The Charge of the Light Brigade

A major countermands orders and attacks to revenge a previous massacre of men, women and children.

• Director: Michael Curtiz
• Genre:Action / Adventure / Romance / War
• Runtime:115 minutes

Cast

Errol Flynn : Major Geoffrey Vickers
Olivia de Havilland: Elsa Campbell (as Olivia De Havilland)
Patric Knowles : Captain Perry Vickers
Henry Stephenson: Sir Charles Macefield
Nigel Bruce : Sir Benjamin Warrenton

In 1854, Major Geoffrey Vickers (Errol Flynn) and his brother, Captain Perry Vickers (Patric Knowles), are stationed at the fictional city of Chukoti in India, with the 27th Lancers of the British Army during the British Raj. Perry has secretly betrayed Geoffrey by stealing the love of his fiancee Elsa (Olivia de Havilland).

During an official visit to local tributary rajah, Surat Khan (C. Henry Gordon), Geoffrey saves the rajah’s life. Later, Surat Khan massacres the inhabitants of Chukoti (mainly the dependents of the lancers), and allies himself with the Russians, whom the British are fighting in the Crimean War. He spares Elsa and Geoffrey as they flee the slaughter to repay his debt to Geoffrey.

The love triangle and the quest for vengeance are both resolved at the Battle of Balaklava. Aware that Surat Khan is inspecting the Russian position opposite the 27th Lancers, Geoffrey Vickers secretly replaces the written orders of Sir Charles Macefield (Henry Stephenson) to the commander of the Light Brigade, Sir Benjamin Warrenton (Nigel Bruce). Vickers orders the famous suicidal attack to avenge the Surat. He writes a note to Macefield explaining his actions and forces his brother to deliver it, sparing him from almost certain death. Just as in real life, the attack succeeds in reaching the Russian artillery positions. There, Vickers finds and kills Surat Khan, at the cost of his own life.

After receiving Vickers’ note, Macefield takes responsibility for the charge and burns the note to protect Vickers’ good name. Read more