The Four Feathers directed by Zoltan Korda (1939), is an film about a man who is viewed as a coward by his friends and family by leaving the military but attempts to regain his honor and prove he’s not a coward by helping them in battle without them knowing it is him. It’s a very compelling story and filmed very well. Films of this age, at times, can be very stiff and take you out of everything that it’s trying to immerse you in. However, this film pulls you in deeper with his personal struggles then the struggles of getting to where his friends are stationed, and then fighting along side them and attempting to save them. The character goes through all of the struggles to return the feathers that his friends gave him. To show them that he is not the coward they think he is. All of these things will only be recognized amongst friends and family that know what he went through. He will not be a hero amongst his country. He will not be a hero amongst his greater class of peers. He will only be a redeemer of his honor amongst a handful. That’s what a true hero is. A person who is afraid and faces their fears for those he cares for to uphold his self-honor. I really like this film a lot. I could see myself watching it at least once a year or so but definitely worth it.
Watched on HBO Max.
Grizzly Era Studios 