The Four Feathers
The Four Feathers, British action-adventure film, released in 1939, that was based on the 1902 novel of the same name by A.E.W. Mason. It is widely considered to be the best of the many film adaptations of the book.
Harry Faversham (played by John Clements), a young British army officer, is descended from a line of military heroes. However, he resigns his commission rather than ship out with his comrades to avenge the death and beheading of the legendary general Charles George Gordon, killed during the Sudanese rebellion some 10 years earlier. In doing so, he receives three white feathers from his fellow officers—a traditional branding of cowardice. When his fiancée, Ethne Burroughs (June Duprez), fails to come to his defense, Faversham plucks a fourth feather from her fan. He later decides to redeem his reputation by traveling to North Africa, infiltrating enemy lines, and extricating his former comrades from potentially deadly situations—returning the feathers as he proves his courage.
The film, directed by Zoltan Korda, tells a moving story of cowardice and redemption. It features stunning action sequences that are enhanced by an outstanding cast and Georges Périnal’s sweeping colour cinematography. Among the many other film versions of the tale, with assorted variations, are a 1955 production (Storm over the Nile) featuring Laurence Harvey and directed by Korda and Terence Young (director of the early James Bond films) and a 2002 production (The Four Feathers) starring Heath Ledger as Faversham and Kate Hudson as Burroughs.
Production notes and credits
- Studio: London Film Productions
- Director: Zoltan Korda
- Producer: Alexander Korda
- Writers: R.C. Sherriff, Lajos Biró, and Arthur Wimperis
- Music: Miklós Rósza
- Running time: 130 minutes
Cast
- John Clements (Harry Faversham)
- Ralph Richardson (Capt. John Durrance)
- C. Aubrey Smith (General Burroughs)
- June Duprez (Ethne Burroughs)