This is a very typical sort of Alexander & Zoltan Korda film. It has a huge budget by British standards, lots of color and pageantry as well as a strong endorsement of the British colonial system. You are supposed to side with and root for the Brits
but in 2011 and in America, I felt myself, at times, siding with the rebels. After all, this was their country and the British were the occupying force. Colonialism, the bulwark of many 1930s and 40s films, is now out of fashion.
The film is set in the kingdom of Tokot. I presumed this place was a fictional place someplace around the Muslim nations of Afghanistan or Pakistan--but the real Tokot is near Sudan in Africa. I assumed it was Asian because the people looked Asian--and not the least bit Sudanese. Their leader is about to sign a treaty of friendship with the British. In other words, he will remain in power .but be 'protected' by the British. However, his people are against this treaty and his brother (Raymond Massey) is planning on using this as a way to seize power. However, after the assassination, the man's son (Sabu) escapes and a frantic search commences to kill the boy who is the rightful leader. However, the main focus through all this really is the British army—and shows what is happening mostly through their perspective. In other words, while Sabu was a huge star for Korda, he really is more of a supporting character. So the main theme is the safety and health of these soldiers and whether or not they'll survive Massey's scheming.
"The Drum" is a pretty good film but I couldn't help but feel that compared to Korda's other epics, it's a bit bland and easy to skip. Now I am not saying you should—it's a decent film. But I would recommend you download and watch his other films first. It's easy—just follow the links on IMDb.
The film is set in the kingdom of Tokot. I presumed this place was a fictional place someplace around the Muslim nations of Afghanistan or Pakistan--but the real Tokot is near Sudan in Africa. I assumed it was Asian because the people looked Asian--and not the least bit Sudanese. Their leader is about to sign a treaty of friendship with the British. In other words, he will remain in power .but be 'protected' by the British. However, his people are against this treaty and his brother (Raymond Massey) is planning on using this as a way to seize power. However, after the assassination, the man's son (Sabu) escapes and a frantic search commences to kill the boy who is the rightful leader. However, the main focus through all this really is the British army—and shows what is happening mostly through their perspective. In other words, while Sabu was a huge star for Korda, he really is more of a supporting character. So the main theme is the safety and health of these soldiers and whether or not they'll survive Massey's scheming.
"The Drum" is a pretty good film but I couldn't help but feel that compared to Korda's other epics, it's a bit bland and easy to skip. Now I am not saying you should—it's a decent film. But I would recommend you download and watch his other films first. It's easy—just follow the links on IMDb.