The Lives of a Bengal Lancer is the type of imperialist adventure story that has fallen out of favor with changing times. Nonetheless, it's an exciting film, full of heroic action and attention-grabbing performances that help overcome its dated feel. Gary Cooper is fine in the lead, but the film also provides a good chance to see Franchot Tone in one of his best roles. The presence of C. Aubrey Smith adds a feeling of authenticity; indeed, all the British roles are well-cast, even if the Indian roles are not. Former silent-movie child actor Henry Hathaway directs the solidly told story, providing crisp action sequences and effective chemistry between the leads. The film's one drawback is its failure to develop credible non-Anglo-Saxon characters -- a common problem in studio films of the 1930s.
The Lives of a Bengal Lancer (1935)
Directed by Henry Hathaway
Genres - Action, Adventure, Drama, War |
Sub-Genres - British Empire Film, Adventure Drama |
Release Date - Jan 11, 1935 (USA - Unknown), Jan 11, 1935 (USA) |
Run Time - 109 min. |
Countries - United States |
MPAA Rating - NR
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