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Gunga Din (1939)
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Overview
User Rating:
Release Date:
17 February 1939 (USA) moreTagline:
Barbaric Splendor - Gasping Magnitude - Adventure ! morePlot:
In 19th century India, three British soldiers and a native waterbearer must stop a secret mass revival of the murderous Thuggee cult before it can rampage across the land. full summary | add synopsisAwards:
Nominated for Oscar. Another 1 win moreNewsDesk:
(2 articles)
Best Films Of Films' Best Year (From New York Post. 15 June 2009, 12:09 AM, PDT)
A.M.P.A.S. Los Angeles Events For June Schedule Announced
(From CinemaRetro. 22 May 2009, 10:18 AM, PDT)
User Comments:
One of the film classics moreCast
(Complete credited cast) | Cary Grant | ... | Cutter |
 | Victor McLaglen | ... | MacChesney |
 | Douglas Fairbanks Jr. | ... | Ballantine |
| Sam Jaffe | ... | Gunga Din |
| Eduardo Ciannelli | ... | Guru |
 | Joan Fontaine | ... | Emmy |
| Montagu Love | ... | Colonel Weed |
| Robert Coote | ... | Higginbotham |
| Abner Biberman | ... | Chota |
| Lumsden Hare | ... | Major Mitchell |
Additional Details
Parents Guide:
Add content advisory for parentsRuntime:
117 min | 96 min (reissue)Country:
USALanguage:
EnglishColor:
Black and WhiteAspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1 moreSound Mix:
Mono (RCA Victor System)Fun Stuff
Trivia:
Howard Hawks was the original director, but was fired from the project after his previous film, Bringing Up Baby (1938), was a box office bomb. moreGoofs:
Continuity: Ballentine and MacChesney are bound and gagged when the last Thuggee is about to behead them after Gunga Din sounds the alarm. Cutter shoots the Thuggee and Ballentine and MacChesney are unbound as they rush to Cutter's side. moreQuotes:
[Sgt. Cutter confronts the Thugs in their stronghold]Sgt. Archibald Cutter: Well if it ain't young toadface. Fancy meeting you here.
Guru: Vile dog! For that insolence you shall grovel before my son. You shall grovel, I say!
Sgt. Archibald Cutter: Look here! I'm a soldier of her Majesty, the Queen. I don't grovel before any 'eathen.
Guru: Tabul, take him to the tower and teach him the error of false pride. Take him away!
more
Soundtrack:
Blue Bonnets Over the Border moreFAQ
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In the most general of terms Gunga Din not only qualifies as a classic but more or less defines the term "classic" in every respect. I wouldn't know how to fault this film, as it succeeds on every level.
You begin with a workable idea for a story. Then you follow that up with superb script writing, direction and photography, and wonderful performances by the entire cast. The end result of that collaboration of successful effort is, as it must be . . . a classic.
And not only does Gunga Din succeed as a mere action adventure, which would be impressive enough, but it's comedic relief serves as a virtual workshop for aspiring directors who, lamentably today, just don't seem to get that part of the equation in all too many cases--you know, as in movie-making is an art? Or at least it used to be.
There's seems to be a gap in our society's culture when it comes to the enjoyment of art which attempts to communicate on various intellectual levels. I would put this down to dubious education all around if I had to pick just one culprit, but I don't know, maybe that's too simplistic. I experience fear, though, when I read negative comments from viewers of films as rich in various, and to me obvious, qualities as is Gunga Din. All I hear in these cases, at best, is a fundamental lack of artistic appreciation at base.
Well, for these people I imagine that all that's left is to simply go out and buy the cheap remakes of the classic films, which are, of course, a dime a dozen nowadays. And then I suppose they will get what they need: presumably a package of questionable casting, incompetent direction, in many instances virtually no attempt at intelligent character development whatsoever, along with x-many minutes of gratuitous violence and endless smash-ups, replete, of course, with plenty of LFE icing for this new-age filmic cake.
Meanwhile, I hope that my daughter will come to appreciate the great films such as Gunga Din for the classic productions they were upon release, and which they certainly remain today.