North West Frontier [1959] [DVD]

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Obviously in 1959 there was one British film star who would be man enough for that task, no, not John Mills but Kenneth More, beloved by audiences in his home nation for his good humour, unswerving sense of decency, and ability to keep his head while under pressure. Playing Captain Scott, he was ideal as the officer in whose hands the mission is safe, but the plot was not as straightforward as it might have appeared on the surface, as there were hidden depths as well as perils to be taken into account, not to mention a capable ensemble cast who were rather marvelous under the circumstances. Although often called the British Stagecoach, that was not to denigrate the quality here. Moreover, Van Leyden has a revealing contretemps with Captain Scott, after they come across an ambushed train to find that ‘the rebels’ have slaughtered hundreds:

Michael Barthorp, Douglas N. Anderson (1996). The Frontier ablaze: the North-west frontier rising, 1897-98. Windrow & Greene. p.12. ISBN 1859150233 . Retrieved 5 April 2011. Later re-numbered as No. 6 (Bombay) Mountain Battery, and then briefly renamed the Jullundur Mountain Battery, the unit took its place in the reformed Indian Army of 1903 as 26th Jacob's Mountain Battery. [70] Frontier Brigade [ edit ] In 1922 the separation became permanent, when the mounted branch was redesignated the 10th Queen Victoria's Own Corps of Guides Cavalry (Frontier Force), [57] and the infantry was amalgamated as the 5th Battalion, 12th Frontier Force Regiment (Queen Victoria's Own Corps of Guides). [58] Sind Frontier Force [ edit ] Converted to a mountain battery the following year, the company was accordingly redesignated No. 2 Bombay Mountain Battery. [70]Corps of cavalry and infantry, raised at Peshawar in 1846 by Lt. Harry Lumsden, and later based at Hoti Mardan. [49] Originally one troop of cavalry and two companies of infantry, [50] the cavalry component later expanded to 2½ squadrons, and the infantry to 4½ companies. [49] Two further infantry battalions were raised in 1917. [51] As Paul/Dzine pointed out in his article, in fact, Victoria starts in Spain, first seen on shed at Haserabad, which was in fact the RENFE shed at Guadix, Spain. Early the next morning, Captain Scott quietly loads the passengers onto the old train. They include Mrs. Wyatt, Prince Kishan, arms dealer Mr. Peters, British expatriate Mr. Bridie, Lady Windham (the governor's wife), two British Indian Army NCOs, and Dutch journalist Mr. Peter van Leyden ( Herbert Lom). Victoria quietly freewheels down a gradient and out of the yard, but when her whistle is accidentally sounded, Gupta fires the engine and crashes her through the outer gate. The enemy fire on them and chase them but cannot keep up with the train.

Much of the Frontier was occupied by Ranjit Singh in the early 19th century, and then taken over by the East India Company when it annexed the Punjab in 1849. [3] Donald Sydney Richards (1990). The savage frontier: a history of the Anglo-Afghan wars. Macmillan. p.182. ISBN 0333525574 . Retrieved 5 April 2011. Calvo Poyo, Francisco J.; de Oña López, Juan (September 2006). "Metamorfosis del puente del Anchurón en la línea Linares-Almería"[Metamorphosis of the Anchurón bridge in the line Linares-Almería] (pdf). IV Congreso de Historia Ferroviaria (in Spanish). Málaga. doi: 10.13140/2.1.2355.4882 . Retrieved 14 September 2020. For their part in the Second Sikh War the 1st and 2nd (or Hill) regiments were awarded the battle honour 'P UNJAUB'. [72] [73] Transfrontier Brigade [ edit ]Mr. Van Leyden is the one postcolonial voice in the cast. When the British leader of the expedition, the daring Captain Scott (Kenneth More), dismisses the rebels as children, a standard colonial trope, Van Leyden retorts that they are grown men – uneducated, yes, but men nonetheless. Van Leyden represents the educated, privileged elite of colonized nations, who were proud of their nation but had also absorbed colonial critiques of it. The character has several good lines in the movie, but unfortunately his ideas are all discredited by his revelation as the villain. Even Evil Has Standards: Van Leyden is visibly nauseated by the massacre, and seems to regret that killing the Prince is a necessity for his cause.

Jaipur; Dahar Ka Balaji; Nindhar Benar; Bhaton Ki Gali; Chomun Samod; Govindgarh Malk; Ringas Junction; Baori Thikria; Palsana; Goriya; Sikar Junction, a distance of some 123 miles. Beware the Silly Ones: Gupta initially appears to be a servile Ethnic Scrappy speaking in humorously broken English. However, he's also a highly experienced railwayman whose expertise is essential to the mission. Yes, Edwardian, the German-built and equipped Ottoman railways would be a great subject, as too would be the light military railways laid by the British in the Eastern Theatre in WW1.Fraser admired the film and More's performance saying "he had a cheery truculence that was much closer to the real Imperial type than the conventional stiff upper lip." He added "The one flaw [of the film] was the title; I remarked to the technical adviser, a senior ex-Indian Army officer, that it seemed odd, having a Hindu prince up yonder, and he replied that he had no idea where the film was meant to be taking place, but wherever it was, it was not the Frontier." [23] Burgundy's locomotive is in Bombay, Baroda and Central India Railway livery, which perhaps suggests that this type did, indeed, run of the Rajputana metre gauge system where the India railway scenes were filmed?

Victoria [the train Victoria] is old, I confess that. But she has experience and when she has experience, nothing can go wrong. The 1st and 2nd Regiments joined the Bombay line in 1885 as the 5th and 6th Bombay Cavalry respectively. [60] [63] The Alleged Car: Victoria is the train equivalent. It smokes constantly and the whistle goes off at the worst possible moments. In what amounts to an important admission of defeat, Captain Scott – professionally obliged to have all the answers as the officer in charge – has literally no response. He merely looks glum as the ruling capacity of the Empire is savaged (and by a continental European, no less!).No sooner than she gets up steam, however, and she is at an unidentified location in India. Haserbad station appears to be an Indian location. It features what looks to be a metre gauge railway. We first see the line in daylight as the last train departs with its ill-fated passengers and crew.