Gunga Din movie questions (1 Viewer)

[Scott]

I watched a DVD version of the 1939 Gunga Din last night. It's a restored version and there were some thing I noticed that I hadn't even though I;ve seen the movie dozens of times in TV.

I didn't notice before what unit the three sergeants are in. The RE on their shoulders in their khakis, and what looks like blue facings on their dress uniforms I'm guessing means Royal Engineers. (?)

Another detail was the spiking the punch scene at Ballintine's engagement party. I always thought it was more alcohol but due to the better quality of the DVD picture I see that it's the elephant medicine from the earlier scene with "Annie." Was that supposed to be a laxative?

 

[Scott]

Another question.....When Ballintine gives his ree-enlistment papers to the Colonel at the end, does that mean he IS reenlisting or making sure McChesney doesn't trick him so that he can LEAVE the army?

I understand that the script was written by "a committee" over several years and tweaked while on location.

 

[skeeterbuck]

Scott, I have this movie in my collection but its been awile since I last watched it so I going on my memory.

I think that Royal Engineers is correct. Remember near the beginning of the movie, they are leading a detail to I believe repair telegraph lines. That would be a job for the engineers. Also, I would think that engineers and artillery units would be the only ones with elephants. (maybe )

I have a figure of Gunga Din and a Sergeant of the Royal Engineers. His tunic is khaki and the trousers are the dark blue w/red stripe where in the movies the figures are wearing all khaki uniforms. I don't believe that the all khaki uniform is correct for that time period of the movie even though the Northwest campaigns were the first to recieve the khaki's. This is about the same time period of the Zulu wars and the line infantry were still wearing the scarlet tunics in Africa.

As to the "medicine" in the punch. In an eariler scene they give Annie the elephant just 1 large spoon of the medicine on thet tongue and she has a rather wild reaction to it. I don't think that it's ever explained exactly what the medicine is but it could be a laxative.

I can't remember the exactly what's going on about the enlistment papers.

 

[Scott]

I figured that the uniforms might not be totally correct. Thinking about it, the Engineers with assigned native troops would be the guys to do the job, like Chard in ZULU using the men from the 24th for the bridge. (at least in the movies)

Thank you.

 

[lancer]

I think you guys are on to something with that laxitive stuff. After the punch was spiked the 4th Sgt. (the one disliked by the others) was suddenly sick to his stomach and buckled over at the waist and was then carried out hunched over. Hate to think of the other poor guests. My memory is fuzzy here, but weren't the empire troops armed with American Krags? Still, it is a great show and one of my all-time favorites. -- lancer

 

[Scott]

The tribesmen have Springfield Trapdoor 45-70s as well. Fun movie so I'm not throwing rocks.

 

[PJDeluhery]

One of my all time favorite flicks.

I go along with the Engineers as the unit protrayed, though I'm no uniform expert; the punch spike is definitely the medicine given to Annie, which makes the 4th Sgt "sick" somehow - laxative? Who knows. I think when Ballantine gives his enlistment papers to the Colonel he's saying he made a mistake in wanting to leave thw FFL - and who can beat this life of excitement and comraderie.

 

[Scott]

Sgt. Thomas 'Tommy' Ballantine: The trouble is you don't want a man for a husband! You want a coward who will run out on his friends! Well, thats not me, never was, and never will be. I don't care how much I love you! And I do very much. I'm a soldi... I mean I'm a man first!

 

[lancer]

Get more than 2 Thuggee together and they want to overthrow an empire everytime.

 

[Scott]

I've asked Indian folks about the Thugs, they didn't know. Most Americans don't know about the Mountain Meadow massacre either.

 

[DCN1898]

I've asked Indian folks about the Thugs, they didn't know. Most Americans don't know about the Mountain Meadow massacre either.

Speaking of which, I heard that Mountain Meadow was supposed to be made a park. I don't know if state of federal.

 

[Scott]

Utah State Division of Parks and Recreation.

Speaking of which, I heard that Mountain Meadow was supposed to be made a park. I don't know if state of federal.

NEAT! Photos of the site and monument...

http://www.mtn-meadows-assoc.com/1999_monument.htm


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mountain_Meadows_massacre

"...
Starting in 1988 descendants of both the Fancher party victims and the Mormon participants collaborated to design and dedicate a monument to replace the neglected and crumbling marker on the site. There are now three monuments to the massacre. Two of these are at Mountain Meadows. Mountain Meadows Association built a monument in 1990 which is maintained by the Utah State Division of Parks and Recreation. In 1999 the Mormon Church built and maintains a second monument.[76][77][78].."

Have you seen September Dawn (2007)

 

[marco55]

September Dawn was a very good movie.We will probably never know the full truth.
Mark

 

[Scott]

I liked the Palm Pre commercial actress, Tamara Hope. She's also in the movie about the Halifax Explosion.

I wonder if Barszo will do a playset about the massacre? ("WINK!")