If you love movies about underdogs facing a great and vicious evil, folks, Khartoum starring Charlton Heston and Laurence Olivier is YOUR kind of flick and the Edge Conservative Movie of the Week!
Here's the plot brought to you by IMDb...
English General Charles George Gordon, a devout Christian, is appointed military governor of Anglo-Egyptian Sudan by Prime Minister Gladstone. Ordered to evacuate Egyptians from the Sudan, General Gordon stays on to protect the people of Khartoum, who are under threat of being conquered by a Muslim army. His Christian faith and military command are challenged by Mohammed Ahmed el Mahdi, "the Expected One," the head of the Muslim forces.
Here is the trailer!
A scene from Khartoum.
15 comments:
A classic!
Brooke,
Guess you already saw and liked this one, huh? I agree, it is a true classic, both Heston and Olivier did a great job!
I still remember this flick even though its been over thirty years since I saw it. It led me into reading up on "Chinese Gordon". What a man! There should be a biographical flick made about him.
sounds like a movie made before its time...one that has been played for real in history over and over. I enjoy historically informative and accurate movies, a rarity in Hollywood now days! its fun to see these old movies featured, I always call my dad to see if he has heard of them and he always says a resounding YES! its a fun connection. :)N
Edge..off topic, but I'm REALLY ticked off; there was a film on TMC this morning called THE MALE ANIMAL, with Fonda and de Haviland...
I so wish you'd see that and let me know what you thought.....talk about an anti-conservative film. Fascinating. I was stunned.
This would make a great double feature with "Zulu". IIRC, you covered that one, too.
BTW, Max Boot's book "War Made New" has a good chapter on Omdurman (bad spelling, sorry), that goes into Gordon and the Madhi.
http://www.amazon.com/War-Made-New-Technology-Warfare/dp/1592402224
Also IIRC, Jeff Cooper's "To Ride, Shoot Straight, and Speak the Truth" has some on the Zulus.
Sorry, not trying to turn your movieblog into a deadtreesblog ... ;-)
Subvet,
You're absolutely right! There should be a movie about him in general! Thanks for the visit and if you get a chance go out and rent this again!
Nikki,
Edge's Conservative Movies...bringing fathers and daughters together for over a year!
;O)
Z,
Yah, never saw that one. Ol' Fonda was a huge lib. He and Jimmy Stewart used to have "spirited" debates on movie sets about politics. Stewart said Fonda was a great guy, but politically they NEVER saw eye to eye.
I've seen it too. It's an interesting film. The only one I know of that deals with the phenomena of the Islamic messiah, "Madhdi". There have been ten Mahdis in history thus far, and yes, there will be more.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/People_claiming_to_be_the_Mahdi
All of them military leaders.
Darfur is still soaked with blood thanks to Mohammed Ahmad's legacy.
From wiki,
"In modern-day Sudan, Muhammad Ahmad is sometimes seen as a precursor of Sudanese nationalism. The Umma party claim to be his political descendants[6]. Their leader Imam Sadiq al-Mahdi, is also the imam of the Ansar, the religious order that pledges allegiance to Muhammad Ahmad. Sadiq al-Mahdi was Prime Minister of Sudan on two occasions: first briefly in 1966–67, and then between 1986 and 1989.
Also, the black color on the Sudanese flag represents the Mahdist revolution."
Revolution, genocide, jihad.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darfur_conflict
nikki, this film wouldn't be made today. It depicts Jihad, and the fact that an Islamic messiah will bring violence in the name of Allah.
edge...I just read that one of the reasons Jane wouldn't talk to her dad was because of his friendships with Stewart and John Wayne....
exactly right! Actually, once in a restaurant, a girlfriend told me Fonda gave me the once over a few times as I walked past his banquette (and others!) to the ladies room! I'm telling you, was it a thrill to walk back and have him smile at me, Edge! Good thing I hadn't known he'd watched until I sat back at my table and she told me! I'd have blushed from here to eternity! (Hey, what a great movie title, huh?!)
True story. I was young, what can I SAY!?
underdogs facing a great and vicious evil, ..dang aint that us my friend!..lol..great work dude!
i don't recall ever seeing this one and i was a big heston fan back in the day.
o.t. - we did see "we are marshall" this weekend and loved it!
I've seen it. I love the old movies like this. No computer generated images, it amazes me how they made them so grand.
Debbie Hamilton
Right Truth and
Right Truth Two
guess it's on our netflix list as Subvet's already been here.
thanks edge
In real life, Gordon was one of those bizarre British officers
http://www.thecore.nus.edu.sg/victorian/history/empire/gordon/bio1.html like Orde Wingate of Chindit
fame, who gained his fame in heroic death. Oddly, the gov't didn't trust him with British troops and he never commanded but natives of one stripe or another. Don't you think a Gordon biographical movie should star Jeff (Col Joshua Chamberlain, 20th Maine) Daniels?
Kev,
You're right Kev, a film like this wouldn't be made today!
Z,
Guess Fonda knew a good woman when he saw one! ;O)
Angel,
As long as I know I'm on your side, I know we'll be OK!
Nanc,
Go rent it! I know you'd like it!
Debbie,
Good point! The special effects in this movie are good and before their time!
Mighty Mom,
Gonna blogroll you girl! You guys go ahead and rent it and let me know what you think!
Idaho,
What a great film, and Daniels did a great job didn't he? Could Daniels pull off the British accent in a remake of Khartoum? Be interesting to see!
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