MovieChat Forums > The Four Feathers (1939) Discussion > which version am i looking for

which version am i looking for

posted 17 years ago by markb_1979
5 replies | jump to latest

Hi all, i hope someone can help me, I remember seeing a version of this film back when I was quite young and have been unable to track it down. The only realy piece of the film i remeber is it had a sceane at the start with a young harry walking up the stairs past the portraits of the old generals etc and a model battle field scene, i am not sure if this is enough for you guys to go on. but if someone knows which version this is i would be greatly appreciated. (it was in color)

Regards,

Mark

[–] f-sweeney 17 years ago

there is such a scene in the 1955 version which had the title 'Storm Over the Nile'. I dont know why it given this title, I watched it today and it is nearly as big a production as the 1939 version. with nothing left out (but lots of footage left in from the 1939 version) . It was on film 4 last month , but they annoyingy screened a pan and scan version and not the proper widescreen. Ive seen three versions of this movie and all have been excellent. The 2003 version came in for a bit of stick - but that got me interested inthe other versions, it such a strong story that it seems difficult to do badly. Though I think the 1939 version wins hands down. Hope you get to see the widescreen version of storm over the nile

[–] wildfire160 16 years ago

Yeah i think your right i remember the same scene from Storm Over The Nile,it was directed by Terence Young(Dr No)and Zoltan Korda who btw also directed the 1939(and best) version of the Four Feathers

[–] flnyira 17 years ago

Mark, you're looking for the 1939 version with Ralph Richardson and John Clement, far and away the best version; none of the others, certainly the Heath Ledger version, holds a candle to this amazing, thrilling movie.

[–] jwilson44 17 years ago

I have not seen Storm over the Nile, so I cannot comment. The 70's version with Jane Seymour is also very good, almost up there with the 1939 version. In it Faversham burns the telegrams sent to him and his messmates, so they miss the calling up of the unit, and he can resign without appearing a coward. I thought that was a very effective variation. The 2002 version is a remake that retained the characters, the "Fuzzy-Wuzzies", and the feathers, but, like bait-and-switch, substituted an entirely different story.

[–] on3gin 7 years ago

Definitely the 1939 version. But you must remember that they don't make movies like that any more. In 1939, apparently, people in epic movies didn't talk, they orated. Even husbands and wives "addressed" each other, accompanied by a 100-piece symphony orchestra to emphasize the effect of what they were saying in their very upper class accents. I laughed all he way through the scenes set in Britain, but once they moved to Egypt to fight the dervishes and the fuzzy-wuzzies [sic] things came down to earth. 1939 version. Accept no substitutes.