The Charge of the Light Brigade (1936)

The Charge of the Light Brigade is a 1936 American historical adventure film made by Warner Bros.

Watch on Amazon Video

Of the many film versions of Alfred Lord Tennyson's narrative poem, 1936's Charge of the Light Brigade has the least relationship to the facts concerning the famous 19th century British military blunder in the Crimea. Reflecting the popularity of 1935's Lives of A Bengal Lancer, the film uses the climactic charge as the culmination of events which begin in British India. Errol Flynn and Patric Knowles are cast as cavalry officers who are also brothers; both love Olivia De Havilland, but it is Knowles who wins out (this should tip us off that the rest of the film is pure fantasy). Indian potentate C. Henry Gordon, angered that the British government has cut off his subsidy, stages a revolt against the English settlements. Ordered on maneuvers, Flynn is unable to bring rescue troops to the besieged fort commanded by De Havilland's father. Gordon supervises the slaughter of every man, woman and child at the fort, then leaves India in the company of his Russian advisors. Flynn and his fellow Light Brigade lancers are then transferred to the Crimea--where, as luck would have it, Gordon is now ensconced with the Russians. Thirsting for revenge, Flynn falsifies an official order so that he and the Light Brigade can battle Gordon and his allies at Balaclava (thus are Britons Lord Cardigan and Lord Ragan, the actual instigators of the doomed charge, exonerated). As passages from the Tennyson poem are superimposed on the action, Flynn leads a suicidal charge against the Russians; he manages to kill the treacherous Gordon before being slain himself. Its dozens of historical inaccuracies aside, The Charge of the Light Brigade is rousing entertainment. Animal lovers be warned, however: several horses were killed during the climactic charge, a fact that compelled Hollywood (under the auspices of the ASPCA) to install safer and more stringent standards concerning the treatment of animals. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Overview of The Charge of the Light Brigade, 1936, directed by Michael Curtiz, with Errol Flynn, Olivia De Havilland, Patric Knowles, at Turner Classic Movies

historyonfilm.com

Vickers (Errol Flynn) and Warrenton (Nigel Bruce) come upon the altogether fictional Massacre at Chukoti, which provides the revenge motive for the climax, in Warner Bros. British Imperial epic The Charge of the Light Brigade, 1936.

Alfred Lord Tennyson's narrative poem has received many screen versions, and while the Errol Flynn vehicle is far from being historically accurate, it is still

Directed by Michael Curtiz. With Errol Flynn, Olivia de Havilland, Patric Knowles, Henry Stephenson. A major countermands orders and attacks to avenge a previous massacre of men, women, and children.