The Four Feathers *** (1978, Beau Bridges, Robert Powell, Simon Ward, Richard Johnson, Jane Seymour, Harry Andrews) Classic Movie Review 10,072

Director Don Sharp’s 1978 The Four Feathers is a reasonably enjoyable TV movie remake of the much-filmed A E W Mason tale about the British officer accused of cowardice who becomes a war hero in Sudan. It may have been made with TV in mind but it gained a theatrical release in the UK, on 30 April 1978.

There is absolutely no need to re-film the triumphant Zoltan and Alexander Korda 1939 classic Technicolor version The Four Feathers, but nevertheless this is a fairly sturdy, involving and exciting retelling, with a good visual style and attractive performances from a very decent cast headed by Beau Bridges as British Lieutenant Harry Faversham, Robert Powell, Simon Ward, Richard Johnson, Jane Seymour and Harry Andrews.

It is filmed on location in England at Stratfield Saye House, Hampshire; Littlecote House, Wiltshire; and in Spain.

It is remade in 2002 as The Four Feathers with Heath Ledger.

There are previously also 1915 and 1921 films. It was then memorably filmed as The Four Feathers in 1929 by Lothar Mendes and King Kong directors Merian C Cooper and Ernest B Schoedsack, starring Richard Arlen, Fay Wray, Clive Brook and William Powell. That is a silent film with added synchronised sound but no dialogue. It was remade as Storm over the Nile in 1955.

Also in the cast are David Robb, Robin Bailey, John Hallam, Robert Flemyng, Pauline Yates, Julian Barnes, Jonathan Scott-Taylor, Frank Gatliff, Mary Maude, Terry Walsh, Robert James and Neil Hallett.

The Four Feathers is directed by Don Sharp, runs 110 minutes, is made by Trident Films and Norman Rosemont Productions, is released by National Broadcasting Company (1978) (US) and Rank (UK), is written by Gerald Di Pego, based on the book by A E W Mason, is shot in Panavision and Technicolor by John Coquillon, is produced by Norman Rosemont and is scored by Allyn Ferguson, with Art Direction by Herbert Westbrook.

© Derek Winnert 2020 Classic Movie Review 10,072

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