IMDb RATING
7.0/10
3.3K
YOUR RATING
Three British soldiers on the Northwest Frontier of India struggle against the enemy - and themselves.Three British soldiers on the Northwest Frontier of India struggle against the enemy - and themselves.Three British soldiers on the Northwest Frontier of India struggle against the enemy - and themselves.
- Won 1 Oscar
- 2 wins & 6 nominations total
Guy Standing
- Col. Stone
- (as Sir Guy Standing)
Douglass Dumbrille
- Mohammed Khan
- (as Douglas Dumbrille)
F.A. Armenta
- Indian Officer
- (uncredited)
Mischa Auer
- Captured Afridi
- (uncredited)
James Bell
- Indian Officer
- (uncredited)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaParamount had planned to produce the film in 1931 and sent cinematographers Ernest B. Schoedsack and Rex Wimpy to India to film location shots such as a tiger hunt. However, much of the film stock deteriorated in boiling heat, so when the film was eventually made in 1934, much of the production took place in the hills surrounding Los Angeles.
- GoofsMcGregor lifts and moves the Vickers machine gun with no apparent effort. However, the gun with the tripod could weigh between 29 and 36 kg (65-80 lb) so it is unlikely that it would be moved as easily as it is in the film. The Vickers was a water-cooled machine gun. The ones seen in the film lack the water condenser can which was usually attached to the barrel.
- Quotes
Mohammed Khan: We have ways to make men talk.
- ConnectionsEdited into The Opium War (1943)
- SoundtracksMother Machree
(1910) (uncredited)
Music by Chauncey Olcott and Ernest Ball
Lyrics by Rida Johnson Young
Sung a cappella twice by Franchot Tone with modified lyrics
Played on a pungi by Franchot Tone several times
Featured review
nearly forgotten today
Directed by Henry Hathaway, The Lives of a Bengal Lancer from 1935 is an excellent film that today is not as well-known as films like Beau Geste and Gunga Din.
The film stars Gary Cooper, Franchot Tone, Richard Cromwell, Guy Standing, C. Aubrey Smith, and Douglas Dumbrille.
The story takes place in India, in the northwest frontier. The 41st Bengal Lancers have had casualties due to a rebel leader, Mohammed Khan. Replacements for the lost men appear: Lt. Forsythe (Tone) and Donald Stone (Richard Cromwell), the son of the head of the Lancers, Colonel Stone. Lt. Alan McGregor (Cooper) rooms with them, due to the fact that he's usually in trouble. Forsythe loves singing "Mother Macree" and pushing McGregor's buttons; but McGregor bonds with the young Stone. Eventually all three become friends.
When Stone's son is kidnapped by Mohammed Khan, McGregor and Forsythe want to go after him, but Stone forbids it. The two men dress as Indians and go to Khan's base to rescue Stone.
Rousing film with plenty of action, which was one of Hathaway's specialties, with all locations in California but under the hot sun, it could be India. This is the movie where the famous line "We have ways of making you talk" comes from, except that's not the line, it's "We have ways of making men talk" - somehow these famous lines are never exact.
Gary Cooper is excellent -- gorgeous as usual, energetic, and passionate. I just saw him in "Ten North Fredrick" so it was a delight to see him in this, 23 years earlier, so young and strong. Tone, who replaced Henry Wilcoxin is very good, and baby-faced Richard Cromwell is right for his role as a kid who wants to be treated like one of the Lancers and not have any special privileges. Cromwell was married to Angela Lansbury for five minutes or so, and was in and out of films, working ultimately as an artist.
Lots of action and adventure - hard to know why it isn't appreciated today because the characters are strong, with real relationships and good dialogue. I think I know why - Gunga Din is a George Stevens' film, and Beau Geste was directed by William Wellman. Since Hathaway isn't considered a director in that league, I have a feeling this film is often passed over. It's a shame; it deserves rediscovery.
The film stars Gary Cooper, Franchot Tone, Richard Cromwell, Guy Standing, C. Aubrey Smith, and Douglas Dumbrille.
The story takes place in India, in the northwest frontier. The 41st Bengal Lancers have had casualties due to a rebel leader, Mohammed Khan. Replacements for the lost men appear: Lt. Forsythe (Tone) and Donald Stone (Richard Cromwell), the son of the head of the Lancers, Colonel Stone. Lt. Alan McGregor (Cooper) rooms with them, due to the fact that he's usually in trouble. Forsythe loves singing "Mother Macree" and pushing McGregor's buttons; but McGregor bonds with the young Stone. Eventually all three become friends.
When Stone's son is kidnapped by Mohammed Khan, McGregor and Forsythe want to go after him, but Stone forbids it. The two men dress as Indians and go to Khan's base to rescue Stone.
Rousing film with plenty of action, which was one of Hathaway's specialties, with all locations in California but under the hot sun, it could be India. This is the movie where the famous line "We have ways of making you talk" comes from, except that's not the line, it's "We have ways of making men talk" - somehow these famous lines are never exact.
Gary Cooper is excellent -- gorgeous as usual, energetic, and passionate. I just saw him in "Ten North Fredrick" so it was a delight to see him in this, 23 years earlier, so young and strong. Tone, who replaced Henry Wilcoxin is very good, and baby-faced Richard Cromwell is right for his role as a kid who wants to be treated like one of the Lancers and not have any special privileges. Cromwell was married to Angela Lansbury for five minutes or so, and was in and out of films, working ultimately as an artist.
Lots of action and adventure - hard to know why it isn't appreciated today because the characters are strong, with real relationships and good dialogue. I think I know why - Gunga Din is a George Stevens' film, and Beau Geste was directed by William Wellman. Since Hathaway isn't considered a director in that league, I have a feeling this film is often passed over. It's a shame; it deserves rediscovery.
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Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Language
- Also known as
- More Lives of a Bengal Lancer
- Filming locations
- Production company
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Gross US & Canada
- $2,180,000
- Gross worldwide
- $3,270,000
- Runtime1 hour 49 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.37 : 1
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By what name was The Lives of a Bengal Lancer (1935) officially released in India in English?
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