I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

Best movie of this year hands down!

Very Cool!!!

Actress is magnificent and exudes a hypnotic screen presence in this affecting drama.

In the Northwest Frontier of India, the 41st Bengal Lancers leaded by the harsh Colonel Tom Stone (Sir Guy Standing) are having trouble with the rebellious leader Mohammed Khan (Douglas Dumbrille). After two casualties, the experienced but insubordinate Lieutenant Alan McGregor (Gary Cooper) receives as replacement, the arrogant and cocky Lieutenant Forsythe (Franchot Tone) and the immature and naive son of Colonel Stone, Lieutenant Donald Stone (Richard Cromwell). With the intention to prove that he will not have any privilege in the troop, the reception of Colonel Stone to his son is absolutely cold, but he becomes the protégé of McGregor. When Lieutenant Stone is kidnapped by Mohammed Khan, McGregor and Forsythe disobey the direct order of their commander, disguise as Indian peddlers and go to Khan's fortress to attempt to rescue their friend."The Lives of a Bengal Lancer" is a great dramatic adventure that won two Oscars and was nominated in six other categories, including Best Picture and Best Director. The acting is top-notch, with delightful witty and cynical dialogs. However, like in "Gunga Din" of "The Birth of a Nation", the story is dated and politically incorrect. The British invaders are the "good guys", while those that are fighting for the freedom of their country are the "bad guys". Therefore, is spite of being a terrific and entertaining movie, its message is morally equivocated and nasty. My vote is seven.Title (Brazil): "Lanceiros da Índia" ("India Lancers")

It's hard to remember sometimes when you get caught up in watching a film like Lives of a Benger Lancer that in fact the British were the occupiers and the bandits were in fact fighting against who they considered invaders.The British didn't take over India in a classical war of armed conquest. During the 17th and 18th centuries they were among a whole series of European powers who were looking for trading rights and who gradually made deals with several of the local rulers like the ones you see portrayed in this film. A guy named Robert Clive finally defeated the French and the British were the only ones left on the subcontinent except for two Portugese enclaves on the Indian west coast. Great Britain ruled very little of India directly. They only could run it with a LOT of collaboration which they had. They were seen as occupiers however, even by those who collaborated.Having said that the British Army over its period in India established a great military tradition. In fact their army in India was viewed as almost a wholly separate entity.The Lives of the Bengal Lancers is part of that tradition. True to Hollywood in order to have Americans star in a British location we make them Canadians. Well, Gary Cooper was from Montana and that's close enough to Canada. Franchot Tone with his clipped and professionally stage trained speech patterns I guess Paramount figured could pass for British. And Richard Cromwell was given an American mother.Cooper is a frontier officer who is sent to meet two new arrivals, Tone from another regiment and Cromwell straight from Sandhurst. Cromwell is the son of the post commander a real spit and polish type played by Sir Guy Standing. Their clash is what sets off the events of this film.Douglass Dumbrille plays a very smooth and deadly villain as bandit leader Mohammed Khan. And C. Aubrey Smith is fine as the fort's second in command.The later and more comic Gunga Din had a lot of the same plot in it. The final battle between the British lancers and Dumbrille's forces is pretty exciting though the heroics of our three officers today's audience might find a bit much.Still The Lives of a Bengal Lancer is a good action adventure saga and a fine tribute to the men who served in the lancers.

Was there ever a better actor on film than Gary Cooper? In "Lives of a Bengal Lancer" he shows the natural talent, the effortless pretense, that few others could match..... well Sean Penn or Ingrid Bergman maybe. Franchot Tone plays the best friend part to a tee, both infuriating and endearing himself to Cooper's character.... always makes me laugh when he plays "Mother MacCree" on the pipe, needling Coop at first, but then begging for help when a cobra is attracted to the sound.This is where they got the material for flicks like "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid." This film was made in Hollywood's golden era, when movies were fantastic adventures to be treasured, not necessarily believed. This is a very grim tale of war and sacrifice, but fun nonetheless. That the imperialists are the good guys is just a sign of the time when it was made. I wonder how bigoted the movies being made today will look to audiences 70 years from now? The sets were, of course, very well done and the photography was superb. During the mid to late thirties the art of the film reached it's zenith.Before then such spectacle was rare, but by 1939 it had become common. A very enjoyable combination of comedy and adventure makes this film one of the true classics.

Right. A snake is charmed by a musical instrument. There are only Moslems and Englishmen and no Hindus or Jains in India. A troop of Indians stop fighting and start praying when their commander is killed. The son of the very British captain has a distinctly American accent, and so does the Scotch-Canadian. The beautiful girl dances with anyone who walks up to her, even if they don't speak a word first. The British troop, when ambushed, doesn't run for cover or even stop chatting. This story is so full of holes I could barely watch it through to the end. If you're looking for a movie which has stood the test of time, this isn't it. Keep looking. Don't waste your time with "Lives of a Bengal Lancer."