Four Feathers, The

Synopsis
War film melodrama on the theme of heroism and celebration of empire based on the novel by A.E.W. Mason. Henry Faversham, son of a war hero, resigns his military commission just before his company is to serve in the Sudan. Three of his colleagues and his girlfriend present him with four feathers as a symbol of cowardice. Henry disguises himself as an Arab tribesman and secretly works for the British as a scout, becoming a hero as he saves all his colleagues. At the end of the film, one of his colleagues, John Durrance (Richardson), is blind and reads from The Tempest III ii ‘be not afeard the isle is full of noises’ in Braille.
Language
English
Country
Great Britain
Medium
Film
Technical information
Colour / Sound
Year of release
1939
Duration
124 mins; 11,180 feet

Credits

Director
Zoltan Korda
Producer
Alexander Korda
Cinematographer
Georges Perinal; Jack Cardiff
Screenplay
R C Sherriff
Music
Miklos Rosza
Costume
Rene Hubert
Cast
John ClementsHarry Faversham
Ralph RichardsonCaptain John Durrance

Additional Details

Production type
Fiction Films
Plays
Tempest, The
Keywords
Shakespeare, William (1564-1616); Braille

Notes

General
The novel had been filmed three times prior to the Korda version. Jack Cardiff was the cinematographer for the scenes shot on location.
Reviews
Monthly Film Bulletin (Vol. 6, no. 65, May 1939) p.91

Production Company

Name

Alexander Korda Productions

Archive

Name

BFI National Film Archive

Distributor (Sale)

Name

Retail outlets

How to cite this record

Shakespeare, "Four Feathers, The". https://learningonscreen.ac.uk/shakespeare/search/index.php/title/av68023 (Accessed 26 Nov 2024)