A timid British Army officer has quit and burns his last day summons to a war in Egypt. Calling him a coward, his girl friend and 3 officer friends give him a white feather. In redemption, he shadows his friends in war to save their lives.
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Title: The Four Feathers (1939)
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The Four Feathers
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Edit
Cast
| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
 |
John Clements | ... | Harry Faversham |
| Ralph Richardson | ... | Captain John Durrance | |
| C. Aubrey Smith | ... | General Burroughs | |
| June Duprez | ... | Ethne Burroughs | |
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Allan Jeayes | ... | General Faversham |
|
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Jack Allen | ... | Lieutenant Willoughby |
|
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Donald Gray | ... | Peter Burroughs |
|
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Frederick Culley | ... | Dr. Sutton |
|
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Clive Baxter | ... | Young Harry Faversham |
| Robert Rendel | ... | Colonel | |
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Archibald Batty | ... | Adjutant |
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Derek Elphinstone | ... | Lieutenant Parker |
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Hal Walters | ... | Joe |
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Norman Pierce | ... | Sergeant Brown |
| Henry Oscar | ... | Dr. Harraz | |
Edit
Plot Summary
|
Plot Synopsis
Storyline
Resigning his commission on the eve of his unit's deployment against Egyptian rebels, a British officer seeks to redeem his cowardice by secretly aiding his former comrades, disguised as an Arab. When his unit is overwhelmed and captured by the rebels, the hero finds an opportunity to return the "feathers" of cowardice sent to him by his former comrades by freeing them.
Taglines:
Real Adventure! Real Life in the Raw! (from re-release print ad) See more »Parents Guide:
View content advisory »
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See full technical specs »
Details
Country:
UKLanguage:
EnglishRelease Date:
4 August 1939 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
Las cuatro plumas See more »Company Credits
Show more on
IMDbPro »
Technical Specs
Runtime:
| (TCM print)Sound Mix:
Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)Color:
Color (Technicolor)Aspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1
Edit
See more »
(1788) (uncredited)
Lyrics by Robert Burns, music traditional
Heard during the departure of the Regiment
See more »
Did You Know?
Trivia
For historical accuracy, Zoltan Korda hired a military Technical Advisor, Brigadier Hector Campbell, and had him drill the actors and extras exactly the same as soldiers would have been in the period of this movie's setting. See more »Goofs
Ethne's hair changes after her father leaves the room and Harry has received the feathers in the mail. See more »Quotes
Harry Faversham: The man who tries to cheat his fate is more than a coward, he's a fool as well.See more »
Crazy Credits
Opening credits prologue: In 1885 the rebellious army of cruel dervishes enslaved and killed many thousands of defenceless natives in the Sudan, then laid siege to Khartoum. The scanty garrison's heroic commander, General Gordon appealed for help from England - but no help reached him. See more »Soundtracks
Auld Lang Syne(1788) (uncredited)
Lyrics by Robert Burns, music traditional
Heard during the departure of the Regiment
See more »
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A young English army officer resigns his commission just as war in Africa breaks out. His 3 best friends, officers all, and his fiancée each give him a white feather - the sign of the coward. Shunned & ostracized, he undertakes a mission to clear his honour & prove his courage.
This is a wonderful British adventure film, equally on a par with anything Hollywood was to produce in that golden year of 1939. Shot in color, with spare-no-expense filming in the Sudan, THE FOUR FEATHERS is a paean to the glory days of Victoria's Empire & the men who fought to build it.
Sir John Clements is excellent as the young hero. Although virtually unknown to American audiences his entire career, Sir John was a very fine actor with a warmly distinctive voice which he uses here to advantage. Sir Ralph Richardson appears, terrific as always, as one of the friends; so does John Laurie, very good as the troublesome Khalifa. Sir C. Aubrey Smith, magnificent as a curmudgeonly old general, provides the final hurdle Sir John must jump to regain his reputation.