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The Four Feathers
By Dave DePino
Director Shekhar Kapur's The Four Feathers brings us back to good, old-fashioned, action-adventure storytelling. Even though the particulars are different, it might as well be a 1950's cowboys 'n' Indians epic with a newly chic, politically correct slant. The setting here is the late 1800s in both Victorian England and the desert sands of the Sudan. The cowboys: a military regiment of her majesty's Royal Academy; the Indians: at first, militant, Muslim rebels, later joined by their common-man countrymen. The underlying problem is the insensitive control exercised by British dominance. This is all happening at a time in history when many countries were becoming aware of the possibilities of sovereignty.
Taking all of that into consideration, Kapur and screenwriters Michael Schiffer and Hossein Amini take this hundred-year-old story - scribed by novelist A.E.W. Mason and first published in 1902 - and manage not only to take both sides of the skirmish but also make heroes of the very characters they paint in a bad light. Keep in mind they have no qualms about showing the English as wicked masters of colonialism, nor do they shy away from showing the Arabs as uncivilized heathens. However, they also delight in showing both the pitiful plight of the outnumbered Brits and the unfair and harsh treatment suffered by the poor Arabs. I guess that's seeing both sides of the issues or, in modern PC and box office terms, it could be a case of covering all your bases.
The story itself is a fanciful tale of romance, adventurism, and one young man's long journey towards redemption. Harry Feversham (Heath Ledger), son of a famous military man, is just finishing his training when his regiment is called up to go to war in the Sudan. Afraid - and wondering " what the desert has to do with the Queen" - Harry resigns and faces the shame and scorn of his fellows as well as his ladylove, Ethne (Kate Hudson). Three of his closest friends and Ethne secretly send him four white feathers to symbolize his cowardice. His best friend, a stalwart soldier, Jack Durrance (Wes Bentley), who is also in love with Ethne, chooses not to judge Harry's actions.
Demoralized, Harry makes his way to the Sudan and disguises himself as an Arab - a stretch - and manages to become a spy just in time to try to warn his former comrades of a massive plan to overwhelm their fort. This spy thing, however, doesn't work out all that well for Harry and he gets pretty much trashed and battered. Left for dead in the desert, a huge mysterious black warrior, guardian angel as it were, Abou Fatma (Djimon Hounsou), comes out of nowhere to care for Harry explaining, "God put you in my way. I had no choice." Remember we said "fanciful;" go with it! Harry trudges onward, and the rest of the story is fairly obvious.
The major star of this film is the production itself. Desert dunes have not looked so intoxicating since the 1962, multi-Oscar winner, Laurence of Arabia. Here, Allan Cameron's production design and supervising art director Keith Pain's keen eye render the period well. Ruth Myers costumes make a beautiful cast more beautiful in times of pomp, and then her costumes become functional when needed for everyday, desert war activities (killing, starving, sucking camel's blood.) Cinematographer Robert Richardson captures the intimate moments and the most violent battle scenes with the same precision. Steven Rosenblum's editing of the fever pitch action scenes seems almost smooth and doesn't jolt the senses. James Horner's musical score hits all the right emotional notes with perfect pitch.
The story is a fable with dialogue that is more fluid and digestible than some of the overly stodgy stuff written into other costumed epics. The ending of the film is a bit of a mess with what seems to be a new trend -- multiple climaxes. The amorous triangle appears to be a mandatory convenience to conform to the romanticism of the genre. That having been said, I didn't believe for a minute there was any real love between the three participants save for a strong, brotherly love between the lads and a strong friendship with the lass. On that level, their chemistry works well. Ledger is wonderfully pathetic as the turbaned, bearded, bloodied world traveler looking so desperately for self-respect and redemption that he would go willingly into the hell he refused to be sent to. There is a mesmerizing intensity in Bentley's eyes that would make one believe anything he has to say. Hudson is suitably charming and beautiful. Hounsou has a notable presence. His character is the only one in the film who seems to have it all together. The balance of the cast does fine work.
So, though not a perfect film, it does very much satisfy as an action adventure, the kind of fare that used to take up many a Saturday afternoon in the old days.Lawrence of Arabia is in order as a must, but also a look back to one of the many versions of Mason's yarn would be fun. Especially the 1939, well respected version of The Four Feathers, directed by Zoltan Korda with outstanding performances by Ralph Richardson and C. Aubrey Smith.
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