Khartoum
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Movie Reviews of Khartoum
Movie Review: A forty-one-year-old epic that reflects both historical events and movie history
Summary: 4 Stars
To appreciate some old movies, one must take in consideration the time in which they were made and the techniques/casting that was the norm. "Khartoum" has a Yank playing a Brit and a Brit playing an Arab. The film also sports some jaw-dropping fight scenes involving horses obviously tumbling as a result of the then-common use of a "trip wire."
Thankfully, we now live in an era wherein such aforementioned casting and animal abuse would be frowned upon and not tolerated.
That said, the film is one of those rousing adventure epics that tells that tale of an English officer (Heston) sent to quell an uprising by an Islamic demigod (Olivier). Both actors are good in their respective roles with Olivier having the edge in the execution of his "Arabic tongue" over Heston's try at "the King's English."
Even though Olivier wore heavy dark makeup and the traditional moustache and goatee, the filmmakers didn't do a good job of "masking" his European eyes.
But, the film was made in the "not-so-politically-correct" 60's.
The cinematography is breathtaking and composer Frank Cordell's music is truly dynamic.
When modern movies resort to the use of computer-generated battle scenes, it's refreshing to see real "actors" in well-choreographed combat.
However, as mentioned before, the horses flipping and careening down hillsides is a bit disconcerting, considering that some animals had to be sacrificed for the realistically staged fights.
And this release conveniently edited the original's horrific scene of the fate that befell Heston's character at the end, which made Olivier's final line rather mute.
Movie Review: The Imperial Debate
Summary: 4 Stars
I enjoyed this as a compelling movie in its own right, before checking the historical background in any detail.
I concluded, after some historical research, that the great issue in the film was the debate regarding imperialism (represented by Gordon in a "White Man's Burden" sort of way) versus the resistance to "foreign entanglements" (represented by Prime Minister Gladstone). The battle with the Mahdi was really a secondary theme historically.
Gladstone was presented as a wily politician which I think did him a disservice, although many of his views are still represented fairly. Gladstone consistently through all his administrations favored self-rule and not imperialism. A major passion in his political career, for example, was for the movement to home-rule in Ireland and the avoidance of becoming entangled in foreign wars and the affairs of other nations generally. In this endeavor he was thwarted by the growing imperialism of many of his countrymen who often seemed to have, like Gordon, the most altrusistic of rationales. The affairs depicted in this film occurred in Gladstone's second administration. He had been returned to power after Disraeli (the former and decidedly imperialist Prime Minister) had obtained control of the Suez Canal in Egypt.
The movie is relevant today not so much in the sympathetic viewing of a previous Christian-Muslim scrap, but in raising the whole issue of latter-day imperialism versus a more sober refusal to become embroiled in foreign brawls.
The hero of the film in my eyes was Gladstone and the message has yet to be deduced by many of today's politicians.
Movie Review: The Way Top
Summary: 4 Stars
The movie was suggested by Lytton Strachey's fine essay on Gordon that appeared in his classic EMINENT VICTORIANS, and indeed the story was brewing for a long time before a combination of international interests unleashed KHARTOUM in the English speaking world.
It was a time when Olivier, newly remarried and the surprised father of a young family, was desperate for money and wouild snatch up any job, so the film world was brightened, if that's the word, by Olivier appearing in any old movie if they gave him enough lucre. It's as if he was saying, I did the repertory thing for thirty years, it's time for a payoff. Thus we got extra helpings of ham in BUNNY LAKE IS MISSING, THE SHOES OF THE FISHERMAN, THE BATTLE OF BRITAIN, really any old blockbuster. It was a rare 60s movie that didn't have room for Olivier in it. He was never good in any of them, but in KHARTOUM his performance as the Mahdi causes enough offense nearly to justify, years later, the recent subway bombings in London. With russet makeup smeared over his face (slightly different shade than the blackface he used in OTHELLO), Olivier bites every piece of scenery known to man, playing rhe Mahdi as a mad tyrannical prophet of Islam, like a Westerners fantasy of Al Qaeda, hollering for white men's blood and letting his strange fantasies about Allah cloud his limited intellect.
Next to him, Gordon (Charlton Heston) almost looks like a sane man.
Maybe the filmmakers were making some sort of antiwar statement. At this distance it's hard to say. What we see is pretty frightening, for there's over the top and then there's OVER THE TOP AS THE MAHDI.
Movie Review: Another Heston Epic
Summary: 4 Stars
In the wake of Charlton Heston's death, I decided to have a marathon viewing of his films. I rewatched many of my favorites and sought out some of those I had never seen.
"Khartoum" was one I had not watched before. As he often did, Heston plays a real-life character, General Charles Gordon, who tried to defend the city of Khartoum from the attack of a Muslim fanatic, played by Laurence Olivier. It is one of those epic historical films Heston specialized in, and it does a good job of conveying that time and place.
One of the things I like about these films is that they were made pre-CGI, so they were generally shot on location and much of the spectacle was actually staged for the cameras (No computer-generated armies here).
The story focuses on the political maneuvering on both sides. It's striking how leaders are willing to sacrifice thousands of lives for some political purpose. The script is intelligent and the dialogue sharp, especially in the scenes between Gordon and the Mahdi (although Olivier's unconvincing dark make-up was somewhat distracting). Both actors do well in their roles.
Some viewers might find the film slow because there is a lot of talking and not a lot of action for a 2:15 running time. When the battle scenes come along, they are characteristically massive, but stiffly edited. And I was concerned for the poor horses that were constantly sent sprawling in the attacks.
All in all I would recommend "Khartoum" to anyone who likes Charlton Heston and big historical films. As they say, they don't make `em like this anymore.
Movie Review: Wonderful
Summary: 4 Stars
This is the story of British General Charles "Chinese" Gordon's final battle. It is a little know episode to Americans but is a compelling story made even more so by this fine production.
Gordon won fame by ridding the Sudan of the slave trade and as a successful general in the Opium Wars in China. When a religious fanatic rises in the Sudan and massacres a British led force, Gordon is sent in to bring out the Egyptians and Europeans. The prime minister, however, is not willing to commit to anything else. He doesn't even want to do that. He has no desire to run a colonial empire. The politicians in London care about little other than keeping the egg from their own faces.
Gordon makes it to Khartoum but is unable to accomplish his mission. The Mahdi is willing to let the Europeans go but he is not willing to let the Egyptians go. Gordon is unwilling to sacrifice any of his men so he stays to fight, sure that London will send an army to save him. The politicians do send an army but is has order to drag its feet. They believe that Gordon will flee on his own when things get too dire. It is a matter of politicians not understanding the motivations of a principled man and that same man not understanding the baseness of politicians. It is a gripping story.
Gordon is played by Charlton Heston who does a superb job. The Mahdi is played by Sir Lawrence Olivier who succeeds in portraying an Islamic religious fanatic in a light that is not stereotypical. It is a great job all around.