Gunga Din
Seen it?1939 | 117 min | Adventure, War, Action, History
Sunday Safe Betearly ratingWhy it’s a Sunday Safe Bet
It earned strong reviews (89% on Rotten Tomatoes), though it had soft box office. A safe bet when you want something reliable.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Is it for you?
- Who'll love it
- Made for action fans and history buffs. If you loved 300, start here. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
- The mood
- Intense.
- The pace
- Fast-moving, at 1 hr 57 min.
- What might put you off
- Made in 1939: an older pace and style.
- Audiences were cooler on it than critics.
British army sergeants Ballantine, Cutter and MacChesney serve in India during the 1880s, along with their native water-bearer, Gunga Din. While completing a dangerous telegraph-repair mission, they unearth evidence of the suppressed Thuggee cult. When Gunga Din tells the sergeants about a secret temple made of gold, the fortune-hunting Cutter is captured by the Thuggees, and it's up to his friends to rescue him.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsStrong
89% on Rotten Tomatoes
- AudiencesSolid
6.5 out of 10
- AwardsBelow par
Nominated for 1 Oscar.
- Box office & staying powerBelow par
$3 million worldwide on a $2 million budget; still draws a steady audience long after release
- Buzz & cultural impactSolid
About 79K people sought it out in the past year
Trailer
More like this
300
Saturday SpecialAnother military action film, and a Saturday Special.
Zulu Saturday SpecialAnother historical drama.
Rambo: First Blood Part II
Weeknight WatchAnother military action film, though it's more of a weeknight watch.
King Arthur Weeknight WatchAnother adventure, though it's more of a weeknight watch.
Journey's End Sunday Safe BetAnother war story, and a safe bet for a quiet night.
Want more like this, picked just for you? Get my picks
Cast & crew
Directed by George Stevens
- Cary GrantArchibald Cutter
- Victor McLaglenMacChesney
- Douglas Fairbanks Jr.Thomas Anthony Ballantine
- Sam JaffeGunga Din
- Eduardo CiannelliGuru
- Joan FontaineEmmaline "Emmy" Stebbins
- Montagu LoveColonel Weed
- Robert CooteBertie Higginbotham
- Abner BibermanChota
- Lumsden HareMajor Mitchell