The Four Feathers (1929 film)
Encyclopedia
The Four Feathers is a 1929 war film
directed by Merian C. Cooper
and starring Fay Wray
. It has the distinction of being one of the last major Hollywood pictures of the silent era, although it was also released by Paramount Pictures
in a version with a Movietone
soundtrack with music and sound effects only.
It is the third film version of the 1902 novel
written by A.E.W. Mason.
War film
War films are a film genre concerned with warfare, usually about naval, air or land battles, sometimes focusing instead on prisoners of war, covert operations, military training or other related subjects. At times war films focus on daily military or civilian life in wartime without depicting battles...
directed by Merian C. Cooper
Merian C. Cooper
Merian Caldwell Cooper was an American aviator, United States Air Force and Polish Air Force officer, adventurer, screenwriter, and film director and producer. His most famous film was the 1933 movie King Kong.-Early life:...
and starring Fay Wray
Fay Wray
Fay Wray was a Canadian-American actress most noted for playing the female lead in King Kong...
. It has the distinction of being one of the last major Hollywood pictures of the silent era, although it was also released by Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film production and distribution company, located at 5555 Melrose Avenue in Hollywood. Founded in 1912 and currently owned by media conglomerate Viacom, it is America's oldest existing film studio; it is also the last major film studio still...
in a version with a Movietone
Movietone sound system
The Movietone sound system is a sound-on-film method of recording sound for motion pictures that guarantees synchronization between sound and picture. It achieves this by recording the sound as a variable-density optical track on the same strip of film that records the pictures...
soundtrack with music and sound effects only.
It is the third film version of the 1902 novel
The Four Feathers
The Four Feathers is a 1902 adventure novel by British writer A.E.W. Mason that has inspired many films of the same title.-Plot summary:...
written by A.E.W. Mason.
Cast
- Richard ArlenRichard Arlen-Biography:Born Sylvanus Richard Van Mattimore in St. Paul, Minnesota, he attended the University of Pennsylvania. He served as a pilot in the Royal Flying Corps during World War I. His first job after the war was with St. Paul's Athletic Club...
- Lt. Harry Faversham - Fay WrayFay WrayFay Wray was a Canadian-American actress most noted for playing the female lead in King Kong...
- Ethne Eustace - Clive Brook - Lt. Jack Durrance
- William PowellWilliam PowellWilliam Horatio Powell was an American actor.A major star at MGM, he was paired with Myrna Loy in 14 films, including the popular Thin Man series in which Powell and Loy played Nick and Nora Charles...
- Capt. William Trench - Theodore von EltzTheodore von EltzTheodore von Eltz was an American film actor. He appeared in over 200 films between 1915 and 1957.He was born in New Haven, Connecticut, and died in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles.-Selected filmography:...
- Lt. Castleton - Noah Beery, Sr.Noah Beery, Sr.Noah Nicholas Beery was an American actor, who appeared in films from 1913 to 1945.-Early life:His parents originally came from Switzerland. Beery was born in Kansas City, Missouri. He and his brothers William C. Beery and Wallace Beery became Hollywood actors...
- Slave Trader - Zack Williams - Idris
- Noble JohnsonNoble JohnsonNoble Johnson was an African American actor and film producer.-Biography:Standing 6'2" at 215 pounds, his impressive physique and handsome features made him in demand as a character actor and bit player...
- Ahmed - Harold Hightower - Ali
- Philippe De LacyPhilippe De LacyPhilippe De Lacy a.k.a. Philippe deLacy was a former silent film era child actor.-Early life:Born during World War I, the already fatherless Philippe lost his mother and five siblings when a German shell devastated the family home...
- Harry, age 10 - E. J. Ratcliffe - Col. Eustace
- George FawcettGeorge FawcettGeorge Fawcett was an American stage and film actor of the silent era. On stage he appeared in such plays as Ghosts with the controversial Mary Shaw, The Squaw Man with William Faversham, The Great John Ganton with an up-and-coming actress Laurette Taylor in the cast and Getting A Polish with...
- Col. Faversham - Augustin Symonds - Col. Sutch