The Lives of a Bengal Lancer (1935)

The Lives of a Bengal Lancer is a 1935 American adventure film directed by Henry Hathaway. Gary Cooper, Franchot Tone and Richard Cromwell play three British soldiers on the Northwest Frontier of India, who struggle against the enemy - and themselves. This great adventure epic won an Oscar and was nominated in six other categories, including Best Picture and Best Director - Hathaway's only Best Director Oscar nomination.


British postcard in the Picturegoer Series, London, no. 868a. Photo: Paramount. Gary Cooper as Captain McGregor in The Lives of a Bengal Lancer (Henry Hathaway, 1935).


British postcard in the Picturegoer Series, London, no. 955. Photo: Paramount. Richard Cromwell in The Lives of a Bengal Lancer (Henry Hathaway, 1935).


British postcard in the Picturegoer Series, London, no. 956. Photo: Paramount. Franchot Tone in The Lives of a Bengal Lancer (Henry Hathaway, 1935).

Courage, camaraderie and competition

The setting and title of The Lives of a Bengal Lancer (Henry Hathaway, 1935) come from the 1930 autobiography of the British soldier Francis Yeats-Brown. It was set in 1905 during the Edwardian era. Paramount purchased the rights to the novel even before it was published. The interesting script from John Balderston, Waldemar Young and Grover Jones, however, was only loosely based on the eponymous autobiography by Major Yeats-Brown.

On the Northwest Frontier of British India, the elite Lancers Corps is part of the great Army machine that protects the British Raj from warring princes and rebellious tribes. The 41st Bengal Lancers, led by the harsh Colonel Tom Stone (Sir Guy Standing), guard against Afridi invaders led by the rebellious Mohammed Khan (Douglas Dumbrille).

After two casualties, the experienced but insubordinate Lieutenant Alan McGregor (Gary Cooper) receives as a replacement, the arrogant and cocky Lieutenant Forsythe (Franchot Tone) and the immature and naive son of Colonel Stone, Lieutenant Donald Stone (Richard Cromwell).

The old, stern Colonel Stone is surprised to learn that his alienated and newly graduated son has joined his troops. To prove that he will not have any privilege in the troop, the reception of Colonel Stone to his son is icy. Lt. McGregor rooms with them, because he's usually in trouble. Forsythe loves singing 'Mother Macree' and pushing McGregor's buttons. McGregor bonds with the young Stone, but soon finds out that Donald is no saint. Eventually, all three become friends.

When Lieutenant Stone is kidnapped by Mohammed Khan, McGregor and Forsythe want to go after him, but Stone forbids it. McGregor and Forsythe disobey the direct order of their commander, disguise themselves as Indian peddlers and go to Khan's fortress to attempt to rescue their friend. We follow the three through varied adventures and hardships. During their trials, they exhibit courage, camaraderie and competition.


British postcard. Photo: Paramount. Gary Cooper as Captain McGregor in The Lives of a Bengal Lancer (Henry Hathaway, 1935).


British postcard. Photo: Paramount. Sir Guy Standing as Colonel Stone in The Lives of a Bengal Lancer (Henry Hathaway, 1935).


British postcard. Photo: Paramount. Franchot Tone as Lieutenant Forsythe in The Lives of a Bengal Lancer (Henry Hathaway, 1935).


British postcard. Photo: Paramount. Richard Cromwell as Lieutenant Stone in The Lives of a Bengal Lancer (Henry Hathaway, 1935).

Delightful witty and cynical dialogues

Paramount Pictures began to plan The Lives of a Bengal Lancer in 1931 and expected the film to be released that same year. The studio sent cinematographers Ernest B. Schoedsack and Rex Wimpy to India to film location shots such as a tiger hunt. According to a New York Times article (January 1932), Schoedsack returned from India after three months of shooting on this film. He, his wife, brother, a cameraman and several assistants spent six weeks on the northwest frontier where, with the aid of British military authorities, he was able to send "thousands of feet of film back with a fine assortment of interesting stills."

However, most of the location footage deteriorated due to the high temperatures, and the project was delayed. When the film was eventually made in 1934, much of the production took place in the hills surrounding Los Angeles. Paramount hired hundreds of Paiute Native Americans from nearby reservations and Indian (mostly Hindu) fruit and olive pickers from California's Napa and Imperial Valleys to play the Afridi tribesmen in the battle sequences. The studio also hired ranchers from nearby Inyo County, most likely to play British soldiers. The film was eventually released in the US in 1935.

The acting is top-notch, with delightful witty and cynical dialogues. The three protagonists, Gary Cooper, Franchot Tone and Richard Cromwell were well accompanied by a large and fine support cast, including Guy Standing, wonderful old C. Aubrey Smith, Kathleen Burke, Douglas Dumbrille, Monte Blue, J. Carrol Naish, Mischa Auer and Akim Tamiroff. It was shot by cameraman Charles Lang with exteriors from Lone Pine, California, and spectacular settings. The scenes Schoedsack filmed on location in India were also used.

The Lives of a Bengal Lancer met with positive reviews and was nominated for seven Academy Awards, winning Assistant Director, with other nominations including Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Picture. The film was a big success at the box office and grossed $1.5 million in worldwide theatrical rentals. The Lives of a Bengal Lancer kicked off a cycle of Imperial adventure tales, including The Charge of the Light Brigade (1936), Another Dawn (1937), Gunga Din (1939), The Four Feathers (1939), and The Real Glory (1939). Gary Cooper starred in both Beau Geste and The Real Glory.

The Lives of a Bengal Lancer has long been overshadowed by Beau Geste and the later and more comic Gunga Din. It holds up very well for a film made in 1935, largely due to the lack of any melodramatic romantic subplots. This is a man's film about men in desperate situations. However, like in Gunga Din and The Birth of a Nation, the story is dated and politically incorrect. The British invaders are the "good guys", while those who are fighting for the freedom of their country are the "bad guys". The Lives of a Bengal Lancer was clearly a product of its times.


Dutch postcard, no. 651. Photo: Paramount. Gary Cooper in The Lives of a Bengal Lancer (Henry Hathaway, 1935).


British Real Photogravure Portrait. Photo: Paramount. Gary Cooper in The Lives of a Bengal Lancer (Henry Hathaway, 1935).


Vintage card. Richard Cromwell and Kathleen Burke in The Lives of a Bengal Lancer (Henry Hathaway, 1935).

Sources: Wikipedia (Dutch and English) and IMDb.