The Charge Of The Light Brigade cover art

The Charge Of The Light Brigade Details

1968 Certificate 12
  • Rated:
  • 60
  • from 1129 members

Tony Richardson's revisionist version of the oft-filmed romance of empire stars Trevor Howard as the arrogant Lord Cardigan. In 1854, the leading officers of the British military seek an opportunity for military glory, Cardigan chief among them. He plans on taking a military force into the Crimean region of Turkey, with the .. Read more

Starring Trevor Howard, Vanessa Redgrave, John Gielgud, Harry Andrews
Director Tony Richardson
Genres Drama

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The Charge Of The Light Brigade cover art

The Charge Of The Light Brigade

Tony Richardson's revisionist version of the oft-filmed romance of empire stars Trevor Howard as the arrogant Lord Cardigan. In 1854, the leading officers of the British military seek an opportunity for military glory, Cardigan chief among them. He plans on taking a military force into the Crimean region of Turkey, with the ostensible purpose of protecting the Ottoman Empire from an invading Russian army. Lord Cardigan and his army set sail for Turkey, and, en route, he becomes involved in a dispute with Captain Nolan (David Hemmings), an officer recently returned from India who questions the actions of the high command. Despite substandard rations and a cholera epidemic, the British score a quick victory over Russian troops before its leaders fall into inertia and confusion. The nearly senile Lord Raglan (John Gielgud) temporises while Cardigan is distracted by the charms of Miss Duberly (Jill Bennett), the paymaster's wife. When the Battle of Balaclava begins, the combination of pompous stupidity in Whitehall's state men and incompetent officers on the battlefield results in Cardigan's taking his fabled Light Brigade down the wrong valley and directly into the heart of the Russian artillery. Richardson's satire on military and political blundering features an excellent cast, animated inserts and exceptionally convincing battlefield photography.

Starring Trevor Howard, Vanessa Redgrave, John Gielgud, Harry Andrews, Jill Bennett, David Hemmings, Stan Bowles, Mark Burns
Director Tony Richardson
Studio Optimum Home Entertainment
Run time DVD: 2 hrs 5 mins
Certificate Certificate 12
Genres Drama
Language DVD: English
Released DVD: 26 Jan 2009
Production year: 1968
Format DVD

  • Critics' reviews (2) of The Charge Of The Light Brigade

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  • 5 stars out of 5

    The desperate charge of 1854, immortalised by Tennyson, is etched deep in our national psyche as a blunder of heroic proportions. Tony Richardson's film of the event was a failure on release, despite its Sergeant Pepper-like marketing. But it's a great, unsung masterpiece, filled with extraordinary set pieces and chillingly funny performances, notably from John Gielgud and Trevor Howard. It is a blistering satire on the British establishment — those bickering, blithering aristocrats who paid for their commissions and then picnicked as their men were mown down by Russian cannons. Richardson and his writer Charles Wood are less concerned with the “reason why” than with the social context, a theme mirrored by Richard Williams's witty cartoon sequences. And the charge itself, brilliantly edited by Kevin Brownlow and Hugh Raggett, evokes the terrible carnage as pure chaos. A stunner in every way.

    • Radio Times
    • Posted 29 Jan 2006
  • 1 stars out of 4

    This version for the swinging sixties has a few splendid moments but apes Tom Jones all too obviously and leaves audiences with an even dimmer view of history than they started with.

    • Halliwell's Film Guide
    • Posted 02 Mar 2006

  • Most helpful member's review of The Charge Of The Light Brigade

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  • 5 out of 5 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 4 stars

    The Valley of Death

    Richardson's film of military incompetence in the 19th century is also a satire on the British Establishment of the 1960s. The attention to historical accuracy is outstanding and the class divisions of the period are convincingly portrayed. It is not an anti-war film as Nolan (David Hemmings) visualises a modern army free of corruption where the aristocracy cannot buy rank and privilege.

      • Leon Collins from London
      • Posted 04 Feb 2006 17:10

  • Most recent members' review of The Charge Of The Light Brigade

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  • 2 out of 2 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 3 stars

    Good film

    Quite a good film, with a slow build up to the central point of the film : the actual 'charge' - which was somehow a little disappointing. The ending of the film also felt unresolved.

    I loved the black and white silent film of the charge of the light brigade on the special features though - wonderful!

      • Paul Noble from Waterlooville
      • Posted 08 Apr 2005 08:30

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      • Tony Richardson's revisionist version of the oft-filmed romance of empire stars Trevor Howard as the arrogant Lord Cardigan. In 1854, the leading officers of the British military seek an opportunity ...