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Summary: "Kill, Kill, Kill for the Love of Kali!"
Review: Just one of the lines that makes your hair stand on end in this best of all 1930s action films, "Gunga Din". I recently rediscovered this old classic in the New York Public Library while hunting for something to occupy my four-year nephew while I was going to baby-sit him. Since he loves Flynn's "Robin Hood", Power's "Mark of Zorro", and Wilcoxin's "The Crusades", I thought that the little guy would probably take to "Gunga Din" like a duck to water, and was I ever right! Not only that, but even I, Aunt TutorGal, bought my own used copy because I just had such a good time with it. As far as I know, this is Cary Grant's only true swashbuckler, and he and the gang are A-one! Here we're back in Colonial India again, with three soldier comrades: Cary Grant, a Cockney always looking for hidden treasure; Victor McLaglin, a blustery two-fisted elephant lover; and Douglas Fairbanks, the most elegant of the three and the best swordsman of the lot. The crisis comes early when Fairbanks reluctantly announces to the other two that he's not going to renew his term with the British Army because he's going to marry Joan Fontaine and go into the tea business. Classic case of two angry friends trying to bust up a guy's romance or at least find a way to get Doug to re-enlist, even by tricks if necessary. So who's Gunga Din? Why, he's the Indian water carrier of the regiment who longs to be a soldier-bugler himself. Unfortunately, he has to endure a lot of racist remarks from the prejudiced McLaglen, but at least Cary Grant takes a shine to him, though perhaps he's a little patronizing himself. Sam Jaffee, later Ben-Hur's father-in-law, does a creditable job as eponymous Din. Montague Love, erstwhile Bishop of the Black Canon from "Robin Hood", checks in as the commanding officer, and turns in a good job. Joan Fontaine, in an early role, hasn't much to do as Doug's fiancee, except be a figure of scorn for the other two buddies. Kudos to Eduardo Cianelli as the evil Guru who has resurrected the devilish Tugghee cult. It's he who directs his swarms of shrouded followers to go out there and strangle as many British soldiers as possible, for the love of Kali, their blood goddess. Every time The Nephew and I watch the movie, he always asks me in a very worried voice, "But the British are going to win, aren't they?" as though the ending might change while sitting in the video case. But rest assured, that "Gunga Din" satisfies its viewers with action, thrills, and even some tears for A Noble Sacrifice on one character's part. If you really want to have a rollicking good time, "Gunga Din"'s your man.
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Summary: "GREAT WARRIOR ROMMANCE OF BRITISH INDIA
Review: MORE THAN 300 YEARS ,THE BRITS WERE IN INDIA!-How little we know!!![Whole generations of english born raised and died there.]This Great Film was filmed under the great granite Sierra mountains above Lone Pine California(Many many outdoor scenes filmed here)The highest mountain in lower 48 is seen in background(Whitney)Gary grant in His Beautiful youth ,Dashing Douglas Fairbanks(jr.)-Sam Jaffe is a treasure Himself!Victor McLocklin the classic Sergeant major type!-and the "guru" the great Eduardo Cianneli all come together to create the magic & splender of this 30's ACTION Masterpiece of Frontier India.
Rating:
Summary: ANOTHER GREAT MOVIE FROM 1939
Review: ONCE AGAIN A GREAT MOVIE FROM 1939. A YEAR THAT GAVE US THIS MOVIE AS WELL AS THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME,OF MICE AND MEN, THE WIZARD OF OZ AND OF COURSE GONE WITH THE WIND AMOUNG MANY OTHERS.
THIS MOVIE, ALTHOUGH SOMEWHAT POLITICALLY INCORRECT TODAY IS NONE THE LESS ONE THE GREAT ADVENTURE MOVIES OF ALL TIME.
A MUST SEE AND MUST HAVE FOR THE SERIOUS COLLECTOR.
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Summary: KALI!!! KALI!!!
Review: This is THE greatest adventure movie of ANY time. I agree with every reviewer who has pointed out that this movie really ought to be on DVD (and to think its even out of print??? I guess that's because Hollywood doesn't want us to know they've been `homaging' this movie for the past forty years). I remember when I first picked this up...just thinking `hmmm...Cary Grant and Victor McLaglen, can't be all that bad...' I was utterly rapt when I finally watched it. When they find that deserted town and the one prisoner starts calling out `Kaalii!! Kaalii!' and all those figures appear in the hills, MAN OH MAN! After that, your face is inches from the screen! Three brawling British soldiers (Cary Grant, Victor McGlaglen, and Douglas Fairbanks Jr.) go toe-to-toe with the murderous Thuggee cult in India (years before Indiana Jones knew what a Thuggee was). The action in this picture is stupendous! Douglas Fairbanks Jr. CATCHES a hurled throwing axe and returns it to its owner!! Cary Grant drops a stick of dynamite on a cultist, the guy bends over to pick it up, and EXPLODES! This is inspired by the Rudyard Kipling poem of the same name, which concerns a plucky Hindu waterbearer who proves to be the best man of all in the climactic battle sequence at the end. The villainous Guru-head of the Kali worshippers is played with sinister, quiet menace, the heroes are as likable and swashbuckling as you can get, and when young Mr. Kipling reads that poem at the end, you WILL be in tears (manly tears, of course...) This movie is astounding! Great black and white cinematography that really ought to get the digital treatment.
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Summary: Gunga Din Outstanding!
Review: This review is for the movie not the DVD. This is an outstanding movie with great performances by Cary Grant, Victor McLaughlin and Sam Jaffe as Gunga Din. It's the story of a Indian serving as a stable hand with the British Army in India who dreams about becoming a bugler with the Army. Plenty of action sequences and humor. Very well written and some of the best acting for movies of this genre. The bad guys are truly evil and the good guys always get their revenge. A true classic!
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