The Bandit of Zhobe

one of many films about India under British occupation, fights, exoticism, wise young women and noble bandits. part of a trend of period, it gives nothing original. but its naivety is a real virtue for nostalgic and for rediscover ignored actors. the mixture of politic and romance, few drops of humor and battle scenes are always an inspired choice. The Bandit of Zhobe is not an exception. but it has the virtue to seems be different for the science of Victor Mature to save his character. far to be complex, Kasim is more than a shadow. not so predictable, full of virtues who defines the good savage, his fight, his error, his delicacy and spirit of honor are ingredients for a decent story. and this does The Bandit of Zhobe naive. but , in special way, seductive.

The film could be called Zarak II as the plot is very similar to the original, and our hunted hero, a bandit with a price on his head, is seen this time blind for revenge...

He thinks that the British have massacred his people, his family, his wife and child... But he is wrong.

Only the little romantic daughter of his enemy, overflowing with pity for him, could open his eyes to the truth... She told him one day: 'Do not trust the smiling face of the moon, it has a darker sight.'

The loose and ambiguous script of "Bandit of Zhobe" seems to ramble, and the direction of John Gilling merely underscores the generally unconvincing proceedings... Mature did however have opportunity to sport turbans and colorful Indian garments...

Nicely photographed...Mature does some of his worst most wooden acting....while the rest of the Brits are solid. Anthony Newley as a corporal is a panic and provides understated comedy relief throughout. My favorite scene is when Newley wanders into an ammo storehouse during the climatic battle and calmly asks for some dynamite. The man in charge gives him a hard time - sighting the requirement of paperwork. Newley then explains that there is a war going on outside - to which the man in charge then dryly states in that case he'll also need another piece of paperwork as well ! Newley finally talks the fellow into letting him have a single small case - so long as he doesn't tell anyone else - lest everyone come in asking for some. This one scene was worth the price of admission !

Victor Mature was always fond of telling people how bored he was in the acting profession and pretty soon he'd be out of it for the most part. He was at his most bored making The Bandit Of Zhobe an Indian Northwestern set on the real Indian frontier. He sleepwalks through this part, probably worried his paycheck wouldn't clear.

Back in the day tales of the British army defending those outer reaches of the Empire on which the sun never set were as popular with British kids as the dime novels written about the exploits of our frontier characters out west. The Bandit Of Zhobe plays like one of those westerns.

The evil Walter Gotell wants to get the frontier ablaze and what better way to do it than get the British army fighting with a neighboring native leader. Gotell has his guys attacking the British army and also has his guys in British army Sepoy uniforms go into Mature's town and massacre the place, killing his wife and child. I've seen this plot premise in many of our own westerns.

Taking on the task of bringing everyone together is Anne Aubrey, daughter of British Colonel Norman Wooland. A little bit of Rudolph Valentino's The Sheik is thrown in here with Aubrey's obvious attraction for Mature even though he's been doing terrible things to her people after he's been set on the warpath.

Best in the film without a doubt is Anthony Newley as the corporal and bodyguard of Aubrey. He proves to be quite resourceful and has the best lines the script. The final battle between Gotell's people and the British army is also well staged.

But we've seen all of it before in many an American western.

I have never understood why so many films came out in the United States which extolled the virtues of British colonial rule. After all, didn't the USA at one time fight the Brits for independence as well?!! Despite this, from the 1930s-50s, a ton of American films portrayed this colonialism as a good thing...with all sorts of heroes in the lead. I guess with "The Bandit of Zhobe", this made a bit more sense as the movie was made by Brits...though why the insane choice was made to cast Victor Mature as an Indian is beyond me. He just didn't look the least bit like an Indian. Here, we are expected to believe he is the bandit, Kasim Khan!!

Shortly after the story begins, the British want to bring in Kasim for questioning. He's innocent and is about to go with them when one of Khan's loyal men creates a diversion...and Khan escapes. During his absence his family is murdered and Khan assumes it was done by the British. He then goes on to form a band of rebels who threaten the peace and British rule.

So is this any good? Well, not especially. Despite a few colorful scenes, the film is pretty dull and Mature seems very willing to take a paycheck for a lackluster performance and film.

The most surprising thing about this movie is that only three years before, Victor Mature (in another great casting decision) plays an Afghani man and the plots are incredibly similar. Watch "Zarak" and you will see what I mean.