The Drum (Drums) (1938)
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58% of users liked it
(57 ratings)
The Drum is an opulent Technicolor "British India" epic, based on a story by A.E.W. Mason (of Four Feathers fame). Teenaged actor Sabu stars as a young East Indian prince educated in England. By rights, his loyalties should lie with his countrymen, but in typical "Sun Never Sets"… More The Drum is an opulent Technicolor "British India" epic, based on a story by A.E.W. Mason (of Four Feathers fame). Teenaged actor Sabu stars as a young East Indian prince educated in England. By rights, his loyalties should lie with his countrymen, but in typical "Sun Never Sets" fashion most of the other Indian characters are as evil and untrustworthy as Prince Guhl (Raymond Massey). Guhl plans a revolt against the British, intending to wipe out the Royal troops as the English officers enjoy the hospitality of Guhl's spacious palace. It's up to Sabu to warn the troops of Guhl's treachery by means of tapping out a message on the drum of the title. In the US, The Drum was released as Drums, on the theory (according to film historian Alan Barbour) that Americans must have more of everything. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Directed By
- Zoltan Korda
- Genres
- Art House & International, Action & Adventure
Unrated,
- In Theaters
- Sep 29, 1938 Wide
- Studio
- Criterion Collection
Critic Reviews
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Joseph Jon Lanthier, Slant Magazine
One of the most fascinating and entertaining asides in British cinema, Sabu is just meta-colonial enough to maintain relevance.
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Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
Rousing and lavish Technicolor old-fashioned adventure story.
See more critic ratings and reviews on Rotten Tomatoes
Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)
Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)
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Cast
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Sabú
as Prince Azim
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Raymond Massey
as Prince Ghul
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Roger Livesey
as Tony Carruthers
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Valerie Hobson
as Mrs. Carruthers
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David Tree
as Lieutenent Escott
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Francis L. Sullivan
as Governor
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Desmond Tester
as Bill Holder
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Archibald Batty
as Maj. Bond
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Amid Taftazani
as Mohammed Khan
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Edward Lexy
as Sgt.-Maj. Kernel
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Ronald Adam
as Maj. Gregoff
- Leslie Banks
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Frederick Culley
as Dr. Murphy
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Roy Emerton
as Wafadar
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Alf Goddard
as Pete Kelly
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Michael Martin Harvey
as Hullah
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Julien Mitchell
as Sergeant
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Charles Oliver
as Rajab
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Martin Walker
as Merrick
