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The Lives of a Bengal Lancer
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Directed by Henry Hathaway
Gary Cooper stars in this rousing adventure saga of three British officers of the 41st Regiment of Bengal Lancers of India. The story begins as Lt. McGregor (Gary Cooper) accepts two new officers to his company -- the brash Lt. Fortesque (Franchot Tone) and Lt. Stone (Richard Cromwell), the son of the garrison's commander, Col. Stone (Guy Standing). In an effort not to show favoritism, Stone's father barely acknowledges his son during a parade of the new officers. Lt. Stone resents this treatment by his father and becomes embittered at both his dad and the British army. McGregor is ordered to search for a British spy, Lt. Barrett (Colin Tapley), who has infiltrated the army of crazed chieftain Mohammed Khan (Douglas Dumbrille). The three officers find Barrett, who tells them Khan is planning an uprising against the British, utilizing the mountain tribes for a massive assault. Lt. Stone finds himself captured by the rebels and is taken to Mohammed Khan's mountain fortress to be tortured. Stone's father refuses to send in the lancers to save his son, reasoning that his son was captured to lure the British forces to their doom. Disguising themselves as Indian peddlers, McGregror and Fortesque go off to rescue Stone. But they are soon discovered and taken to Mohammed Khan's lair to be tortured, with Khan telling McGregor, "We have ways of making men talk." Mohammed wants the soldiers to tell him where a shipment of ammunition will be delivered. McGregor and Fortesque withstand the torture without divulging the location, but Lt. Stone cracks and tells Khan what he wants to know. The three officers see the ammunition delivered to Khan's fortress, but then they hear Col. Stone and 300 lancers have arrived outside of Khan's gates. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
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Review by All Movie Guide
All Movie Guide
liked it.
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. ~ Richard Gilliam, All Movie Guide
 

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