Victor McLagan, Myrna Loy and John Ford directing his first sound feature all fail miserably in this stiff and awkward effort from the early sound era trying to find its voice. Miscast and Islamic insensitive it's a hackneyed mess from the outset.
As WW1 commences Captain King (McLagan) of the Black Watch Brigade is given a top secret assignment in India interpreted as cowardice by his fellow soldiers. There he makes contact with rebel leader Yasmani (Loy), intent on ruling the world, but India will do for now.
Ford directs poor performances from both his leads while showing an obnoxious fondness for bagpipes and Irish tenors, nearly turning this turgid adventure yarn into a musical. McLagan and Loy are embarrassing as they spout insipid dialogue. Vic is simply not the leading man type and Loy in spite of some exotic hooded eye portraiture and posing is simply to All American to be an Indian Goddess. Together they display a cringing romantic interest that director Ford seems at a loss to rectify.
Ford, Mclagan and Loy (once properly cast) would go on to have excellent sound careers but here in their early days they come across as rank amateurs in this low adventure effort.
As WW1 commences Captain King (McLagan) of the Black Watch Brigade is given a top secret assignment in India interpreted as cowardice by his fellow soldiers. There he makes contact with rebel leader Yasmani (Loy), intent on ruling the world, but India will do for now.
Ford directs poor performances from both his leads while showing an obnoxious fondness for bagpipes and Irish tenors, nearly turning this turgid adventure yarn into a musical. McLagan and Loy are embarrassing as they spout insipid dialogue. Vic is simply not the leading man type and Loy in spite of some exotic hooded eye portraiture and posing is simply to All American to be an Indian Goddess. Together they display a cringing romantic interest that director Ford seems at a loss to rectify.
Ford, Mclagan and Loy (once properly cast) would go on to have excellent sound careers but here in their early days they come across as rank amateurs in this low adventure effort.