Review of Gunga Din (1939) by Clarice M — 24 Apr 2008
This movie goes in spurts for me... It's a cornet-sounding, cavalry-riding adventure film that greatly influenced the Indiana Jones films (especially TEMPLE OF DOOM apparently) but at the same time it sometimes comes off as kind of a mess.
Just because it's a black-and-white from the 30s doesn't automatically make it awesome. Films then could fall into similar problems that they do now. This is a popcorn adventure flick of old that struggles w/ its pacing when not dealing w/ the fighting and riding (and even the overall pacing feels off and inconsistent and just plain odd).
Of course the main selling point is the interplay between Cary Grant, Douglas Fairbanks Jr., and Victor McLaglen. And it is the most enjoyable aspect of the film. Grant is his charming self and I positively adore Douglas Fairbanks Jr.
(he reminds me a lot of his father). McLagen tends to irritate me, but that may have a lot to do w/ his character. And Sam Jaffe was in everything these couple decades... So basically I'm rather "eh" about the movie.
As long as Douglas Fairbanks Jr. was on hand to charmingly banter w/ Cary Grant or do something of the swashbuckling nature, I was cool. Otherwise... meh.
This review of Gunga Din (1939) was written by Clarice M on 24 Apr 2008.
Gunga Din has generally received positive reviews.
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