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The Charge of the Light Brigade

The Charge of the Light Brigade

Drama · Adventure · War · 1936

In 1853, as the British and Russian empires compete to gain and maintain their place in the dreadful Great Game of political intrigues and alliances whose greatest prize is the domination of India and the border territories, Major Geoffrey Vickers must endure several betrayals and misfortunes before he can achieve his revenge at the Balaclava Heights, on October 25, 1854, the most glorious day of the Crimean War.

Movie details

The Charge of the Light Brigade

“Theirs not to reason why, theirs but to do and die”

1936 Drama · Adventure · War 1h 51m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

6.5 / 10

Community rating

In 1853, as the British and Russian empires compete to gain and maintain their place in the dreadful Great Game of political intrigues and alliances whose greatest prize is the domination of India and the border territories, Major Geoffrey Vickers must endure several betrayals and misfortunes before he can achieve his revenge at the Balaclava Heights, on October 25, 1854, the most glorious day of the Crimean War.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over The Charge of the Light Brigade?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Michael Curtiz

Written by

Michael Jacoby · Rowland Leigh

Errol Flynn

Errol Flynn

Major Geoffrey Vickers

Olivia de Havilland

Olivia de Havilland

Elsa Campbell

Patric Knowles

Patric Knowles

Captain Perry Vickers

Henry Stephenson

Henry Stephenson

Sir Charles Macefield

Nigel Bruce

Nigel Bruce

Sir Benjamin Warrenton

Donald Crisp

Donald Crisp

Colonel Campbell

David Niven

David Niven

Captain Randall

Court is in session

Put The Charge of the Light Brigade on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Prestige Tourist

“Sincerity is not manipulation.”

The film risks embarrassment to make emotion communal, and that openness is harder than fashionable detachment.

The prosecution The Popcorn Loyalist

“The strings are showing.”

Every cue tells you exactly what to feel and when, leaving sentiment to do the work character should have done.