IMDb RATING
6.2/10
1.3K
YOUR RATING
In the 1830s, a captain in the East India Company lobbies to investigate the criminal Thugee Cult of Kali, an organized crime group of stranglers and thieves.In the 1830s, a captain in the East India Company lobbies to investigate the criminal Thugee Cult of Kali, an organized crime group of stranglers and thieves.In the 1830s, a captain in the East India Company lobbies to investigate the criminal Thugee Cult of Kali, an organized crime group of stranglers and thieves.
Roger Delgado
- Bundar
- (uncredited)
Marie Devereux
- Karim
- (uncredited)
Margaret Gordon
- Dorothy Flood
- (uncredited)
John Harvey
- Burns
- (uncredited)
Jack McNaughton
- Corp. Roberts
- (uncredited)
Warren Mitchell
- Merchant
- (uncredited)
Michael Nightingale
- Sidney Flood
- (uncredited)
Walter Randall
- Thuggee Cult Member
- (uncredited)
Steven Scott
- Walters
- (uncredited)
Ewen Solon
- Camel Vendor
- (uncredited)
- Director
- Writer
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaAll scenes shot in the marketplace/village were shot at Bray Studios on the revamped set that was constructed for "Horror of Dracula (1958)." Once "Stranglers" was completed in 1959, the set was completely torn down. The sequences where Guy Rolfe's character goes to meet Allan Cuthbertson's character, the capture of two of the Thuggees in the process and the caravan sequences were shot at the sand-and0gravel quarry in Gerrard's Cross, Buckinghamshire. The tiger hunt and the scene where Rolfe's character finds more grave sites was filmed at the Callow Hill Sandpits in Virginia Water, Egham, in Surrey.
- GoofsThe pistol used in several scenes by Captain Lewis and Captain Connaught-Smith was a revolver. The time frame for this film was set in the 1820's. The revolver wouldn't be invented and patented until 1836.
- Quotes
Patel Shari: Whoever rules decides the truth.
- Alternate versionsFor its UK cinema release the film was cut by the BBFC with edits to the kicking of Lewis by thuggees in an alleyway, and the removal of 'reaction' shots of Karim watching men being branded and strangled. The same print was then cut by a further 7 secs for the 1996 video release with additional edits to remove a scene of a mongoose fighting a snake.
- ConnectionsFeatured in Aweful Movies with Deadly Earnest: The Stranglers of Bombay (1966)
Featured review
The Stranglers of Bombay is out of Hammer Film Productions. It's directed by Terence Fisher and written by David Zelag Goodman. It stars Guy Rolfe, Jan Holden, Andrew Cruickshank, George Pastell, Marne Maitland and Paul Stassino. Music is by James Bernard and cinematography by Arthur Grant.
For hundreds of years there existed in India a perverted religious sect, dedicated to the wanton destruction of human life....
So secret was this savage cult that even the British East Indian Company, rulers of the country at the time, was unaware of their existence....
So it begins, a compact and often violent retelling of the Thuggee Cult in India in the 1820s. It was considered strong stuff back on release and had the head suits at the BBFC shifting uneasily in their office chairs. It's a film that has also fallen unfairly into the realm where political correctness dwells, where some folk are seemingly obsessed with decrying old movies for their outdated political portrayals. This deserves better, for it's a very good script, where although the history is difficult to pin down as being correct, it does at least show a care and attention to detail where the Thugee Cult is concerned.
It's also a good old adventure yarn, full of intrigue, peril and detective work. Fisher directs at a clip, never allowing the plot to stagnate, and the low budget afforded the project is barely evident amongst some very effective sets. Cast are mostly good value for money, with lead players Rolfe perfectly restrained as an officer desperately trying to be heard and Pastell owning the film as the High Priest of Kali; in fact he is revelling in the bad guy role. Bernard provides an ear banging effective musical accompaniment.
Torture, maiming, heroics and a clever mongoose, something for everyone here! 7/10
For hundreds of years there existed in India a perverted religious sect, dedicated to the wanton destruction of human life....
So secret was this savage cult that even the British East Indian Company, rulers of the country at the time, was unaware of their existence....
So it begins, a compact and often violent retelling of the Thuggee Cult in India in the 1820s. It was considered strong stuff back on release and had the head suits at the BBFC shifting uneasily in their office chairs. It's a film that has also fallen unfairly into the realm where political correctness dwells, where some folk are seemingly obsessed with decrying old movies for their outdated political portrayals. This deserves better, for it's a very good script, where although the history is difficult to pin down as being correct, it does at least show a care and attention to detail where the Thugee Cult is concerned.
It's also a good old adventure yarn, full of intrigue, peril and detective work. Fisher directs at a clip, never allowing the plot to stagnate, and the low budget afforded the project is barely evident amongst some very effective sets. Cast are mostly good value for money, with lead players Rolfe perfectly restrained as an officer desperately trying to be heard and Pastell owning the film as the High Priest of Kali; in fact he is revelling in the bad guy role. Bernard provides an ear banging effective musical accompaniment.
Torture, maiming, heroics and a clever mongoose, something for everyone here! 7/10
- hitchcockthelegend
- May 24, 2012
- Permalink
- How long is The Stranglers of Bombay?Powered by Alexa
Details
- Runtime1 hour 20 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 2.35 : 1
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By what name was The Stranglers of Bombay (1959) officially released in India in English?
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