Le conquérant des Indes

I love the period from the 1920s-1940s in film, however, there are a couple genres within this that I am less than fond of and try to avoid--such as musicals and costume dramas. Of course there are exceptions to the rule, but in general these are among my least favorite old films. With musicals, often the story seems unimportant and the songs dominate and with costumers, too often the tales look great and have nice sets and clothes but seem emotionally sterile.

"Clive of India", clearly, is a very sterile and dry film. Despite starring the wonderful Ronald Colman (one of my favorites), the picture comes off as episodic and amazingly dull. This is a shame, as the real life Sir Clive was an amazing man and as an American I am glad he fought in India and not North America--otherwise, we might still be a British colony! He was talented and yet also very screwed up (his suicide comes to mind) and how all this managed to be so dull is beyond me. I think it's because so much energy is spent on the sets and making it all look good that little attention was given to the script--the characters just seemed wooden and lifeless.

Overall, you can watch it if you like, but I suggest you'd get more out of Wikipedia on this one!

Just how did India become part of the British Empire? This film will introduce you to Robert Clive, one of the great names in English history. After viewing, a perusal of the Encyclopaedia Britannica convinced me that essentially the film got most of the facts right. This is a colorful, sometimes a little violent, story (empires don't come easy) which also deals with the political complications for men who take Big Chances.

Ronald Colman is always fun to watch. Loretta Young is beautiful, even if her American accent gets in the way of her performance occasionally. Cesar Romero, Colin Clive & Sir C. Aubrey Smith all have small rolls.

The historical Clive died an opium addict and a suicide at the age of only 49. CLIVE OF INDIA shows us a little of his brilliance and tragedy.

Historical biopic from 20th Century and director Richard Boleslawski. Ronald Colman plays the title role, a somewhat self-destructive office clerk who impulsively joins the British army, travels to India, and engineers a spectacular military victory against an Indian uprising. That's just the start of his colorful career as a Defender of the Realm against a number of native rebels and tyrants. He also struggles to balance his time between his service and his wife (Loretta Young), who wishes that he would settle down.

Colman seems well cast as the seemingly impetuous Clive, who disregards the rules and societal proprieties in the service of his country and personal glory. But his part seems poorly written at times, more childish than daring, and his performance suffers for it. As does Young, who I normally like, especially in her 30's films, but who here seems phony and a bit overdone. Director Boleslawski seems to manage well with drawing room scenes of debate and heavy dialogue, but fails miserably at the war scenes, of which there are few, a glaring absence given the material.

Oftentimes, instead of dramatizing plot developments in a compelling way, the filmmakers opted for written title cards explaining the outcomes of decisions, which inevitably leads to anti-climactic disappointment. Still, the production values are good, and there are some well-done scenes.

'Clive of India' follows the career of Robert Clive (Ronald Colman) from East India Company clerc to military leader and Westminster politician; his wife Margaret (played by Loretta Young) has very little to do except being the patient, faithful and child bearing woman at his side. The sets and costumes are fine - in part even lavish - and the acting is mostly alright. What mars the picture are the poor script, the awkward dialogues and even more the uneven pacing. The structure is episodic: we get a glimpse of what Clive did here and what Margaret or someone else said there, but these scenes do not follow each other like in a coherent story. Rather, the film uses either title cards (a lot of them) to explain what went on in between, or forces Colman to make pompous statements that serve the same purpose. The result is a picture that fails to stir much interest in either its plot or in its characters. You sit through it and somehow it feels like a relief when you have reached the end.

India, 1748, a vast nation , rich in jewels , spices and precious metals beyond the widness dreams . Fort St. David headquarters of the East India Company , a privately owned trading concern which enjoyed the protection of the British goverment . French , Dutch , Portuguese , and British are at each other's throats in an effort to stablish trading post in this ¨Paradise of Treasure¨. There a clerk in the company, Robert Clive , wants to promote himself and joins the army . Clive's leadership and gift for manipulation strengthen England's hold over India and lead to personal wealth , which is often threatened by the enemies he makes along the way . After that , there takes place the siege of Trichinopoly , where the entire British force had stumbled into a trap and faced almost certain annihilation , but nothing in history surpasses the amazing task Clive accomplished . As he captured Arcot , relieved Trichinopoly and in less than a year he became the conqueror were many , rich , honored , a hero , Clive returned to his homeland . Later on , a madman sat on the throne of Northern India , King Saraj Ud Dowlah , Clive offered him a proposition ; Saraj Dowlah's answer : ¨The Black hole of calcutta¨. But Clive's army came by quick and marches to Palassy , thugh theere was no Mr Jaffar . For ten days Clive waited but there was still no sign , no message . Waiting for Jaffar , Clive launched a sudden attack and before Suraj had time to counter , Clive had scattered the native army along India , but Suraj carried aout a counter-attack by elephants .

This is a jingoist biopic , partially based on historical events , set In the mid-1700's when the East India Company had power over commerce on the sub-continent, with the blessings of the British government . It is a patriotic biographic movie about Colonel Robert Clive , but being more a romantic melodrama than a biopic or a historical film . It was panned by reviewers for giving an apology , being an ¨ode¨ to colonialism and British Imperialism . Nice acting by Ronald Colman as a tough man who at the beginning frustrated by his lack of advancement in his life , he then transfers to the military arm of the company, where he excels .His couple is one of the best stars of 20th Century Fox Film, the beautiful Loretta Young . Support cast is frankly excellent , plenty of notorious secondaries as C. Aubrey Smith as Prime Minister , Colin Clive , Francis Lister ,Cesar Romero , Montagu Love and Leo G. Carroll . And uncredited , John Carradine and Don Ameche as Prisoner .

Rousing and evocative musical score by the classy composer Alfred Newman . Atmospheric and adequate cinematography in black and white by J. Peverell Marley . Impressive and breathtaking production design by Richard Day . The motion picture lavishly produced by Daryl F Zanuck , was professionally made by Director Richard Boleslawski . Richard was a prestigious filmmaker by making several important films at major studios like MGM and Fox before his premature death in January 1937. Among his most important directing assignments were Rasputin and the Empress (1932) (the only film in which John Barrymore, Lionel Barrymore and Ethel Barrymore appeared together), Men in White (1934) (Clark Gable and Myrna Loy), The painted veil (1934) (Greta Garbo), Les Misérables (1935) (Fredric March and Charles Laughton) and Theodora Goes Wild (1936) (with Irene Dunne) and a wide range of genres. He even directed a musical, Metropolitan (1935) (Lawrence Tibbett) and a western, 3 Godfathers (1936) (Chester Morris). His best film was his penultimate one , Garden of Alah (1936) (with Marlene Dietrich), the exteriors of which were shot in the burning heat of the southwestern American desert , until his early death at 48 .