Written by A.E.W. Mason, Michael Schiffer, and Hossein Amini
Directed by Shekhar Kapur

There are movies that sound so great when I read the promotional blurb that my expectations are raised greatly. Generally, though, I find that I am more delighted by a movie with a low-key blurb that ends up better than expected than something that promises more than it can deliver. In the case of The Four Feathers the promotional blurb makes it seem the story is quite different than what it actually is.

It’s 1898 and the British Military has dominated the Earth. It was a culture where giving one’s life for Queen and country garnered the utmost respect. Harry Faversham (portrayed by Heath Ledger) seems to have it all. He’s got a wonderful fiancee, Ethne (portrayed by Kate Hudson) as well as a bright and promising future in the military.

When his regiment is due to be dispatched to the Sudan, Harry suddenly asks to be let out of his commission. Harry tells Ethne that he never wanted a career in the military and he only joined because of his father. Taking his actions as a sign of cowardice, three of his friends and his fiancee each hand him a white feather as a symbol of that perceived cowardice. Even his father will no longer acknowledge him.

Having lost everything – his friends, fiancee, and family – Harry tries to undo the damage. He pleads with his former superior to reinstate him. When all is refused, he makes his own way to the Sudan in an attempt to redeem himself in the eyes of his friends and those he loves.

Where the story deviates terribly from the promotional blurb is in regard to this part: Little do they know he’s going undercover and may soon have the chance to redeem himself in their eyes. . That’s simply not the case. The story has nothing to do with any advanced planning for Harry to go undercover. Further, when he does go to the Sudan, he’s not undercover. He’s simply trying to track them down and do the best he can to help them in their battle.

If that bit had not been included in the promotion for the film, I might have felt better about The Four Feathers. It has its shortcomings, but there are parts of the story that are eye-opening. The myth of the British being “chosen” to civilize the parts of the world they deemed uncivilized is reminiscent of the American arrogance of “spreading democracy” to countries whether they want it or not. The ignorance of the British military as they go into the country and attempt to mold it into their own vision.

Harry is befriended by Fatma (portrayed by Djimon Hounsou) when he is trying to locate his friends and about to perish in the desert. That Fatma befriends a British soldier is remarkable and pretty much unexplained. The answers given are akin to what my kids tell me when I ask them why they did something: Just because. I don’t buy it, and that’s probably the biggest problem with The Four Feathers. Despite its 2 1/2-hour running time, the characters have little depth. There’s no motive to what they do. Coming from a family with a military background, Harry should have a good idea of what his future is in the British military. Other than actually finally being deployed, what has changed that motivated Harry to resign from the service? What motivates Fatma to befriend him? Harry is, after all, a part of the forces occupying his country. The audience is expected to accept a simplistic explanation of Just because.

The one positive note is the cinematography, which is beautiful. The desert scenes are beautiful in the starkness and bleakness. Contrasted with the images of the British military trying to act all proper in a foreign setting and the look of the film is quite nice. The scenes back in England were quite nice as well, making good use of the lighting and shadows.

The acting is uneven. Heath Ledger shows promise but comes off as little more than an action hero-type character, set in the wrong time period. He seems to be confused by the character at times, and I suspect a lot of it has to do with understanding the character’s motivations. Kate Hudson was very good in her role, although she’s not in the meatier parts of the film. It also felt like her character was softened a bit. I suspected she was looking for a husband who would provide her with the best standing in an England driven by class structure, but that is never explored deeper. Wes Bentley, as Harry’s best friend Jack shows his ambivalence well in his feelings toward Harry and what he did, while at the same time seeing an opening to call Ethne his own. Again, it’s hard to believe Jack would have issues with giving Harry a white feather but would have no trouble moving in on his fiancee.

The DVD is a good release with a lot of extras. There’s a lot of information about the film and about history. The problem was that by the point I was watching the extras, I had lost interest in the subject matter.

In the end, The Four Feathers was a disappointment. Not just because it wasn’t the story I thought I was going to see, but also because the story that was told had no depth to it.



SPECIAL FEATURES:

” Commentary by Director Shekhar Kapur
” A Journey From Within
” The Sounds of East and West
” The Battle of Abou Clea
” The Mystery of the Desert
” A Historical Perspective
” The Friendship of Abou Fatma
” A Journey of Self-Discovery
” Surviving the Prison
” Trailers