The Lives of a Bengali Lancer, suggested by the novel by Francis Yeats-Brown - 9 out of 10

The Lives of a Bengali Lancer, suggested by the novel by Francis Yeats-Brown
9 out of 10


This educational film has been included on The New York Times' Best 1,000 Movies Ever Made list.

It has also won two Oscars, in a category that has disappeared, but in 1935 was celebrated - Best Assistant Director.
The motion picture also received nominations for another six Academy Awards, including for Best Picture, Best Director and Best Writing, Screenplay.

Indeed, the film is outstanding, a story of valor, loyalty, friendship, self sacrifice, duty, honor, bravery.
It is much better that the super hero mega productions that are released every month it seems.

Lieutenant Alan McGregor is the archetype of the Ubermensch.
He is the Super Hero and iron men, spider men and all the other cartoon figures pale when compared with the main character of this feature.

The majestic Gary Cooper has this leading role.
He fights under the command of Colonel Stone, a devoted, old school, inflexible, professional, dedicated soldier.

We learn that when his wife had had enough of his army duty, he had chosen the army.
In the classic conflict between love and duty, the heart and the mind, passion and rationale, the colonel chooses to do his job.
He is very aware that multitudes depend on his mission and if he fails in his obligation to defend the borders of the British Empire, the bastion would collapse and many would die.

India was at that time part of the British Empire, as indeed was a quarter of the world.
The sun never set on the empire back then.

Lieutenants John Forsythe and Donald Stone join the regiment and the latter is the son of the commander.
The colonel is such a formal, stoic, gauche, rather timid man in social circumstances that he treats his son with what seems to be coldness.

The young Stone is upset when McGregor sends him with a message to his parent, thinking it would cause some intimacy and establish a family bond, and the inflexible man shows no sign of humanity.
Forsythe and McGregor tease each other, on one occasion on the matter of taming snakes and the latter saves the former when a poisonous snake enters the tent.

A drama is unfolding when young Donald Stone is abducted by the enemy, led by Mohammed Khan.
This is a vicious individual,  known to torture his captives before killing them.

Nevertheless, the commander of the British regiment is not taking any measure to try and find, recuperate his son, stating that he has left the quarters and thus disobeyed the consignment.
The enemy had one gorgeous woman as an agent and she had slipped an invitation for the young Stone, who alas honored it.

Alan McGregor is aghast to see his superior officer take no action and he calls him a heartless, insensitive man...words to that effect.
Insubordinate, the lieutenant declares he would depart for the missing comrade.

Hence, he is placed under arrest, in the care of lieutenant Forsythe.
Nonetheless, the two depart for enemy territory together.

Disguised, they pretend to be traders, with faces painted for a darker complexion, to avoid betraying their European origins.
It would obviously be a very serious challenge and they may lose, some may even die in this terrible battle.