40 000 cavaliers

40,000 Horseman tells the story of the Australian Light Horse cavalry which operated in the desert in Palestine and probably has to its credit the last successful cavalry charge in battle, though apparently according to other reviewers some who dispute it. I'm perfectly willing to give credit to Australia for this remarkable achievement.

The story was filmed in 1940 when Australia had already entered World War II and troops were in the Sahara Desert while this movie was made. For propaganda necessity a hateful German had to be made the villain and Harvey Adams as Van Hausen certainly fills the bill there. To be sure Germans were in the desert, but the bulk of the fighting troops were the Aussies old foes from Gallipoli, the Turks. After all Palestine was part of their Ottoman Empire.

The film was made by Charles Clauvel who's uncle Sir Harry Clauvel was the actual general in charge of the Australian Light Horse. Perhaps the younger Clauvel was undergoing an attack of modesty, but personally I'd have rather seen the story of the uncle and the battles done in a documentary style like The Longest Day.

However several Australian acquaintances have told me that this film is regularly shown on Australian television on ANZAC day. Though the courage of the Aussies at Gallipoli gave the new continent nation a sense of national identity, this film does show them winning this one.

It's the final cavalry charge at Beersheba which opened the way for General Allenby to take Jerusalem is the main feature of the film. Even given the superior production facilities in America at the time, no Hollywood film could have staged the battle better. It is one of the most exciting charges I've ever seen done from any country.

I'm still not sure what the contrived romance between half French half Arab girl Betty Bryant and Aussie cavalryman Grant Taylor was doing here. Most of the time Betty is disguised as a boy. I'm thinking that Charles Clauvel might have seen Katharine Hepburn in Sylvia Scarlett and thought it was cute.

As one of Taylor's mates is Chips Rafferty who was THE Australian cinema star for three decades. This was the film that got him his first real notice.

Though the film probably could use a modern remake in the manner of Breaker Morant and Gallipoli without the wartime propaganda and unnecessary love story tossed in, 40,000 Horseman is an exciting piece of cinema detailing the story of one of the great events in Australian history. Maybe we'll get to see it on American television soon.

Of course, since my dad passed away many years ago, I can't verify this. But I do remember him telling us kids that, as a member of the Australian Army Signals Corp, he and many of his fellow soldiers were recruited as horsemen to ride over the Kurnell sand hills as extras in this movie.

Since this was filmed in 1941, Australia was already in the war. My Dad's was record shows his service in New Guinea as a Lieutenant in the signals corps. I also remember him telling me about how he was trained to ride a motor bike so, along with the horse riding his story about being an extra was probably something to do with preparing them for service overseas.

If anybody that reads this is able to provide some verification that would be greatly appreciated.

This is quite a poignant take on a story of three young Australian lads who joined the Allied forces during the Great War and ended up serving in a Middle East replete with Bosch, scheming and plotting locals and a British high command that sadly wasn't as sharp as their lances. Yep, they were horse soldiers in a signals corp who actually still used signals. It's "Red" (Grant Taylor) who leads this band of irreverent and outwardly undisciplined "individuals" but as the lively vernacular gives way to some courageous and shrewd wartime activities, they soon prove to be more than a small thorn in the sides of their rather pompous and arrogant opponents who just assumed that these ex-con colonialists were a symbol of a British empire on it's knees and scraping the bottom of the barrel. The special effects, particularly the battles and the shelling, are really quite well directed and framed here, giving us a true sense of just how indiscriminate the attacking was and at just how perilous it was for these, and other, young men who had come to take part in a war for King and country that had precious little to do with the security or prosperity of their own nation. It's on that score that this is perhaps a little jingoistic. That's only to be expected, though, given it was made just as the Nazis were starting their own attempt to conquer Europe, but it's quite sophisticated in it's approach and not just a feel-good flag waving exercise. It portrays decent and ordinary men who were hard as nails when called for, but human and considerate of their colleagues when the chips were down. There is room for a soupçon of romance, courtesy of "Red" being rescued by the equally heroic "Juliet" (Betty Bryant), but it still manages to focus more on the spirit of those engaged here and in the end delivers predictably, but still quite effectively.

Although filmed 60 years ago I cannot think of a more thrilling realisation on film of a massed cavalry assault. The scene, which is sustained for several minutes, recreats the WWI charge of the Australian light horse on the Turkish-held town of Beersheeba, Palestine, in 1917. This is generally accepted as the last successful cavalry charge in military history (typically some eggheads - probably Brits - quibble on whether it was a true cavalry charge because the Australians were armed with bayonets rather than sabres; not that the distinction meant much to the unfortunates who ended up skewered on the end of them.)

Also noteworthy for the presence of Chips Rafferty, in a typical role as a gangling Aussie bushmen, and who, in the days before Paul Hogan, represented the Australian male as he liked to imagine himself.

So-so WW1 drama.

The story of a unit of soldiers in the Australian Light Horse, fighting in the Sinai and Palestine in WW1. Given its historic context, it should be a decent war drama.

However, it is rather lacklustre and amateurish. First problem is that this was made in 1940, ie during World War 2, so is first and foremost a propaganda movie. The empty patriotism and manipulation is laid on thick. The Australians are all fantastic, likable, soldiers. The Germans are all evil and inept. (Some respect is shown for the Turks, but this may be because Turkey was neutral in WW2).

Then we have the random, out-of-place, lame speeches. Out of the blue some uneducated soldier from a country town starts pontificating on the meaning of life and war, etc.

To make things worse, the writers and director manage to throw in an unlikely romance (no, it doesn't involve a horse...), just to make things really silly.

Acting is fairly woeful, but that may be due to the script and direction.

On the plus side, the battle scenes are good and you do get a good sense of the history and bravery involved.

For a much better, more realistic and grittier depiction of the Australian Light Horse's exploits in the Sinai and Palestine in WW1, especially the Battle of Beersheba, watch "The Lighthorsemen" (1987) instead. A great movie.