AniInterview Sorry, this movie sucks

Softwing Most undeservingly overhyped movie of all time??

ChampDavSlim The acting is good, and the firecracker script has some excellent ideas.

filippaberry84 I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

grantss So-so WW1 drama.The story of a unit of soldiers in the Australian Light Horse, fighting in the Sinai and Palestine in WW1. Given its historic context, it should be a decent war drama.However, it is rather lacklustre and amateurish. First problem is that this was made in 1940, ie during World War 2, so is first and foremost a propaganda movie. The empty patriotism and manipulation is laid on thick. The Australians are all fantastic, likable, soldiers. The Germans are all evil and inept. (Some respect is shown for the Turks, but this may be because Turkey was neutral in WW2).Then we have the random, out-of-place, lame speeches. Out of the blue some uneducated soldier from a country town starts pontificating on the meaning of life and war, etc.To make things worse, the writers and director manage to throw in an unlikely romance (no, it doesn't involve a horse...), just to make things really silly.Acting is fairly woeful, but that may be due to the script and direction.On the plus side, the battle scenes are good and you do get a good sense of the history and bravery involved.For a much better, more realistic and grittier depiction of the Australian Light Horse's exploits in the Sinai and Palestine in WW1, especially the Battle of Beersheba, watch "The Lighthorsemen" (1987) instead. A great movie.

bkoganbing 40,000 Horseman tells the story of the Australian Light Horse cavalry which operated in the desert in Palestine and probably has to its credit the last successful cavalry charge in battle, though apparently according to other reviewers some who dispute it. I'm perfectly willing to give credit to Australia for this remarkable achievement.The story was filmed in 1940 when Australia had already entered World War II and troops were in the Sahara Desert while this movie was made. For propaganda necessity a hateful German had to be made the villain and Harvey Adams as Van Hausen certainly fills the bill there. To be sure Germans were in the desert, but the bulk of the fighting troops were the Aussies old foes from Gallipoli, the Turks. After all Palestine was part of their Ottoman Empire.The film was made by Charles Clauvel who's uncle Sir Harry Clauvel was the actual general in charge of the Australian Light Horse. Perhaps the younger Clauvel was undergoing an attack of modesty, but personally I'd have rather seen the story of the uncle and the battles done in a documentary style like The Longest Day.However several Australian acquaintances have told me that this film is regularly shown on Australian television on ANZAC day. Though the courage of the Aussies at Gallipoli gave the new continent nation a sense of national identity, this film does show them winning this one.It's the final cavalry charge at Beersheba which opened the way for General Allenby to take Jerusalem is the main feature of the film. Even given the superior production facilities in America at the time, no Hollywood film could have staged the battle better. It is one of the most exciting charges I've ever seen done from any country.I'm still not sure what the contrived romance between half French half Arab girl Betty Bryant and Aussie cavalryman Grant Taylor was doing here. Most of the time Betty is disguised as a boy. I'm thinking that Charles Clauvel might have seen Katharine Hepburn in Sylvia Scarlett and thought it was cute.As one of Taylor's mates is Chips Rafferty who was THE Australian cinema star for three decades. This was the film that got him his first real notice.Though the film probably could use a modern remake in the manner of Breaker Morant and Gallipoli without the wartime propaganda and unnecessary love story tossed in, 40,000 Horseman is an exciting piece of cinema detailing the story of one of the great events in Australian history. Maybe we'll get to see it on American television soon.

Dr Jazz I definately liked this film mainly because it tells an important battle won by our brave Australian soldiers. Although the charge was made by the Light Horse which was mounted infantry it was the last REAL cavalry charge. The characters were very likeable Jim Bourke (Chips Rafferty) Red Gallagher (Grant Taylor) Larry Bourke (Pat Twohill) are all mates that are in the light horse, they are all Aussie bush men who joined up like so many others because it was the right thing to do. Its nice to see Chips Rafferty as the easy going Aussie bush man that made him famous. This movie was the predecessor to "The Rats Of Tobruk". In many ways they are both quite similar, they both talk about battles that are well known to Australians because they were both won by Australians, and they even use two of the same actors, Chips Rafferty and Grant Taylor. This movie and Rats Of Tobruk make great companions after spending ages looking for them i found copies of both them in the same shop. Both movies are very hard to find and if your a nationalist (like me) it will make you appreciate films like this a lot more so if you see a copy of this movie buy it.

cfolle01 This movie shows the Aussie idea of "mateship" from a 1941 perspective. It is a part of our culture and as an Australian I'm proud to see it portrayed in this movie. Even though it does extend the stereotypical Aussie, you have to understand we may have change and grown a lot we still are a country who value friends and our relationships.