THE FOUR FEATHERS
UK, 2002, 120 minutes, Colour.
Heath Ledger, Kate Hudson, Wes Bentley, Djimoun Hansoun, Michael Sheen, Kris Marshall, Rupert Penry- Jones, Alex Jennings.
Directed by Shakar Kapur.
Back in the days of the British Empire, there were glory days of war and heroism. In the post-Empire days there were novels and films, with the touch of Boys' Own Adventure, of brave British soldiers who went to hostile countries and climes to conquer heathers and to serve Queen and country. The novels of A.E.W. Mason were in this vein. Two 1930s films of his stories became classics: The Drum and The Four Feathers. The Four Feathers has proven to be a very popular story over the decades with a 50s remake called Storm over the Nile and a 70s version, called The Four Feathers, with Beau Bridges as the hero. Now, here it is again at the beginning of the 21st century, with Empire long gone - and with some, forgotten, or never known.
Directed by Shekah Kapur, the Indian director of Elizabeth, it is often sumptuous to look at in its English sequences, and captures to atmosphere of the Sudanese desert, dunes and villages, with Morocco standing in for the Sudan. The cast is also international. Australian Heath Ledger plays the hero, the young man who gives up a military career, partly in the desire to marry his fiancee and partly out of fear and who is reviled as a coward and sent four white feathers as a sign of his lack of manliness. Americans Kate Hudson and Wes Bentley play the fiancee and best friend. The British actors take supporting roles, Michael Sheen and Rupert Penry Jones.
After a Rugby opening, the men from the playing fields of Eton embrace the prospect of action and adventure against the Mahdi. The reality is far from noble engagement with the enemy. They discover their own fears and strengths as well as learning that their assumed British superiority is something of a myth. Our hero, of course, wants to redeem himself in the eyes of his fiancee and friends and goes to the Sudan undercover, prepared to give his life to save them. These aspects of the film are very physical and gruelling. The spirit of Empire did inspire many to a self-sacrifice that looks ultra-heroic these days.
1. The popularity of A.E.W. Mason's novel? Boys' Own empire adventure? The various film versions and the political climate of empire, war, Britain in 1939, 1955, 1978, the beginning of the 21st century? The relevance of this kind of story? Treatment? War, race relations, colonialism, empire, British heroism?
2. The British settings, the re-creation of the 1880s, London, the countryside, the buildings, the contrast with the Moroccan locations for Sudan, the deserts, the forts? The re-creation of battles, strategies, special effects? The musical score? Patriotic songs?
3. The introduction, the explanation about heroism and cowardice in the 19th century? The title of the film? The four feathers sent by the three friends and by Ethne?
4. The title, the significance of the four feathers, the symbol of cowardice, the fellow soldiers, their judgments on Harry, sending the feathers, Harry's explanations to Ethne, her sending the fourth feather? Jack and his defending Harry and not sending the feather?
5. The status of the British Empire, its conquests throughout the world? Queen Victoria as empress? The military and their loyalty? The presuppositions about superiority, the attitude towards other races, other religions? The prayer of the minister sending the people out to war on a sacred mission and a sense of superiority? The presumption of the British soldiers, in Sudan, their arrogance in not listening to advice? Willoughby and his whipping Abou? Symbols then of this kind of arrogant superiority? The film's dramatising this? Critiquing it?
6. The opening, the hard-playing rugby, the formation of tough soldiers for the empire? The locker room? Willoughby and his vanity with his hair? The joking of the others? Their presence at the ball, the announcement of the engagement, the later announcement of the defeats in Sudan, the Mahdi? The appointing of the troops to the Sudan and their response?
7. The introduction to Harry, Ethne and Jack? At the ball? On the terrace, Ethne on the parapet, Jack dancing, Harry and his concern? The announcement? His response to the Sudan move? His decision to resign? Going to the officer, the attempt to refer to his father, his determination? His going to see Ethne, her thinking it was for her, her change of heart, sending him the feather? Not standing by him? His attempt to speak to his father, his father disowning him?
8. The group and their particular characters: Willoughby, Jack, Castleton, Trench? Camaraderie, response to Sudan? Jack and his leadership, his being best at everything? The football, military charges? His knowing that Ethne admired him but loved Harry? His jealousy? Their going to the Sudan, in action, the sieges, the journeys? Their being officers? The local labour, including Harry? The campaign, the march towards the fort, the attack, Willoughby and his refusal to listen to Abou and having him whipped? Castleton and the nickname Vicar, his prayer, his fears, the charge, his death? Trench and his being captured?
9. The battle, the forming of the square, Hamilton and his commands, the first attack and his ruthlessly shooting all the men advancing? The siege, the belief that the cavalry was coming? The Mahdi's men using the British uniforms? The warning and seeing the dead British lying wounded and unburied? The retreat, Hamilton's death, Willoughby taking command and retreating?
10. Harry, his loneliness, his decision to go to the Sudan? Atonement? His fears, his courage? His paying for his being transported to the English fort? The man who was guide, the princesses and their going for prostitution? The travel through the desert, the encounter at night, the reaction of the princesses and Harry saving them from the guide? Their being indebted to him? Their night attack, giving back the coin, leaving Harry with water and the camel? His trek through the desert, the heat, thirst, trying to drink the camel's blood? His collapse? His being found by Abou? Tended by him, his decision to become a Sudanese, to learn Arabic, to hide himself? The people suspicious that he was a British spy, Abou and his talking English to him, the strength of their friendship, Abou's philosophy of God putting him in his way? Their going to work for the British, Harry and Abou being made slave labour, carrying the cannon up the hill? Their seeing the Mahdi spies, following them, About and his prayers and Harry waiting? Their discussion about being a Christian, being British - and the way that the British laughed? Going into the fort, its being taken by the Mahdi's men? Harry sending Abou with the message? His not being believed? Harry and his being in the charge, trying to save Castleton, seeing Trench captured? Castleton and his releasing Abou? Jack and his being blinded, Harry and Abou shielding him, the importance of Ethne's letters? The scene with the four men and Jack reading the letters, announcing the engagement, their congratulations? His being blind and the letters falling, his touching Harry's face, Harry giving him back the letters?
11. Harry and his determination to find Trench, giving himself up as a prisoner, the overseer and his cruelty, hardships with the crowd in the cells, continually in motion, the stonework, the hard labour, the lack of food, people bringing food in, Abou and his bringing in the poison, Trench thinking he was going to die? Their being cast into the pit, their reviving and Abou saving them? The pursuit by the overseer, the one bullet, the desperate fight, Harry and his desperation, his appearance, his killing the overseer? Reaching rock-bottom? Abou saving them?
12. The return to England, Jack and his previous visit to England to rouse parliament, Ethne's response and her letters? His return blind, Ethne coming to see him, the preparation for the marriage? Willoughby coming to tell Jack that he had seen Harry? The flashbacks, the story of the prison? Harry and his return to England, coming to see Ethne, her decision to marry Jack? His going to see Jack, Jack feeling his face, reminiscing about how Ethne admired Jack but looked at Harry? His stepping back and the wedding? Ethne and her going to see Harry's father, his sorrow at how he had treated his son? Harry's return and the reconciliation?
13. The themes of heroism, fight? Heroism in a different context, for queen and country? For empire? How real/unreal does this seem in the 21st century? Yet an entertaining glimpse of a past era, Boys' Own adventure, serious themes of penance and atonement?
