The Four Feathers

The Four Feathers (1939)

  • 100% of critics liked it
    (8 reviews)

  • 75% of users liked it
    (2,736 ratings)

This was the first sound production of A.E.W. Mason's classic adventure novel, which was brought to the screen three times in the silent era. Harry Faversham (John Clements) is the son of a military man who expects his son to follow in his footsteps on the fields of battle. Gen. Burroughs (C. Aubrey… More

Unrated, 1 hr. 39 min.
Directed By
Zoltan Korda
Written By
R.C. Sherriff, Lajos Biró, Arthur Wimperis
Genres
Action & Adventure, Art House & International, Classics
In Theaters
Aug 3, 1939 Wide
On DVD
Apr 19, 2005
Criterion Collection

Critic Reviews

  • Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews

    The rousing yarn is a classic British imperialist adventure story.

  • Bill Weber, Slant Magazine

    A landmark physical production is handsomely remastered and preserved, even if the bloom has gone off the rose of its imperial England.

  • Rob Vaux, Flipside Movie Emporium

    Exceptionally well-made swashbuckling, though its ethos is appalingly outdated.

  • Bob Bloom, Journal and Courier (Lafayette, IN)

    One of the great adventure films of all times, with Clements doing his best stiff upper lip heroics to redeem himself in the eyes of his friends and the girl he loves. Richardson is wonderful and touching as the officer gone blind whose honor and compassi

  • Ken Hanke, Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)

    Best version of the classic tale.

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

  • xGary X


    A young man is pressured into military service by his overbearing career military father but resigns on the eve of a campaign to retake the Sudan. Branded a coward, he sets off to redeem himself and his name. Although filmed many times, Zoltan Korda's version of A. E. W.… More

  • Cameron J


    The titular four feathers symbolize cowardous...; what? Okay, now that's just plain bogus, and no, not because we're talking odd symbolism, but because they're going to need a lot more feathers if they're going to make a symbolic chicken. Yeah, I know that sounded… More

  • Chris B


    "The Four Feathers" has been brought to the silver screen several times during both the silent and talkie era. Zoltan Korda captures the desert strikingly similar to "Lawrence of Arabia" and that in and of itself says a lot! The technicolor is gorgeous and the… More

  • cody f


    The best film version of this story. It's from the Korda brothers so the production is top notch. It's a early color film that is just beautiful. The only problem I have is with the basic story, and this implies all versions. The main character is branded a coward for not… More

Cast

See full cast

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