Set during the British military campaigns in Sudan, British officer Harry Faversham (Anthony Steel) resigns from his post on the eve of his regiment’s deployment. Branded a coward by his friends and the woman he loves, he sets out to prove his courage by traveling to Sudan and disguising himself as a native, embarking on a dangerous mission to redeem his honour. A thoroughly watchable historical drama that relies more on its characters and dialogue than anything else.

Director: Terence Young, Zoltan Korda
Writers: A.E.W Mason
Starring: Anthony Steel, Laurence Harvey, James Robertson Justice

Directed by Terence Young and Zoltan Korda, Storm Over the Nile is based on the 1905 novel titled The Four Feathers, written by British author A. E. W. Mason, a story that has inspired several film adaptations over the years, including that of The Four Feathers (1939), with Storm Over the Nile serving as an almost identical remake, released sixteen years later. It’s also worth noting that the newer film made extensive use of stock footage from its predecessor.

One of the film’s strongest qualities would have to be its dialogue. Storm Over the Nile is very much a product of a different era, with a more formal and traditional use of the English language. The script came across as extremely well written and carried a real sense of importance that matched the characters, setting and overall tone of the picture. The romantic subplot was also handled well, never becoming overly overbearing or adding any unnecessary complexity to the story.

With that said, Storm Over the Nile is not the most action-packed adventure film, with only a handful of explosive moments throughout its one-hundred and seven minute runtime. It does, however, deliver plenty of suspenseful and tension-filled scenes that create excitement without relying heavily on large-scale battle sequences. As mentioned previously, a large portion of the film’s footage was taken from The Four Feathers (1939), although some of the more desert-focused scenes were filmed on location in Sudan.

In terms of the cast, Anthony Steel takes on the role of Harry Faversham and commands the majority of the film’s screentime, while strong support comes from various directions, most notably Laurence Harvey in his portrayal of John Durrance. Elsewhere, James Robertson Justice, Ronald Lewis, Ian Carmichael and Mary Ure portray General Burroughs, Peter Burroughs, Tom Willoughby and Mary Burroughs respectively, each adding to the film’s traditional feel.

All in all, Storm Over the Nile manages to take you back to a time when drama was typically character and dialogue driven. It may lack the bite and general excitement that many releases have, but it’s interesting story is more than enough to carry the film through.

“Some people are born free, they can do as they like, but you weren’t born free, Harry, nor was I.“

Mary Burroughs – Storm Over the Nile