What is abundantly clear is that this is a superb motion picture that deserves to be more widely seen. The charge took place at the Battle of Balaclava, during Britain’s war with Russia in the Crimea in the mid 19th century. The charge occurs during the last part of the film and you'll want to watch it again to determine what really went wrong and who was at fault though let me warn you, those answers aren't at all clear. The poem recounts an assault by a brigade of British cavalry under the command of Lord James Thomas Brudenell, Earl of Cardigan, which cost the lives of 113 men and injured 143 others. The only significant female role is handled well by Jill Bennett. The movie is directed by Michael Curtiz and stars Hollywood legends Errol Flynn, Olivia de Havilland, and Patric Knowles. One weak spot in the movie is that the role played by Vanessa Redgrave seems rather tacked-on without great purpose. 7.0 (5,272) The Charge of the Light Brigade from 1936 is a historical and patriotic film that portrays the legendary and tragic battle of Balaclava during the Crimean War. Of course John Gielgud also excels as Lord Raglan, the tired old soldier who leads the brigade. Harry Andrews is also excellent as Lord Lucan, Cardigan's brother-in-law and fierce rival. Shining brightest among a stellar cast is Trevor Howard as Lord Cardigan, who despite his high social position and the finery he surrounds himself with is a brute and a boor. This leads to disaster for him and his regiment. He believes that war, the main reason for a soldier's existence, is a proud undertaking that is best fought aggressively. He is revolted by the brutality and stupidity of the officers towards the men, but he has a tragic fatal flaw. David Hemmings as Captain Nolan has his own definite ideas about fighting wars and improving the army. It's a strong anti-war film but not strident or unfair. The poetic retelling of the charge of the British light cavalry led by Lord Cardigan against Russian forces during the Battle of Balaclava in the Crimean War. Seeing it again after a quarter century only made it seem even better. This overlooked masterwork of director Tony Richardson seemed to have dropped off the face of the earth until resurfacing on video a few years back.
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