Studio: Warner Brothers

Producer: Hal B. Wallis

Director: Michael Curtiz

Running Times: 116 Minutes

Cast:
Errol Flynn - Major Geoffrey Vickers
Olivia de Havilland - Elsa Campbell
Patric Knowles - Captain Perry Vickers
Henry Stephenson - Sir Charles Macefield
Nigel Bruce - Sir Benjamin Warrenton
Donald Crisp - Coloner Campbell
David Niven - Captain Randall

Plot:
Two British officers lead their troops into futile battle against the Russians in 19th-century India, whilst soldier brothers compete for the affections of Elsa Campbell. David's role as Captain Randall was to decorate the mess, look dashing and die decently.

Trivia:
David's first epic and the film in which he was to discover Errol Flynn. Filmed in 1936 and inspired by Alfred Lord Tennysonin, this is one of the films that gave David his first recognition and an opportunity for Samuel Goldwyn to keep David away from Merle Oberon.

English was often a problem for Michael Curtiz and much to David and Errol's delight he would often get confused. On one such occasion whilst Errol and David were busy chatting, Michael yelled "You think I know f*ck nothing, well let me tell you - I know f*ck all." It was Michael who provided David with the title of his second book of Memoirs, when wanting to order on the riderless horses, he instead requested that they bring on the empty horses!

Other amusing stories of this shoot include the scene where David and Errol were inside a large basket atop an elephant. The elephant was driven mad by the lights and the megaphone and went beserk, running madly all over the lot trying to scrape the basket off of his back, only to almost escape into the traffic outside.

During the charge one man and three horses were killed and many other men and horses were injured. This gave the film bad publicity and Warner Brothers were fined for cruelty to animals.

Movie Mistakes:
Throughout the film the British Army flies it's own Union Jack upside down.