Les Trois Lanciers du Bengale

You are unlikely to have heard of "The Lives of a Bengal Lancer." It has long been overshadowed by it's more popular contemporaries "Beau Geste" and "Gunga Din", though it is, in my humble opinion, a finer film then either of them. But I'm getting ahead of myself, let's start at the beginning.

"The Lives of a Bengal Lancer" is the story of a regiment of British soldiers in Imperial India. It's an adventure film first and foremost, but it is also an intimate drama about the life of a soldier in an age of Victorian honor, chivalry, and stiff upper lip stoicism. The characters are all interesting and complex and the dialogue is witty and literate.

The film holds up very well for a movie made in 1935, largely due to the lack of any melodramatic romantic subplots, which have permanently marred other adventure films of the period. This is a man's film about men in desperate situations, it's about being willing to die for your country or your friends at a moments notice. It's about a concept that most people consider outdated, honor. How many films have you seen recently about honor, loyalty, and true courage? Probably not many. The action scenes are exhilarating, and the film really does a wonderful job of establishing it's Indian setting.

The performances are all first rate, Gary Cooper stars as Lt. McGregor. I've always imagined Cooper as the quiet, serious, everyman characters he played later in his career. Here he gets to try his hand at comedy and complexity and gives arguably the most layered performance of his career. Franchot Tone is also perfectly cast, he won on Oscar the same year for his performance in Mutiny on the Bounty, but his performance in this film is equally deserving of acclaim. Tone was one of the best actors of the 1930's, though he never really hit it big as a leading man. He's wonderful here, his character exudes charm and wit, and he and Cooper bounce off each other wonderfully. Richard Cromwell is a little over the top, but he makes sense for the character. British stage actor Guy Standing plays Colonel Stone as being emotionless on the outside, and yet torn apart on the inside, having to make the impossible choice between loyalty to one's family and loyalty to one's country. It's a great performance for which he should have received an Oscar nomination. As for C. Aubrey Smith, he is wonderful as usual, the quintessential British officer, often imitated but never equaled, there is no one like the man himself. Douglas Dumbrille also gives a fine performance as the evil Muhammad Khan.

"The Lives of a Bengal Lancer" is a great film, that has been unfairly denied the classic status it so deserves. For years the only way to see it was on Turner Classic Movies, but recently it was released as one of the five films on the $25 "Gary Cooper Collection". Don't miss it.

10 out of 10

Also, though most people don't know it, this is the film in which the now famous line "We have ways of making men talk" is first uttered.

Based in Northwest India, Lt. McGregor : Gary Cooper is a seasoned frontier fighter in the Bengals Lancers who befriends new officer Lt Forsythe : Franchot Tone . Also new to regiment is Donald Stone : Richard Cromwell , the son of current commanding General : Sir Guy Standing . All three will soon test their courage when the Brits encounter a vicious local revolution against colonial rule . They are gallant heroes , the Bengal Lancers , hamdsome stalwarts , often out-numbered , never out-fought . The thrill of a Kiss, the joy of combat... , these , they fought for .. dangerously , recklessly , madly ! . Night find them in the warm arms of love .. or the cold clutch of death !

One of Hollywood's greatest rousing adventures including noisy action , comradeship , heroism and spectacular final battle . A sweet plot in which predominates a sensitive friendship , great comraderie and brave feats . Being based on the novel written by Major Francis Yeats Brown and interesting script from John Balderston , Waldemar Young and Grover Jones , being remade in 1939 .Trio of protagonists : Gary Cooper , Franchot Tone , Richard Cromwell are pretty good . Well accompanied by a large and notorious support cast, such as : Guy Standing , C Aubrey Smith, Kathleen Burke , Douglas Dumbrille , Monte Blue , J. Carrol Naish , Akim Tamiroff , among others . It was shot by cameraman Charles Lang with exteriors from Lone Pine , California , and spectacular settings , in fact some sets were taken for The Crusades 1935 by Cecil B DeMille . And some years earlier, filmmaker Ernest B. Schoedsack filmed scenes on location in India that were subsequently used.

The motion picture was stunningly directed by Henry Hathaway. He was an expert on Western , such as : "Brighham Young Frontiersman" , "The Shepherd of the Hill" , "Rawhide" or "Desperate Siege" , "From Hell to Texas" , "5 Card Stud", "True Grit" and Adventure , such as : "The Black Rose" , "White Witch Doctor" , "Legend of the Lost" , "Circus World" , among others . Rating : 7/10 . Essential and fundamental seeing for classic Hollywood enthusiasts anf Gary Cooper fans .

In the very place where American and British troops are searching for Bin laden, the untamed Northwest frontier of modern Pakistan, the regiments of the Imperial British Raj ruled three hundred million with a hand full of men like Guy Standing and C. Aubrey Smith, who exemplified the very best of the military tradition. There are moments of this film that even transcend the story of outnumbered British soldiers, as when C. Aubrey Smith tells a hot headed Gary Cooper the meaning of honor and duty to the regiment. He explains that sometimes there may be a higher calling than fatherly love. Excellent portrayals by Gary Cooper and Franchot Tone and precise attention to detail ensure that this movie holds up nearly 70 years after it was made. This film should be required viewing for modern day Hollywood types, actors and directors alike who think they can make an action movie! This is one of the great films, I give it a 10!

It's hard to remember sometimes when you get caught up in watching a film like Lives of a Benger Lancer that in fact the British were the occupiers and the bandits were in fact fighting against who they considered invaders.

The British didn't take over India in a classical war of armed conquest. During the 17th and 18th centuries they were among a whole series of European powers who were looking for trading rights and who gradually made deals with several of the local rulers like the ones you see portrayed in this film. A guy named Robert Clive finally defeated the French and the British were the only ones left on the subcontinent except for two Portugese enclaves on the Indian west coast.

Great Britain ruled very little of India directly. They only could run it with a LOT of collaboration which they had. They were seen as occupiers however, even by those who collaborated.

Having said that the British Army over its period in India established a great military tradition. In fact their army in India was viewed as almost a wholly separate entity.

The Lives of the Bengal Lancers is part of that tradition. True to Hollywood in order to have Americans star in a British location we make them Canadians. Well, Gary Cooper was from Montana and that's close enough to Canada. Franchot Tone with his clipped and professionally stage trained speech patterns I guess Paramount figured could pass for British. And Richard Cromwell was given an American mother.

Cooper is a frontier officer who is sent to meet two new arrivals, Tone from another regiment and Cromwell straight from Sandhurst. Cromwell is the son of the post commander a real spit and polish type played by Sir Guy Standing. Their clash is what sets off the events of this film.

Douglass Dumbrille plays a very smooth and deadly villain as bandit leader Mohammed Khan. And C. Aubrey Smith is fine as the fort's second in command.

The later and more comic Gunga Din had a lot of the same plot in it. The final battle between the British lancers and Dumbrille's forces is pretty exciting though the heroics of our three officers today's audience might find a bit much.

Still The Lives of a Bengal Lancer is a good action adventure saga and a fine tribute to the men who served in the lancers.

British India - the Northwest Frontier. Three comrades-in-arms, officers of the elite Lancers Corps, are part of the great Army machine that protects the Raj from warring princes & rebellious tribes. Of immediate concern is the black-hearted ruler conspiring to obtain two million rounds of ammunition. If he succeeds, war is inevitable. Meanwhile, the stern old Lancers colonel has difficulties in dealing with his energetic young officers, one of whom is his own alienated son. During the trials that lie ahead they will exhibit courage, camaraderie & competition, all qualities that make up THE LIVES OF A BENGAL LANCER.

Not just a great adventure epic, this film deals with the tough questions raised by bonds fraternal & familial. What does it mean to be loyal to one's friends? What affection should a father exhibit for his son? What does one do when duty & friendship collide? Beyond all that, the movie is simply fun...

Gary Cooper, here playing a Canadian-Scots, is excellent as the veteran lieutenant, but Franchot Tone matches him in every way as the feisty new subaltern. Together they make a great pair of movie companions - their 'snake charming' scene is priceless. Richard Cromwell, as the military school graduate, is also very good. The fine supporting cast includes Douglass Dumbrille, Akim Tamiroff, Lumsden Hare, Nobel Johnson, J. Carroll Naish, Monte Blue, Mischa Auer & especially wonderful old Sir C. Aubrey Smith, as the major of the regiment.

Comment should be made of Sir Guy Standing, tremendous here as the Regimental Colonel. Sir Guy was a distinguished stage actor from London, who, like many other British theatrical performers, came to Hollywood to make a living in the movie business. At Paramount Studios he quickly established himself as a very fine character actor and from 1933 to 1937 he appeared in 18 films. Tragically, all came to an end in 1937, when he died in the Hollywood Hills, the victim of a rattlesnake bite.