IslandGuru Who payed the critics

TrueHello Fun premise, good actors, bad writing. This film seemed to have potential at the beginning but it quickly devolves into a trite action film. Ultimately it's very boring.

Janae Milner Easily the biggest piece of Right wing non sense propaganda I ever saw.

Sanjeev Waters A movie that not only functions as a solid scarefest but a razor-sharp satire.

Alex Deleon GUNGA DIN, George Stevens for RKO, 1939 B/W Starring Cary Grant, Victor McLaglen, and Douglas Fairbanks Jr. with NY Jewish actor Sam Jaffe in the title role as a shoe-polish Shinola dark skinned Indian water boy. EVERGREEN epic adventure comedy ~ the British RAJ in India with Grant, Mclaglen and Fairbanks Jr., professional soldiers three, defending the crown against the blood thirsty Thugee terrorists on the Northwest Frontier -- the wildest part of India then, and still the wildest part of Taliban Pakistan today. So, it's the Raj in India according to Kipling as filmed in California according to Hollywood, and the result? -- The Mother of all exotic Derring-Do adventure pictures ever made, every bit as thrilling, romantic, comical and entertaining today as it was when it first came out 75 years ago -- and that is no exaggeration. I watched it again recently on video at the home of a retired academic couple in L.A. who love it, and it was every bit as enthralling now as ever before. Gunga Din the Indian water Boy who follows the troops around clad only in a basic loincloth (it's Hot in India) and a simple white turban (He's probably a Moslem) answers the call PANI LAO! (bring water) whenever the troops on the march need to have their thirst quenched, and also tends the wounded. His dream is to become a soldier himself, which he will realize -- in a roundabout way -- only in the very last scene when he mounts a golden temple copula (reminiscent of king Kong atop the Empire State Bldg) to sound his bugle advising the British Legion coming to the rescue that a trap has been set for them in the rocky gorge approach to the temple and of the exact whereabouts of our three hapless Heros trapped in the hidden Thuggee fortress. The basic situation: Suave Fairbanks Jr.. (with his pencil thin moustache) has had enough of the military life and is to be mustered out shortly whereupon he will marry a lustrous Joan Fontaine and live happily ever after as a staid civilian back in Merry Olde. But his two fearless army buddies can't live without him, the Bulky grinning oaf McGlaglen, and the daffy derring-do Grant at the top of his game. They devise all kinds of rib-tickling ruses to delay his discharge and keep him in, finally enlisting his "temporary" aid on one last mission to oust the Thuggee Terrorists (aaaaiiieee - - KILL for the love of Goddess Kali!) from their hidden temple redoubt way way back in the mountains. Their preferred way of eliminating enemies, by the way, is sneaking up from behind and strangling the victim with piano wire!Getting there is half the fun but, once there a series of hair-raising incidents occur. One amazing set piece after another. Grant sneaking into the secret temple religious gathering then confronting all single-handedly as a cover for his mates -- "you're all under arrest!" -- hilarious chutzbah in the classic Cary Grant manner -- (Cf: the auction scene in NbyNW) -- before being taken prisoner himself as the others will soon be as well. But a message has been sent back to RAJ Hq, so a rescue mission and a Thuggee wipe-up is in the offing -- but wait! -- they have set up an ambush in the ravine leading to their stronghold. Meanwhile, imprisoned in the tower and undergoing interrogation as to the arrival of the British expeditionary force, fearless McLagen feigns fear when threatened with being cast into a pit of writhing snakes if he doesn't talk -- the Thugees have methods! -- In one of the films most hair-raising risible scenes he takes on a truly painful grimace as he pleads with them for mercy: "NO please -- anything but that !" -- then, catching his captors off guard he beats them all to a pulp, forces them out, and takes possession of the tower for himself and his comrades. Will the rescue force get there on time? -- will they be able to avoid the Thuggee ambush in the gorge and know where to look for the heroic three? - --No -- not unless GUNGA climbs to the top of the tower and sends out his golden bugle call alarm -- which he does magnificently ~~ With white knuckle heroism -- and Saved in the nick of time after a pitched Battle in which the Thugees are mopped up and wiped out. GUNGA, of course, topples off the tower, shot down by the embattled terrorists, but he has earned his stripes forever as an honorary Warrior of the Raj! Over the final credits and a Montage of touching Double exposure flashbacks, the Immortal final words of Kipling's epic dirge are heard:For it was Din! DiN! DiN! ~~ (Pronounced like "Dean") -- Though I've,belted you and flayed you, By the livin' Gawd that made you, You're a better man than I am, Gunga Din!And no DIN will ever top Sam Jaffe's GUNGA -- or Abner BIBERMAN's leering impossibly evil Thuggee leader either ~ for that matter.

SnoopyStyle In the frontiers of colonial India, British troops are attacked and a British outpost at Tantrapur is lost. British troops led by sergeants MacChesney (Victor McLaglen), Cutter (Cary Grant), and Ballantine (Douglas Fairbanks, Jr.) are sent to investigate. They encounter an abandoned town except some of the rebels stay to ambush the troops. Gunga Din (Sam Jaffe) is the regimental water boy who wants to be a real soldier. Soon the men and their local troops are surrounded.It's an old fashion war movie akin to cowboys and indians movie. One guy can take out six with only fisticuffs. It's good ole blow-em-up action adventure. It's the kind of movie where Cary Grant can have a bit of fun in between some action scenes. It's rip roaring fun but a bit dated.

hoosierlover This movie has been a favorite of mine since I first watched it on late night TV in the mid 60's. It has a little something for everyone. Romance, action, comedy and just plain fun. Although the dialog could have been a great deal better the actors do a fantastic job of making it work. I would love to see an honest remake of this film. With today's technology and a great writer, it would be a hit.There are too many favorite scenes for me to single out just one for comment but I have decided that the bugle scene that begins the climatic battle towards the end would have to be Number One. I have to rewind the DVR several times just to relieve the goosebumps I get every time I see it. I know that not all will agree with and that is fine, but I have to say that is is perhaps one of my favorite films of all time.

Spikeopath Gunga Din is produced and directed by George Stevens and co-adapted to screenplay by Ben Hecht, Charles MacArthur, Joel Sayre and Fred Guiol. It's loosely inspired by the Rudyard Kipling poem of the same name. It stars Cary Grant, Victor McLaglen, Douglas Fairbanks Junior, Eduardo Ciannelli, Sam Jaffe and Joan Fontaine. Music is by Alfred Newman and cinematography by Joseph H. August.1939 was a golden year for cinema, a raft of classic movies were produced, many of which still hold up today. Unfairly suffering under scrutiny for its colonialist attitudes and embracement of war is Gunga Din, RKO Pictures' magnificent action adventure. Political Correctness in this day and age has led some to be sniffy towards Stevens' movie, it seems that to understand the period from when the film was made is a stretch too far. Balderdash say I. Really in this instance no charges should stand or be considered for this is a movie that should be heralded and treasured for the template it is. This was after all an anti-dote to the Great Depression that was drawing to a close, and with WWII kicking off, the likes of Gunga Din were medicine for the wounded millions.For the love of Kali: Kill, Kill, Kill.Undeniably it's preposterous and over the top, that's kind of the point really. It's a live action cartoon for the adults to enjoy whilst the kiddies get swept up in the gusto of it all. You don't have to condone anything by feeling uplifted as Gunga Din plays on themes such as loyalty, bravado and friendship, to go in deep with a good ole battle of good against evil, where fists fly and gunshots fill the air. Where hundreds of horses hooves pace in time with your heart. It's a spiffying adventure yarn deftly constructed by Stevens and his team. There's much light hearted interplay between our three stoic heroes, and the fist fight scenes have a charming silent movie feel to them, further enhancing the joviality that pulses throughout. And yes, there is sentiment, even a bit of cornball thrown in for good measure, but it lands in the cinema lover's heart and helps it beat happily.You Lazarushian-leather Gunga Din!Cast are having a great time, especially Grant who revels in playing knuckles and delivering songs about British Roast Beef! Newman's score is a neat blend of heroic bluster and exotic reflections, and the California locations, notably Alabama Pine, are expertly used by Stevens and August, the latter of which was nominated for an Academy Award for his efforts. Production design is eye catching, with the Indian temples standing out, while the final battle showcases Stevens' strengths in composition and action construction. Its influence should not be understated either, you can trace a line from this to Indiana Jones, and even beyond to the big box office coffer fillers like National Treasure and The Mummy et al. Gunga Din, an ode to good time cinema from a golden age, bravo! 9/10