North West Frontier (1960)

Overrated and overhyped

Expected more

I cannot think of one single thing that I would change about this film. The acting is incomparable, the directing deft, and the writing poignantly brilliant.

It's funny, it's tense, it features two great performances from two actors and the director expertly creates a web of odd tension where you actually don't know what is happening for the majority of the run time.

"One day in front of the Municipal Office I saw a little girl trying to drink her mother's milk. But the girl did not realise that the mother was dead." - Bhovani Shen Directed by J. Lee Thompson, and filled with astonishing widescreen photography, "North West Frontier" spends its first ninety minutes conning you into thinking you're watching a great film about the British Empire's bloody misadventures in India.The plot? Kenneth More plays Captain Scott, a dashing British Army officer tasked with protecting Prince Kishan, the young son of an Indian King. In this regard, Scott escorts Kishan out of a besieged fortress and into a rickety old steam train. In this train, Scott hopes to evade the Prince's attackers, a band of Muslims who are part of a nationwide uprising. Also on the train are a doctor's wife who "detests soldiers" (Lauren Bacall), an anti-colonialist journalist (Herbert Lom), an opinionated arms dealer, a chauvinistic aristocrat and various other British ex-pats. In other words, the train is populated by a cross-section of figures who offer interesting and conflicting perspectives on late 19th century Imperialism.One must remember that the 1950s, 60s and 70s saw the British Empire begin granting independence to its colonies. As these social reconfigurements took place, Great Britain felt the need to rehabilitate its past and rationalise the "good old days" of Empire-building. These outbursts of patriotism (and "revisionism") also served the more important task of helping to distract from the erection of new forms of exploitation and/or control. The year of "North West Frontier's" release, for example, British Colonialism was still killing hundreds of thousands in Kenya. British rule of India, whether it be directly during the years of the Raj, or during the years of the East India Company, was likewise responsible for countless deaths (almost two billion over an almost 2 century period). Divide-and-conquer tactics were used, local kings and rebels were armed against one another, taxes were used to cripple locals, land was taken from Indians, India itself was turned into a giant factory for export, nourishing crops were destroyed in favour for producing textiles and opium for foreign markets, designed famines were rife, uprisings were violently crushed and so forth. In addition to this, the usual racist attitudes were prevalent, Indians uniformly viewed as subhuman. Winston Churchill, for example, would bluntly state "I hate Indians. They are a beastly people with a beastly religion" and Lord Hastings would describe Indians as "mere animals", "limited", "with no higher intellect than a dog or monkey".Though "North West Frontier's" premise initially allows for a nuanced view of the Britsh Raj, it finally degenerates into Empire Denial. The Muslim rebels are ultimately evil and horde-like (how dare they kill cute kids!), the Hindu Kings are "thankless" fools who betray a Britain which gallantly risked life and limb to both protect the people and maintain "local order", and pacifist women (Bacall) learn to "appreciate soldiers". The train in the film is itself nicknamed "Victoria", the late 19th century queen who oversaw most of the Raj's worst excesses. In the film, Victoria does the opposite, providing stability, safe-haven and protection to her disparate passengers.Interestingly, "North West Frontier" was co-written by Patrick Ford, son of John Ford. The film itself plays like a John Ford picture, with dusty heroes, stagecoaches under attack, marauding hordes of faceless Indians and a landscape dotted with cavalry charges and military outposts. Though the film ultimately ends on a reactionary note (Captain Scott is never anything less than a hero), its first three acts are somewhat complex for an adventure film, and director J. Lee Thompson's direction is impeccable, with compositions reminiscent of David Lean, excellent location shooting and several fine set-pieces.7.5/10 – See Pontecorvo's "Burn", "Guns at Batasi" and "Decision Before Dawn". Read J. G. Farrell's excellent "The Siege of Krishnapur".

Perhaps a little old for a captain in British India,Mr Kenneth More displays his customary noisy schoolboy/romping spaniel charm in this Kiplingesque adventure yarn. Tasked with rescuing a young Hindu prince during one of the many religious conflicts that have blighted that country for hundreds of years,Captain Scott(Mr More)and a disparate group of strangers face danger from without and within(see "Lifeboat")before arriving safely at their destination. In 1959,at the height of his box - office popularity,Mr More could put bums on seats sticky with chewing gum all over the country.Still fondly remembered for his turn as Douglas Bader,it would not be too big a stretch of the imagination to see a similarity in the hearty,rugger - bugger personae of the two men. However,Scott is more overtly upper - class,cleverly hiding his keen intelligence under the outward guise of the bluff soldier . Sharing a train with him are a journalist,an arms dealer,a Colonial Administrator,the wife of a high official and the widow of a recently deceased American doctor. Scott suspects that one of them means the prince harm,and in the exciting climax this unlikely band join together to oust the traitor in their midst. All splendid B.O.P. stuff,then,but the spice in "North West Frontier" is in the performances. Mr Herebert Lom is excellent as the splenetic mixed - race reporter, Miss Bacall does better than the role deserves as the unlikely American proto - feminist who uncomplainingly makes endless cups of tea for her fellow travellers. Mr Hyde - White outstanding as the old posh geezer,the like of whom nowadays is only found snoozing in the House of Lords. But for me,Mr Johar as Ghupta the engine driver walks away with the picture.Like Captain Scott,a complex man behind a simple exterior,it is he,bravely nursing his engine across a swaying bridge,instructing Capt. Scott to get every ounce of steam and inch of traction as the rails buckle and strain beneath him,who is the hero of the piece. Unfashionable as Kipling is today,he was still well - regarded fifty - odd years ago and it was with no shame or post - colonial guilt that his shade was recalled by "Northwest Frontier".Courage and sacrifice was required from our soldiers in the early 20th century just as it is in the early 21st century.It may be Eton,Sandhurst and Afghanistan now,but men like Captain Scott are still performing their everyday acts of heroism.

1905 India , riots try to overthrow the Maharaja from Norhwest frontier on a rebel-held county . The film portrays a British group on a stronghold being besieged by Indian rebel tribes, banded together against the Brits and they're led by Muslim leaders. The English people are surrounded by Moslems army which spent time in the siege . The governor( Ian Hunter) assigns captain Scott (one of Kenneth More's best) as responsible of protection the young prince , undertaking a dangerous escape . Scott has to save the Maharaja's son , attempting to get the heir to safety and getaway by commandeering a steam train . Along the way they encounter bandits , attackers , treason and sabotage . The Brits contra-attack displaying on the train a machine-gun , making a brutal slaughter . Scott takes the action by aiding the passengers (Lauren Bacall, Herbert Lom, Ursula Jeans ,Deckers, Wilfred Hyde White) throughout four hundred miles of risked travel .This is a British attempt to match the US adventure's spectacles of the mid-sixties, containing derring-do, romance , old-fashioned action set mostly aboard a train, spectacular battles, gorgeous outdoors and resulting to be quite entertaining . It's a fiery early 20th-century adventure yarn with political connotations that some moments makes little sense but bulges with emotion that keeps coming at you, as action and adventures is maintained throughout . It's one of several adventures-action pictures made in Britain in the sixties that starred such Hollywood stars as Lauren Bacall and previously in the fifties as Victor Mature and Robert Taylor. There are strong performances from Herbert Lom as suspicious journalist and Wilfred Hyde White as feisty old man , who have made few bad films . Lauren Bacall as understanding governess, plays with some of sensitivity , and still successfully acting . Personable interpretation by I.S. Johar who steals the show as likable driver. Latterly, as very secondaries appear Ian Hunter , Alan Cuthbertson and Jack Gwillin, among others . But the main protagonist is the old machine called Empress of India Victoria . Luminous cinematography in rich Eastmancolor by Oscar-winning Geoffrey Unsworth, though with abuse of transparency . The movie was glamorously shot in Guadix , Granada , Andalucia , Spain and interior filmed in Pinewood studios. Emotive and atmospheric musical score by Spoliansky and conducted by the habitual Muir Matheson.The motion picture is well and blazingly directed by J. Lee Thompson, he's a skill and successfully craftsman . He has directed numerous films ,British comedies, drama , suspense but his most successful films are the fresh and diverting adventures . Lee Thompson directed good Western ( McKenna gold , White Buffalo) and all king of genres as Sci-Fi (Conquest and Battle of planet of apes), terror (reincarnation of Peter Proud, Eye of the devil), adventures (King of the sun, Taras Bulba, and Northwest frontier also titled Fire over India) and Warlike ( Guns of Navarone, Von Braun). J. Lee Thomson working from the 50s in England, finished his career making Chuck Norris (Firewalker) and Charles Bronson vehicles (Evil that men do, Messenger of death, Death Wish 4 : Crackdown, Caboblanco, St Ives) and a string of TV movies until his demise at 2002 . Watchable results for this good adventure movie .

We are in British India, Moslem rebels want to kill a young Hindu prince and thus killing his family blood line. The British army are charged with the task of ensuring the prince is safely escorted from the troubled provinces. The duty falls to one intrepid Captain Scott, the only chance to achieve the aim is by train, with his allies on board being a rather unique group of individuals, can Scott achieve the mission against the mounting odds?North West Frontier has everything a great action adventure should have, action, tension, drama and an array of wonderfully colourful characters. The opening to the film is pulsating, as Scott has to fight off the rebels whilst smuggling the prince and his governess out to safety. From then on we are on a train journey that is rich with enjoyment, the tension mounts among the passengers, not least because of the class differences, and perhaps motives are not in alignment? But they must club together if they are to survive this journey.Kenneth Moore, Lauren Bacall, Herbert Lom and Wilfrid Hyde-White (comedy gold when under attack) are all pulling together to make a cracking yarn. Directing duties falls to J. Lee Thompson, whose CV boasts Ice Cold In Alex, The Guns Of Navarone and Cape Fear, so this material was thankfully in very safe hands. The photography from Geoffrey Unsworth is top notch, barren and desolate landscapes beautifully realising the peril of the passengers' journey, whilst the music from Mischa Spoliansky leaves a lasting impression.This train may well be crammed full of genre stereotypes, and sure enough the patronising nature of the piece is dated at the edges, but this remains a gloriously enjoyable film that the whole family can readily digest. 9/10