The Four Feathers (1939)

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.

Director:

Zoltan Korda

Writers:

A.E.W. Mason (novel), R.C. Sherriff (screen play)

Stars:

John Clements, Ralph Richardson, C. Aubrey Smith

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
John Clements	...	Harry Faversham
Ralph Richardson	...	Captain John Durrance
C. Aubrey Smith	...	General Burroughs
June Duprez	...	Ethne Burroughs
Allan Jeayes	...	General Faversham
Jack Allen	...	Lieutenant Willoughby
Donald Gray	...	Peter Burroughs
Frederick Culley	...	Dr. Sutton
Clive Baxter	...	Young Harry Faversham
Robert Rendel	...	Colonel
Archibald Batty	...	Adjutant
Derek Elphinstone	...	Lieutenant Parker
Hal Walters	...	Joe
Norman Pierce	...	Sergeant Brown
Henry Oscar	...	Dr. Harraz

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.

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Plot Keywords:

sudan | cowardice | arsenal | north africa | battle | 

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Taglines:

BROUGHT BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND! (print ad - Lubbock Avalanche Journal - Lyric Theatre - Lubbock, Texas - April 22, 1945 - all caps)

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Genres:

Adventure | Drama | Romance | War

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Certificate:

Passed

Did You Know?

Trivia

John Laurie (the Khalifa in command of the "Dervishes" and "Fuzzy Wuzzies") played Private Fraser in Dad's Army (1968) alongside an old soldier (Lance Corporal Jones) who was a veteran of the Sudanese Campaign, and told many stories, usually ending with the fact that the "Fuzzy Wuzzies" very much disliked a bayonet charge because "They don't like it up 'em!"

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Goofs

The position of Durrance changes after he falls the second time, to include the angle of his arm, and the position and orientation of the hat.

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Quotes

General Faversham: There's no place in England for a coward.

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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.

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Connections

Version of The Four Feathers (1929)

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Soundtracks

Auld Lang Syne
(1788) (uncredited)
Lyrics by Robert Burns, music traditional
Heard during the departure of the Regiment

User Reviews

Rousing Adventure Epic

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.

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

4 August 1939 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Four Feathers

Filming Locations:

Denham Studios, Denham, Buckinghamshire, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

London Film Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

129 min 115 min (TCM print)

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1