In 1854, the 27th Lancers of the British Army, led by Major Geoffrey Vickers (Errol Flynn) and his brother Captain Perry Vickers (Patric Knowles), escorts Sir Harcourt on a diplomatic mission to Suristan. Surat Khan (C. Henry Gordon) rejects the British. Perry's fiancee Elsa (Olivia de Havilland) falls for Geoffrey. Geoffrey is assigned to the remote outpost Chukoti. He is joined by Elsa and her family. With flawed British strategy, the outpost is left undermanned. Surat Khan attacks the fort and massacres the defenders including women and children. Geoffrey and Elsa manage to escape. The Crimean War heats up and the 27th Lancers are sent into the Battle of Balaclava where Surat Khan has joined the side of the Russians.
I can do without the romantic triangle. The history is trash. Otherwise, this is a very good action war movie. The siege of Chukoti is very good. The titular Charge is big and action pack. There is good action. Errol Flynn is the dashing hero. There is something sacrilegious about rewriting the historic charge to fit a fictitious narrative. Oh and did I say I do not care for the love triangle. It would have been much more powerful for the Vickers to lose wives and children during the massacre. Those minor characters finding their murdered family is more powerful than any of the leads' character development.
I can do without the romantic triangle. The history is trash. Otherwise, this is a very good action war movie. The siege of Chukoti is very good. The titular Charge is big and action pack. There is good action. Errol Flynn is the dashing hero. There is something sacrilegious about rewriting the historic charge to fit a fictitious narrative. Oh and did I say I do not care for the love triangle. It would have been much more powerful for the Vickers to lose wives and children during the massacre. Those minor characters finding their murdered family is more powerful than any of the leads' character development.