Thanks for the memories!

Just so...so bad

Crappy film

best movie i've ever seen.

Producer: Ken Annakin. Executive producer: Sydney Box. Photographed in Technicolor and Panavision.Copyright 12 September 1967 by the Rank Organisation and London Independent Producers. Released in the U.S. through Paramount: 4 October 1967. New York opening at local theaters as the lower half of a double bill with "Chuka": 1 November 1967. U.K. release: through Rank Film Distributors: 27 August 1967. Australian release through British Empire Films: 3 November 1967. 10,350 feet. 115 minutes.SYNOPSIS: In the India of the 1920s, British police officer Freddy Young strongly opposes his government's harsh treatment of local tribes, most recently reflected in his senior colleague Stafford's internment of the Bhantas following allegations of petty poaching made by a local landowner. Sultan, the tribe's chief, engineers an escape from the fort, taking with him a small band of loyal followers and his pregnant wife. When she dies in labor on the long ride back to the hills, Sultan resolves to deliver his people from their bondage. Although the British officers regard Sultan as a dangerous criminal, Young recognizes him as a fellow idealist and an enemy to respect. Young's admiration for the tribal chief conflicts with his assignment to capture the rebel: he even spares Sultan's life during a religious festival, realizing that the leader's murder during public worship would only arouse wider rebellion. While Stafford's daughter Jane is moved by Young's concern for the tribe and its leader, British authorities demand the immediate capture of Sultan. Young reluctantly agrees.NOTES: Made at Pinewood Studios, London, and on location in Spain.VIEWERS' GUIDE: A "Boys Own Paper" story, but too violent for Saturday matinees.COMMENT: CinemaScope was turned loose on "India" at an early stage with "King of the Khyber Rifles" and "The Rains of Ranchipur". Other Scope movies to take advantage of the pictorial and action opportunities of the sub-continent include "North West Frontier", "Stranglers of Bombay", "The Tiger of Eschnapur", "The Indian Tomb", "Nine Hours to Rama", "The Brigand of Kandahar", "Tarzan Goes to India", "Harry Black and the Tiger" and "Bhowani Junction".What does "The Long Duel" add to this lore? Not a great deal. Certainly the action scenes are splendidly staged — and there are plenty of them. Unfortunately, the story itself, though most promising, fails to fully develop its themes of command conflict and romantic entanglement. Indeed the romantic scenes are treated in such a perfunctory fashion, you get the impression they were written in after the movie was completed in order to expand the otherwise insignificant role played by Charlotte Rampling. The seeds of conflict between the Howard and Andrews characters are astutely sown early on, but their growth is stunted partly by a lack of black and white character differentiation in the writing (which is not altogether a bad thing), but mostly by the tired, jaded and indifferent performance handed out by Trevor Howard. Howard's lack of spark also undermines the title duel between himself and Brynner — though as in the conflict with Andrews, this is not clearly a hate-hate relationship either. Brynner's portrayal is certainly forceful enough, but its effectiveness is dissipated by his unexplained American accent.Aside from Andrews, the film's best portraits come from the minor characters — Virginia North as a dancing spy, Laurence Naismith as the collector, Maurice Denham as the governor, George Pastell as a treacherous merchant. Edward Fox can be spotted at the Gymkhana Club (he has one line). Annakin has directed many of the studio and dialogue scenes in a listless style. But the movie really comes to life in its many action episodes where the anamorphic screen, filled to bursting with horses, men, gunfire and explosions, really comes into its own. The location scenery (the film was actually photographed in Spain) looks rugged enough to be authentic too.OTHER VIEWS: It's a lucky thing "The Long Duel" has such rousing action footage, for in most other respects it's neither very convincing nor exciting. Trevor Howard is getting a bit old for this sort of lark, though it is nice to see Miss Rampling in a role somewhat different from that in "Georgy Girl". The script is okay, but, on the technical side, the film cannot escape the charge that it is actually a considerable mish-mash. Location exteriors do not blend very harmoniously with some garish interior sets and there is also some matte work of unbelievable amateurishness. — JHR writing as George Addison.

THE LONG DUEL is a British adventure film about an Indian uprising in the 19th century presided over by a bandit leader played by the inimitable Yul Brynner. Watching it these days, it's clear that this is a very dated production, and perhaps the film was picked out for merciless spoofing in the excellent CARRY ON UP THE KHYBER.However, it isn't a bad film, just not one of the best of the genre. It suffers from being overlong and too slow, with long scenes that drag out between the important bits. Still, the viewer is treated to the spectacle of Brynner doing his patented action man routine and Trevor Howard acting against him as the classic stiff-upper-lip Brit with a heart. Supporting actors include Harry Andrews as the idiot in charge, more minor roles for Hammer players including Andrew Keir, George Pastell, and the lovely Imogen Hassall, and the appearance of a surprisingly young Charlotte Rampling.The action elements of the film are handled pretty well with the usual excitement. A set-piece attack on a train is a highlight here, as is the fiery ambush on the British barracks, but the film only really kicks into top gear at the excellent large-scale climax. Moments of occasional heart and poignancy make this worth a watch, meanwhile.

There is a real give-away in an early scene in this movie. Happy mountain villagers are baiting the local dancing bear. The evil Brits, when they take the village, kill the bear (probably putting it out of its tortured existence, but I digress). Given the star quality of the leads (and even some of the minor actors)in this film, I expected much more. Almost any Raj movie is better than this one. Howard looked embarrassed to be there. Rampling to find him a love interest? I don't think so!(Spoiler: I think even she looked relieved when he said no.) I will give marks for efforts in verisimilitude in making the Indian Police look like they were of the era, even though most were played by white men in brown-face. The fort set was terrific. As always, Harry Andrews was excellent playing Harry Andrews. Buy "The Drum".

The film portrays a group people formed by Indian rebels tribes, banded together against the Brits and they're led by Sultan(Brynner). The rebels surrounded by British army which spent time in the chase. The tough leader Sultan is taken prisoner but his action led to getaway from a stronghold pursued by British military. As adversaries are Young(Trevor Howard), a honorable captain, while Stafford(Harry Andrews) is a cruel officer. The governor(Maurice Denham)assign them to capture the obstinate rebel. Meantime, Sultan is double-crossed by a beautiful dancer(Imogen Hassal). Then he takes action by aiding the tribes group in robbing, raiding and murdering British forces and the rich and higher castes. The Brits contra-attack displaying on a train a machine-gun , making a brutal slaughter.This is a British attempt to match the US adventures spectacles of the mid-sixties, containing derring-do, spectacular battles, gorgeous outdoors and is quite entertaining, though a little overlong. It's a fiery early 20th-century adventure yarn that makes little sense but bulges with emotion that keeps coming at you, as action and adventures is maintained throughout. It's one of several adventures-action pictures made in Britain in the sixties that such Hollywood stars as Yul Brynner and previously in the fifties as Victor Mature and Robert Taylor. Brynner plays with some of sensitivity, he's habitual in exotic roles , such as Ramses, Taras Bulba, The Buccaneer, Karamazov and Salomon.There are strong performances from Trevor Howard and Harry Andrews, who have made few bad films, they're two contenders officers and Andrew Keir as rebel leader. Furthermore, three beauties, Charlottle Rampling, still successfully playing, as severe captain's daughter, and Virginia North and the early deceased, Imogen Hassal. Latterly, as very secondaries appear Edward Fox,Laurence Nashmaith, Patrick Newell, among others. Luminous cinematography by Jack Hildyard, David Lean's usual cameraman, though with abuse of transparency. The movie was glamorously shot in Spain outdoors and interior filmed in Rank studios.Emotive and atmospheric musical score by John Scott.The motion picture is well directed by Kenn Annakin, he's a skill and successfully craftsman. He has directed numerous films ,British comedies, his most successful films are the fresh and diverting adventures( The sword and the rose, probably one of the best of his bigger films), dramas of the 1950s, for Walt Disney(Swiss family Robinson, Robin Hood and the Merry men), the Jack London adventures(Call of the wild, White Fang), warlike(Battle of Bulge, The longest day), about the long distance rally(Those magnificent men in their flying machines,The biggest bundle of them all, Montecarlo or bust) and a string of TV movies until his recent demise.