A significant part of a thesis I just wrote was on colonialism. Which is bad. However, I’ve gotten really interested in movies about the British Empire essentially policing the world, especially Africa. Which are usually good.
The only ones I’ve seen are Zulu!, Khartoum, Four Feathers (the newer) and Lawrence of Arabia (one of my favorite movies of all time). From a previous thread, I heard of Breaker Morant. Does anyone else have any other suggestions? Are there any more in this vein?
I’ve never seen the 1953 film but The Heart of the Matter by Graham Greene is a good book about colonial policing in Sierra Leone.
Charge of the Light Brigade was one of Dad’s favorite movies; he wasn’t much into realism, but epic, dashing going-ons oh yeah.
Not quite an Empire war movie, more of a high adventure movie with a backdrop of British imperialism (among other things), but I was always really fond of The Man Who Would Be King.
Zulu Dawn, a prequel to Zulu, about the events just before Roarke’s Drift.
There’s the obvious one adapted from a Kipling poem- “Gunga Din”
OK, so it’s the French Empire in North Africa, but the main characters in Beau Geste are very English gentlemen who have joined the French Foreign Legion.
There are several versions but the 1939 one is probably the best.
The Man Who Would Be King is tangentially related (and an excellent movie).
I share your interest in the genre (or sub-genre, or whatever)…maybe I just have a thing for pith helmets.
You got all the ones that immediately came to mind. Stretching the definition a bit, you could add:
Mountains of the Moon (1990) about Burton & Speke and the search for the source of the Nile
55 Days at Peking (1963); the Boxer Rebellion
Stanley and Livingston (1939)
For The End of Empire, look up the miniseries Jewel In The Crown. Or read the books.
Everybody has already listed all the movies I recommend for my AP kids.
If you really want to stretch the OP’s request, there is Nate and Hayes. OK, it’s German imperialism, and it really isn’t that good a movie, but Tommy Lee Jones chews some scenery and there are explosions.
Awesome! Thanks guys, I’ll check them out. Sounds like I’ll be busy for a while.
Last of the Mohicans, of course.
Master and Commander is set somewhat earlier and in a different part of the world, but it fits the general theme.
A couple of John Masters books were made into films: “The Deceivers” and “Bhowani Junction”. (Sorry - can’t figure out hyperlink).
I can also recall “The Bengal Lancers”, which had Cary Grant as the hero.
Stretching the “Empire” connection - “Gallipoli” is excellent.
For a slightly … different … take, there’s the one sketch in Monty Python’s The Meaning of Life
And here’s a link for The Deceivers - the Pierce Brosnan film.
the four feathers.