Forty Thousand Horsemen
| Forty Thousand Horsemen | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Directed by | Charles Chauvel |
| Produced by | Charles Chauvel |
| Written by | Charles Chauvel Elsa Chauvel E. V. Timms |
| Starring |
Grant Taylor Chips Rafferty Pat Twohill |
| Music by | Lindley Evans |
| Cinematography |
George Heath Frank Hurley John Heyer |
| Edited by | William Shepherd |
|
Production
company |
Famous Feature Films
|
| Distributed by |
Universal Pictures (Australia) Goodwill Pictures Corporation Monogram Pictures (USA) |
|
Release date
|
26 December 1940 (Australia) 22 August 1941 (UK) 14 August 1941 (USA) |
|
Running time
|
100 minutes (Aust) 89 mins (UK) |
| Country | Australia |
| Language | English |
| Budget | ₤30,000 |
| Box office | £130,000 |
Forty Thousand Horsemen (aka 40,000 Horsemen) is a 1940 Australian war film directed by Charles Chauvel. The film tells the story of the Australian Light Horse (mounted rifleman as distinct from cavalry) which operated in the desert at the Sinai and Palestine Campaign during World War I. It follows the adventures of three rowdy heroes in fighting and romance. The film culminates at the Battle of Beersheba which is reputedly "the last successful cavalry charge in history". The film was clearly a propaganda weapon, to aid in recruitment and lift the pride of Australians at home during World War II. It was one of the most successful Australian movies of its day.
When Germany stretched greedy hands towards the Middle East in the war or 1914-1918, a great cavalry force came into being.
They were the men from Australia and New Zealand - The ANZACS - the "Mad Bushmen" - the men from "Downunder". Call them what you will - their glories can never grow dim.
They met the Germanised Army in the burning desert of Sinai.
They fought and suffered to emerge triumphant - the greatest cavalry force of modern times.
To these dauntless riders and their gallant horses this story is dedicated. To them with pride, their own sons are saying today -
"The torch you threw to us, we caught and now our hands will hold it high. It's glorious light will never die!"
In 1916 Jerusalem, German troops led by Von Schiller arrest French wine seller Paul Rouget for spying and hang him. His daughter Juliet goes into hiding dressed as a boy and starts spying on the Germans.
Three members of the Australian Lighthorse, Red, Larry and Jim, are enjoying themselves (including a game of two-up) on leave in Cairo, when called to fight the Turks. They take part in several battles including the march to Ogratina and the Battle of Romani. Red is separated from the others after one battle and has his life saved by Juliet, who he thinks is an Arab boy.
Red is reunited with his friends and they arrive at an Arab village. He meets Juliet and realises she was the boy who saved his life. They begin a romance.
The Battle of Gaza takes place; Jim and Larry are mortally wounded and Red is captured. He is sent to Beersheba to work as slave labour and discovers the town is wired with explosives. Juliet rescues him and they spend the night together in a hut. Jim manages to rejoin his unit in time to participate in the charge of the Light Horse at the Battle of Beersheba, and stops Von Schiller before he detonates the explosives. The Germans and Turks are defeated and a wounded Red is reunited with Juliet.
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Wikipedia