The Four Feathers Review
by Mark R. Leeper (markrleeper AT yahoo DOT com)September 17th, 2002
THE FOUR FEATHERS
(a film review by Mark R. Leeper)
CAPSULE: The seventh film version of A. E. W. Mason's
THE FOUR FEATHERS compromises some of its integrity
to be a more Hollywood-ish story than the novel told. Nevertheless it makes for a rousing adventures with
some possible comment on current events. You can
never get enough of this kind of rousing historical
action adventure. Rating: 7 (0 to 10), low +2
(-4 to +4)
The new film version of 1904 novel by A. E. W. Mason, THE FOUR FEATHERS, has been directed by Shekhar Kapur (ELIZABETH) and released by Miramax. This is the seventh film adaptation, with predecessors going back as far as 1915. Zolton Korda directed the most familiar version in 1939 and, incidentally, a remake entitled STORM OVER THE NILE in 1955. For history buffs the film is a pleasure in the first two acts, but it works too hard at dumbing down and Hollywoodizing the ending, so it falters in the third act.
Set in the 1860s, it is the story of five friends (Harry, Jack, William, Edward, and Tom) in the British Army assigned to Sudan with the British troops to combat the followers of the Mahdi, a powerful and charismatic Islamic leader. One can see this film with no special knowledge of history, but it will serve the viewer better to have seen Basil Dearden's film KHARTOUM or better still to have read a little about the period. The film has several references to Charles Gordon, the character played by Charlton Heston in the film KHARTOUM.
The five men, friends from the academy rugby field, are assigned to the troops sent to engage the Mahdi's forces at the time Gordon is fighting to hold Khartoum. However, Harry (Heath Ledger) has great personal doubts about the military incursion and resigns the army rather than be sent. His friends as well as his fiancee accuse him of cowardice. William, Edward, Tom, and fiancee Ethne each give Harry a white feather symbolic of cowardice. To restore his honor, prove his courage to himself, and to protect his friends Harry privately travels to Sudan, a sort of self-appointed secret agent.
The timing of this production is interesting as there are several distinct parallels between the Middle East politics then and now and the film does what it can to play them up without taking too strong a stand on current Middle East policy today. Initially Harry does not believe in the British involvement in that remote part of the world. Whether he changes his mind and whether the British involvement is ill-advised is left to the viewer. Clearly however, the British are just not properly prepared for warfare of this type.
The film suggests it is folly to send an army to a part of the world where instant death can lie behind any rock in order to defend a national policy which here seems predicated mostly on vanity. Certainly there is more politics in this film than in Zoltan Korda's 1939 film version. In addition, some modifications seem have been added to Hollywoodize the story, mostly to make it more politically correct and to provide an ending that would sell well. The role of Abou Fatma is quite different in the book and the film. In the book Abou is a stealthy Arab, previously of Charles Gordon's staff, who moves behind the scenes. In the film he is a black tribesman, not of Arab origin. This is an interesting change, however, since in the Sudan the struggle is largely blacks against whites. Abou Fatma is played by Djimon Hounsou of AMISTAD and GLADIATOR.
Where this film improves on previous versions is in the nice visuals. One goes from a recreated England with constant gray skies and a 19th century steam engine in the streets to the bright and dry Sudan. It is a powerful contrast. Some of the battle scenes are also spectacular, though perhaps assisted by CGI.
This is not an ideal film version of THE FOUR FEATHERS, but it is most enjoyable. Historical epics are getting rare again and this one comes like a breath of fresh air. I rate it a 7 on the 0 to 10 scale and a low +2 on the -4 to +4 scale.
The novel has been re-published in a film edition in paperback or may be found on-line at
{http://www.blackmask.com/books33c/fourfeathers.htm}.
Mark R. Leeper
[email protected] Copyright 2002 Mark R. Leeper
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