The Drum (1938 film)

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The Drum
Directed by	Zoltan Korda
Produced by	Alexander Korda
Written by	A. E. W. Mason Lajos Biró Arthur Wimperis Patrick Kirwan Hugh Gray
Starring	Sabu Raymond Massey Roger Livesey Valerie Hobson
Music by	John Greenwood
Cinematography	Georges Périnal Osmond Borradaile (Indian location scenes)
Distributed by	London Films
Release date(s)	April 1, 1938
Running time	104 min.
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English
IMDb profile

The Drum is a 1938 film from the book by A. E. W. Mason. The film was directed by Zoltan Korda and produced by Alexander Korda. It starred Sabu, Raymond Massey and Roger Livesey.

Korda’s company London Films made three films in the 1930s about the British Empire: Sanders of the River (1936), The Drum and The Four Feathers (1939). They are often known as the Empire trilogy, though they weren’t conceived as such. Even when they were released, their Victorian views of the empire and its peoples were already somewhat old fashioned.

[edit] Plot

When Indian Prince Azim (Sabu) learns of an anti-British conspiracy led by Prince Ghul (Raymond Massey), he must choose between betraying his fellow countryman or supporting the British colonial regime. Ghul had previously killed Azim's father, and Azim was also taught the value of fairness by Captain Curruthers (Roger Livesey), so he sides with the British and warns them of Ghul's intended ambush by beating out a warning on a drum. Ghul is killed in the ensuing battle and Azim is installed as his replacement.