SOLDIERS THREE

US, 1951, 92 minutes, Black and White.
Stewart Granger, Walter Pidgeon, David Niven, Robert Newton, Cyril Cusack, Greta Gynt.
Directed by Tay Garnett.

Soldiers Three is an entertaining Kipling Indian adventure. It owes much to the original "Gunga Din" and the adventures of the three soldiers. Soldiers Three, while enjoyable in itself, does not nearly measure up to the standards set by Gunga Din. However it is a pleasing presentation of Kipling's insight into India. Only in the 70s with John Huston's The Man Who Would Be King was there another attempt to match up to the quality of Gunga Din.

1. How entertaining a film? The background of Empire, 19th century adventures in India? The Rudyard Kipling attitude towards Empire?

2. How did the film present the typical attitudes of Empire, warfare in India, the types of soldiers who made up the garrisons there? Was the film outstanding or merely conventional?

3. The use of black and white photography, locations, music etc.? The special effects for the battle sequences?

4. The ironic touch to the plot and its credibility? The flashback structure with the Colonel ironically commenting on his promotion, the presentation of the soldiers three and their erratic behaviour and the saving of the day? Audience response to the tongue-in-cheek tone of the treatment of plot and characters? Of England and Empire? The character of the Colonel, his pomposity, stubbornness? His attitude towards the three soldiers and his exasperation, the irony of their helping him? The stiff upper lipped manner of his assistantf his assistant taking the brunt of his errors, becoming involved in the escapades of the three?

6. How enjoyable were the three? Akroyd and his leadership, the ordinary English soldier, Bill Sykes and his love of drinking and gambling, Danny the Irishman? The bonds between them, shared adventures? Their gambling, drinking, fighting and the way this was illustrated? The irony of their being separated and the growing hostility between them? The effect of rank making divisions? Their joining together in the various escapades especially the return of the horses? How well did the film show the humorous touches to typical adventures? The people stripping and their clothes being stolen, riding on donkeys etc.? The swagger of Akroyd and the caravan?

8. Comment on the battle sequencesf the overtones of India?

9. The important sequence where the Colonel was usedf the men were imprisoned in the fort. Akroyd saved the day? The humour of all this irony?