Aux frontières des Indes

In this age of remakes and plundering classics to create mega mall blockbusters, here is one film that not only deserves major adventure status all on it's exciting and superb own, it is ripe for a 're-imagining' as perhaps an Indiana Jones film. NORTHWEST FRONTIER is a train chase movie, something movie audiences love. Always a thrilling and spectacular way to offer a microcosm of a society and analyze it through the behavior of the characters as they weave their way through trouble. Read other comments for the story. With a stellar cast, a panavision location of the Indian desert and mountains, visually thrilling 'rattly old train in peril' stunts, some startling political dramas, ambush and shootouts, punch-ups on a speeding carriage and a truly terrifying upsetting 'walk' through the aftermath of a massacre...etc this is the one adventure film of the past 50 years that is both British to its bootstraps and a big screen audience pleaser. It is a crime that the DVD release is NOT in panavision (what is wrong with these DVD companies?) ...almost as much a social crime that NORTHWEST FRONTIER is not a famous classic of International cinema. If it is on TV anytime of the day or night, watch it and be as thrilled as anyone like me who champions it. Sometimes listed as FLAME OF India, it was directed by J Lee Thompson who later made the visually thrilling chase adventure BITE THE BULLET in 1975 (also with great train scenes) ...if NORTHWEST FRONTIER was made in 2006 exactly the same as it appears already, it would gross $100 million and be a big fat hit. If you ever get to see the wonderful Republic film from 1953 called FAIR WIND TO JAVA it too is a unappreciated adventure spectacular, also a source of 'Indiana Jones" antics and a seagoing companion piece to this great train chase.

The movie opens in a way Hollywood could never do, just more dramatic and colourful than Hollywood does. This movie gave more back than I expected. It is a breathtaking, breathholding, exciting little movie. You feel like you are really there in India, on the rickety old train. I love that they used old machinery instead of making it unrealistic the way Hollywood might.

I was not expecting much from Lauren Bacall but she also gave back more than was required. Her scenes with the young Indian boy are touching. She obviously has a way with children in real life as well. The song Swing, Swing Together could make me weep, it's so wonderful. The movie is not well known but so well done. It's just a very well done one that everyone can enjoy. There are some questionable characters on the train, you are left wondering why this one is so twitchy, what is that one's secret?

1905 India , riots try to overthrow the Maharaja from Norhwest frontier on a rebel-held county . The film portrays a British group on a stronghold being besieged by Indian rebel tribes, banded together against the Brits and they're led by Muslim leaders. The English people are surrounded by Moslems army which spent time in the siege . The governor( Ian Hunter) assigns captain Scott (one of Kenneth More's best) as responsible of protection the young prince , undertaking a dangerous escape . Scott has to save the Maharaja's son , attempting to get the heir to safety and getaway by commandeering a steam train . Along the way they encounter bandits , attackers , treason and sabotage . The Brits contra-attack displaying on the train a machine-gun , making a brutal slaughter . Scott takes the action by aiding the passengers (Lauren Bacall, Herbert Lom, Ursula Jeans ,Deckers, Wilfred Hyde White) throughout four hundred miles of risked travel .

This is a British attempt to match the US adventure's spectacles of the mid-sixties, containing derring-do, romance , old-fashioned action set mostly aboard a train, spectacular battles, gorgeous outdoors and resulting to be quite entertaining . It's a fiery early 20th-century adventure yarn with political connotations that some moments makes little sense but bulges with emotion that keeps coming at you, as action and adventures is maintained throughout . It's one of several adventures-action pictures made in Britain in the sixties that starred such Hollywood stars as Lauren Bacall and previously in the fifties as Victor Mature and Robert Taylor. There are strong performances from Herbert Lom as suspicious journalist and Wilfred Hyde White as feisty old man , who have made few bad films . Lauren Bacall as understanding governess, plays with some of sensitivity , and still successfully acting . Personable interpretation by I.S. Johar who steals the show as likable driver. Latterly, as very secondaries appear Ian Hunter , Alan Cuthbertson and Jack Gwillin, among others . But the main protagonist is the old machine called Empress of India Victoria . Luminous cinematography in rich Eastmancolor by Oscar-winning Geoffrey Unsworth, though with abuse of transparency . The movie was glamorously shot in Guadix , Granada , Andalucia , Spain and interior filmed in Pinewood studios. Emotive and atmospheric musical score by Spoliansky and conducted by the habitual Muir Matheson.

The motion picture is well and blazingly directed by J. Lee Thompson, he's a skill and successfully craftsman . He has directed numerous films ,British comedies, drama , suspense but his most successful films are the fresh and diverting adventures . Lee Thompson directed good Western ( McKenna gold , White Buffalo) and all king of genres as Sci-Fi (Conquest and Battle of planet of apes), terror (reincarnation of Peter Proud, Eye of the devil), adventures (King of the sun, Taras Bulba, and Northwest frontier also titled Fire over India) and Warlike ( Guns of Navarone, Von Braun). J. Lee Thomson working from the 50s in England, finished his career making Chuck Norris (Firewalker) and Charles Bronson vehicles (Evil that men do, Messenger of death, Death Wish 4 : Crackdown, Caboblanco, St Ives) and a string of TV movies until his demise at 2002 . Watchable results for this good adventure movie .

I found it by accident on YouTube and what a pleasant surprise it turned out top be. An action film set in British India with a superb script. Lauren Bacall, Kenneth More and Herbert Lom lead the cast. A gripping train raid that never lets go. The director is J Lee Thompson and in my movie going life, J Lee Thompson is associated with many unexpected treats. "Tiger Bay" for instance, remember that one? With Hayley Mills and Horst Buchholz or the insane Shirley MacLaine comedy "What A Way To Go" Not to mention "The Guns Of Navarone" or the original "Cape Fear" . Here, Thompson excels. A suspenseful, thrilling tale told by a master. .

This film was screened last night on PBS. The title "Flame over India" caught my attention. Noting that the movie was made in 1959, I thought this would be one of the slow paced older movies. Surprise! The movie keeps you on the edge of your couch all the time. Some salient features:

1) The hero is more credible like the heroes and leaders you see in real-life - not huge and invincible like Arnold. Puts his own life at risk to save a young Hindu prince's life from Muslim rebels all the while knowing that the kid will be coerced to fight against him should the British not cease the occupation of India. Nevertheless, his actions are based on his duty as a soldier and as a compassionate human being.

2) Effective portrayal of opposing views - the gullible British lady, Mrs. Wyndham commenting that peoples not under the British Empire were uncivilized and the extremely polarized view of the cynical Indian journalist who opposes killing in theory. The movie brings out the sentiments from both sides. Also well done was the scene of a train massacre in showing the courage of Ms Wyatt to walk among the slain and save a young child that was still alive.

3) Several thrilling moments and some moments of suspense. The ambushes feel very real.

4) The movie was shot in India and it gives a very realistic look - especially the trains and the rural stations. Contrary to what many in the Western Hemisphere believe, the movie shows that not all Indians in that time were illiterate (Gupta speaks reasonably good English).

All in all a great movie. I would love to watch it again.