The Charge of the Light Brigade

1936
Approved
1h 55m

IMDb RATING

7.0/10

5.6K

YOUR RATING

Olivia de Havilland and Errol Flynn in The Charge of the Light Brigade (1936)

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1 Video

66 Photos

Action Adventure Romance War

A major countermands orders and attacks to avenge a previous massacre of men, women, and children.A major countermands orders and attacks to avenge a previous massacre of men, women, and children.A major countermands orders and attacks to avenge a previous massacre of men, women, and children.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

7.0/10

5.6K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Won 1 Oscar
- 1 win & 3 nominations total

Trivia
For the filming of the climactic charge, one hundred twenty-five horses were trip-wired. Of those, twenty-five were killed outright or had to be put down afterward. The resulting public furor caused the US Congress to pass laws to protect animals used in motion pictures. Star Errol Flynn, a horseman, was so outraged by the number of horses injured and killed during the charge, and by director Michael Curtiz's seeming indifference to the carnage, that at one point as he was arguing with Curtiz about it, he could contain himself no more and actually physically attacked him. They were pulled apart before any serious damage was done, but it put a permanent freeze on their relationship; even though they made subsequent films together, they despised each other and would speak only when necessary on the set.

Goofs
After the massacre, Flynn sympathetically listens to Major Singh crying over the body of his murdered son Prema who is clearly wiggling his toes in the foreground of the scene.

Quotes
[first lines]
Sir Humphrey Harcourt: How do you fellows manage to look so comfortably, Vickers?
Major Geoffrey Vickers: We may look it Sir, but we're not. They say the first forty years are about the hottest up here on the frontier, after that you get used to it.
Sir Humphrey Harcourt: Really?

Crazy credits
Opening credits: This production has its basis in history. The historical basis, however, has been fictionized for the purposes of this picture and the names of many characters, many characters themselves, the story, incidents and institutions, are fictitious. With the exception of known historical characters, whose actual names are herein used, no identification with actual persons, living or dead, is intended or should be inferred.

Alternate versions
Also available in a computer colorized version.

Connections
Featured in Hollywood and the Stars: The Swashbucklers (1964)

Soundtracks
God Save the Tsar
(uncredited)
Music by Alexis Lvov
[The Russian national anthem from 1833 to 1917 played as part of the score during the charge at Balaklava]

User reviews72

Review

Featured review

7/10

"Our objective is Surat Khan!"

Errol Flynn says to heck with orders and leads his men into battle against villainous Surat Khan (C. Henry Gordon) to avenge Khan's massacre of men, women, and children. Highly enjoyable adventure yarn, loosely based on historical events. Superb action scenes, fine Max Steiner score, and great Michael Curtiz direction. It's always nice to see Errol Flynn and Olivia de Havilland together, although this has the surprising twist of Olivia preferring Patric Knowles to Errol. Exceptional Warner Bros. supporting cast includes David Niven, Donald Crisp, Henry Stephenson, J. Carrol Naish, and many other familiar faces. Judging by some of the reviews here, it would appear the history police have written many tickets for this one. At the risk of incurring their terrifying wrath, I'm gonna say nerts to them! Just enjoy the movie. If you want to learn about the history behind the movie, read a book.