.. that cast member being William Powell. I'll get to that later This is the tale, remade in 1939 and in sound, of four friends in the British army, friends from childhood. Richard Arlen has the starring role here as Lt. Harry Faversham. Always brought up to feel that cowardice is the worst character trait one can display, Harry grows up in fear of - well - fear! So when he gets notice that his regiment is being sent to the Sudan, he tries to pretend he didn't get that notice and has just coincidentally decided to resign. He threw his notice into the fire but didn't notice the fire isn't burning. His three friends see the notice and deem him a coward. They send him three feathers as a sign of their disgust. Harry's fiancee, Ethnee (Fay Wray), also disapproves and gives him a fourth feather. Harry's father, on his deathbed, advises Harry to kill himself!
So now Harry sets out to the Sudan as a civilian, determined to make his former friends take their feathers back. Fortunately for Harry, the British army has been extremely incompetent and is under siege by the locals. So here is his chance to redeem himself and rescue his friends! The plot takes it from there!
Now back to William Powell. Throughout his tenure at Paramount, Powell had been either playing the buffoon ("Forgotten Faces") or a villain ("Feel My Pulse"). But a funny thing happened just before this film was made - Powell made a couple of talking films. And the public discovered he had quite a distinguished voice. Thus in this, his last silent film, Paramount gave his character some dignity for a change. This film is worth studying if only for that. In fact, in five years, Powell will be the only major male member of the cast who still has a notable film career. Arlen had a fine speaking voice, but he was one of many casualties of the talkies. Clive Brook had an autocratic British accent, and this just did not mesh with the roles and the image he had in silents. Plus he - like many Hollywood stars in the 30s - had numerous threats made concerning the kidnapping of his children. Because of these threats he and his wife and children moved back to England in 1936.
In summary, this is a rousing adventure film and one of the last silent films Paramount made and is very much worth seeking out.
So now Harry sets out to the Sudan as a civilian, determined to make his former friends take their feathers back. Fortunately for Harry, the British army has been extremely incompetent and is under siege by the locals. So here is his chance to redeem himself and rescue his friends! The plot takes it from there!
Now back to William Powell. Throughout his tenure at Paramount, Powell had been either playing the buffoon ("Forgotten Faces") or a villain ("Feel My Pulse"). But a funny thing happened just before this film was made - Powell made a couple of talking films. And the public discovered he had quite a distinguished voice. Thus in this, his last silent film, Paramount gave his character some dignity for a change. This film is worth studying if only for that. In fact, in five years, Powell will be the only major male member of the cast who still has a notable film career. Arlen had a fine speaking voice, but he was one of many casualties of the talkies. Clive Brook had an autocratic British accent, and this just did not mesh with the roles and the image he had in silents. Plus he - like many Hollywood stars in the 30s - had numerous threats made concerning the kidnapping of his children. Because of these threats he and his wife and children moved back to England in 1936.
In summary, this is a rousing adventure film and one of the last silent films Paramount made and is very much worth seeking out.