four Feathers" is beautifully filmed and performed… The themes of love, honor, loyalty, friendship, trust, redemption, wisdom, true strength, and true courage are all there… They made the characters entirely plausible… But what truly lingers in the memory about it are the stunning sequences filmed in the Sudan and the splendid staging of several battles, showing the then standard British tactics employed in holding off attackers—the forming of squares, with riflemen deployed in standing, kneeling, firing, holding line, and keeping eye on the target… These exciting scenes of combat and carnage are truly impressive…