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THE
FOUR FEATHERS
Buena
Vista Home Entertainment.
Out now to rent or
buy.
A
tale of derring do and
redemption in 19th century Sudan
is at the heart of director
Shekhar “Elizabeth”
Kapur’s movie The Four
Feathers, filmed several times
previously (the best being
Alexander Korda’s 1930’s
version) The Four Feathers stars
Heath Ledger as Lt Harry
Faversham who resigns his
commission just as he and his
regiment are about to fight for
queen and country against those
beastly Sudanese. Branded a
coward by his friends and given
four white feathers including
one from his fiancée Ethne
(played by a barely there Kate
Hudson). Determined to exonerate
himself Faversham goes
undercover, posing as an arab
and out to help his fellow
soldiers.
Despite
looking gorgeous, every shot
filmed with a painters eye for
vistas, The Four Feathers is
somewhat inconsistent, you never
get the real meaning of
Harry’s upposed cowardice for
instance, the cast, especially
Ledger (obviously enjoying
himself in the battle scenes),
acquit themselves well. Michael
Sheen as one of the feather
givers is an actor of subtle
skill; Pretty much wasted though
is Kate Hudson who is not around
long enough to make an impact.
Certainly worth watching if only
for the climactic battle scene
and beautiful cinematography.
EXTRAS:
8 short featurettes all looking
at various aspects of the movie
from contributions by director
Kapur to a Heath Ledger
interview to some academics
adding background to the story.
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