Rent The Drum (1938)

Empire Adventure. - The Drum review by Steve

This is a companion to Alexander Korda's production of The Four Feathers, released a year later. They are Technicolor empire adventures based on novels by AEW Mason. This time the British redcoats put down an uprising in Northwest India with the heroic assistance of a loyal tribal Prince, played by the 14 year old Sabu.

And today, both films share similar snags. There is the assumption of the moral right of empire and the steadfastness of British honour. There's Raymond Massey under makeup as a two dimensional, perfidious Islamic warlord. Its portrayal of the indigenous population provoked riots in major Indian cities.

It's a contemporary story, but feels like the Victorian era. There's a handsome production with authentic location footage in Kashmir and Peshawar, and the colour must have looked glorious in 1938. Roger Livesey and Valerie Hobson look enchanting in (now) washed out Technicolor; like '30s cigarette cards brought to life by magic.

The viewers' response will depend on a willingness to watch it in the spirit of the times. No one will make a film like this again. The assumptions about the legitimacy of empire are exhausted. It's staggering to realise that only nine years later, the British left India for good. Maybe this now gives the film an unintended moral dimension.