Gunga Din

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Terry M Take Indiana Jones, mix in a little Zulu, and add a splash of The Man Who Would be King. Replace Michael Cain and Harrison Ford with Cary Grant, and what do you get? Answer - A film that stands the test of time. Grants comedic performance is totally on point, the punch bowl scene in particular having me in stitches. Based of various poems by Radyard Kiplin, this movie tells the story of three British army officers against a cult of indian strangler assassins. The eponymous Gunga Din being their water carrier (spoiler alert) who saves the day. Certainly Lucas and Spielberg deserve some plagerism claims. Temple of Doom being very near the knuckle on a few scenes! Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 11/06/24 Full Review Joel H I wasn’t sold on Gunga Din when it started. The tone of this movie felt inconsistent. It felt like the main three characters were in a comedy whereas the rest of the film was a drama. However, as the story progressed, I became more invested in the relationship between Cutter, MacChesney & Ballantine. And I thought the ending was tense and well done. It’s entertaining to see Cary Grant play a character that isn’t as polished as his later roles. Having never read the poem on which this film is loosely based, I wasn’t sure why this film was called Gunga Din. Now I know. And I appreciate that choice. Rated 3/5 Stars •  Rated 3 out of 5 stars 05/25/24 Full Review Jay F It's a trek, if you're watching just to understand Olivia Soprano's reference to her neighbor, which I was. Rated 3/5 Stars •  Rated 3 out of 5 stars 12/16/23 Full Review mark l For fans of old fashion adventures, Cary Grant and Rudyard Kipling, it doesn't get any better. It's sad there are some reviews that found the movie wanting, even rated it poorly. I suspect that's the effect of contemporary culture. In the history of movies, Gunga Din deserves to always be ranked at the top. Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 03/30/23 Full Review Audience Member While it is fashionable in too many circles to condemn anything which portrays European colonialism generally, and the British Empire specifically, in a favorable light, a little historical knowledge will show that Kipling's story, as well as this superb film, are hardly the reactionary racist screed some would like to demote them to. Gunga Din is a regimental bhisti - a water carrier - and in 19th century India that meant that he had a job which guaranteed a place to sleep and food in a very brutal society. Considering that he was also an "untouchable" - a member of India's lowest caste - this was something. Colonel Weed is correct in saying "he had no official status as a soldier" - bhistis were non-military auxiliaries. As for his loyalty to the British, there were many Indians who clearly preferred British rule to that of their fellows - and not just the maharajas and princes. If you read the story - and watch the movie with an objective eye - at the end, all the major characters have nothing but respect for Gunga Din. Sergeant MacChesney (Victor McLaglen) is clearly shamed by the fact that Din, in the end, was not only the better soldier but the better man - he sacrificed himself to prevent the ambush and massacre of the British column. The most telling example that the movie doesn't "put down" Gunga Din is at the end when Colonel Weed posthumously appoints the former regimental bhisti as a Corporal in the regiment. Corporal was a BRITISH rank - the equivalent Indian rank was Havildar. So, he was appointed as a BRITISH non-commissioned officer who could command British troops - hardly an example of political incorrectness. Yes, this is "men-as-buddies" flick. However, this movie has a special appeal to anyone who has actually served in the military - those are the types of friendships you make (you'll share your last drop of water with your mess mate) and keep for the rest of your days. It acknowledges that. So enjoy it - it is a rousing tale - and keep the PC-nonsense out of it. The bad guys lose in the end while the best man is recognized for his virtues - you don't even get that it in real life. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/08/23 Full Review Audience Member Quite possibly my age influences my assessment of this flick but I loved it…saw it maybe five to ten times in my lifetime. I've always liked everything that Cary Grant was in….also Ben Jaffe, Douglas Fairbanks and Victor McLaughlin. Once when my family was getting ready to watch Peter Sellers in The Party, I made everyone watch Gunga Din beforehand so they would get the joke at the beginning of Blake Edwards' The Party. Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/27/23 Full Review Read all reviews

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