The Charge of the Light Brigade (1936)

Best movie ever!

A different way of telling a story

It's easily one of the freshest, sharpest and most enjoyable films of this year.

This is a gorgeous movie made by a gorgeous spirit.

With a cast like Errol Flynn, Olivia De Havilland, Henry Stephenson, J. Carroll Naish, Donald Crisp, David Niven, Nigel Bruce and C. Henry Gordon, being based on an interesting subject matter and with direction by Michael Curtiz and music by Max Steiner, 'The Charge of the Light Brigade' had all the ingredients for a great film.It almost was, but to me instead is a very good one. It is often criticised for historical inaccuracy (or as some say lack of respect for history), as somebody who always judges a film on their own terms with only brief mention made it isn't an issue for me. Nor despite its troubled production, with horses and a stunt man being killed, its alleged animal cruelty.'The Charge of the Light Brigade' doesn't have an awful lot wrong. It is slowed down a little by the predictable and not particularly interesting (save for the charming chemistry between Flynn and De Havilland) love triangle subplot that felt thrown in and unnecessary. Patric Knowles is also pretty stolid and bland.However, 'The Charge of the Light Brigade' is beautifully filmed and produced, Max Steiner's stirring music score and Michael Curtiz's assured direction adding enormously. The script is literate and thought-provoking, with the eloquent on screen quotations of Tennyson providing much emotional resonance, while a vast majority of the story absorbs, rouses and moves with thundering action sequences (the climactic one stays with one for a long time).Flynn is full of charisma and confidence, while De Havilland is radiant. Crisp, Bruce and Naish also give distinguished performances (didn't know Naish could be so affecting), but standing out in particular are Niven (who has a very moving scene with Flynn), a noble Stephenson and a chillingly reptilian Gordon.Overall, very good and mostly splendid, just a couple of things stop it from being a masterpiece. 8/10 Bethany Cox

As many reviewers have indicated, you do not look to Michael Curtiz's retelling of nineteenth century history for accuracy. Rather you approach it as a western transposed to the days of Empire, with the British colonizers standing in for the cowboys and the Russians or the tribes-people led by Surat Khan (C. Henry Gordon) as the Indians.Some of the battle sequences are breath-takingly shot, with director Curtiz's camera tracking over vast swaths of the Californian landscape as he follows the opposing forces into battle. The eponymous Charge is particularly memorable, with row upon row of horses stretching as far as the eye can see, moving inexorably from right to left of the frame. The screen dissolves into extracts from Tennyson's poem of the same name, emphasizing the doomed nature of the operation, yet asking us to remember how it contributed to a British victory in the end.In truth the film does not have much of a plot, save for highlighting the rivalry between brothers Geoffrey and Perry Vickers (Errol Flynn, Patric Knowles) for the hand of Elsa (Olivia de Havilland). But then we do not expect a Flynn swashbuckler to have too many nuances; rather we are given the chance to marvel at his equestrian skills and his ability to command the shot through sheer magnetism. In THE CHARGE OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE he does not disappoint - despite his much-publicized differences with director Curtiz, he sails through the film with a kind of nonchalance (nowadays we might call it "style") that justifies his status as one of Warner Brothers's most bankable stars.The film offers a treat for fans of Hollywood England, with the supporting cast boasting a youthful David Niven (who by then had set up home with Flynn) plus a gallery of familiar faces including E. E. Clive, Henry Stephenson, Nigel Bruce and Donald Crisp. By the mid- Thirties they were all in the evening of their illustrious careers, but found a lucrative living playing various grandees. While the roles did not place too much demands on their acting-talents (they basically played the same part), they give THE CHARGE OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE a patina of respectability - precisely the kind of thing the studio bosses wanted by engaging them in the first place.In truth the battle-sequences go on a little too long, and Max Steiner's score tends to be over-intrusive, making viewers yearn for quieter moments where the actors can be given the chance to talk to one another. Nonetheless THE CHARGE OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE is a prime example of a kind of movie that enjoyed a peak of popularity during the Thirties.

This is a beautifully filmed adventure with a romantic triangle that sets up a rivalry between two brothers (Errol Flynn and Patric Knowles) for their commander's daughter (Olivia de Havilland). When the commander (Donald Crisp) finds out that Knowles is interested in his daughter, he hits the fan, sure that de Havilland and Flynn are certain to be married. His own daughter tries to correct him on the situation to no avail, and as a result, the two brothers become estranged. They learn that the local mountain leader (C. Henry Gordon in one of his most nefarious roles) plans an attack after initially greeting them warmly and is in cahoots with one of their Russian enemies. A surprise attack on their compound leaves hundreds dead, and the brigade must send for reinforcements which leads to one of the most exciting conclusions to a war movie ever made.While some movies like this tend to make the romantic aspect of the plot seem unnecessary to the structure as a whole, in this film, it is very well utilized, and as a result, the character that de Havilland plays is important overall, not just frivolous window dressing. That aspect (especially the frivolous part) goes to Spring Byington whose involvement seemed to be to supply comic relief that never came. As the nagging wife of Nigel Bruce, she comes off as totally obnoxious, always cheerful when demanding he take another pill and put down the drink, and always annoying. Bruce does get a good jab at her when he simply says in front of her to de Havilland and Knowles that she seems to get her jollies interfering in everybody else's life.If you have a slightly sardonic side (as I do), you may hear Alfalfa from "The Little Rascals" reciting the poem as he does in one of the "Our Gang" shorts. (I didn't know the poem by heart so it wasn't until seeing this again that I realized the poem starts off "Half a League", not "Half a Leg" as I could swear Alfalfa had said.) By the time the movie gets to the part where the poem comes up on the screen, you are emotionally entrenched in the outcome, and rather than make this dramatically silly, the usage of the poem makes it all the more riveting. In other supporting roles, David Niven and Henry Stephenson stand out, and Gordon's villain is quite memorable, his final moments destined to give you chills. Michael Curtiz directed this with aplomb, and photographer Sol Polito never lets the camera stand still at any moment. The outstanding art direction and costumes also deserve praise.

This Errol Flynn classic has some of the best war action on horseback ever filmed.The storyline is convoluted history and the scriptwriters conveniently mixed up dates but who cares just sit back watch and enjoy. The plot revolves around Major Vickers (Errol Flynn) and his adventures first in the British Raj serving at the North West Frontier defending it from the Afghans and Pathans. The area according to my father who served in the same area with the RAF from 1944 to 1947 does not justify the actual ruggedness, fearsome mountains and ravines of the Hindu Kush. I couldn't care less because to me the movie is a true classic and such details are irrelevant.Major Vickers, his fiancé and his deputy are first in Calcutta and then in the frontier where later their regiment is massacred by the Pakthoons and Afghans. This is etched in the memory of the regiment who swear revenge. They are provided the opportunity when the regiment is placed at the Balaclava Heights in the Crimean War. Major Vickers uses his position to forge an order and attack the Russian battalion which included the Afghan Sultan responsible for his regiments massacre. The resulting courageous but senseless charge is Lord Tennysons poem in action.In the background is the story of love, betrayal and sacrifice which adds to the romantic theme. Errol Flynn is rather subdued in his performance but shines in scenes where he loses his lady love. Olivia de Havilland is as ever beautiful. Patrick Knowles is not very effective or convincing. David Niven and Nigel Bruce are at their best. The background score of Max Steiner is terrific and was his first for WB. The action sequences are staged effectively and have been copied by later films. Not accurate history but great fun.