Cary Grant got his start in comedic roles. In Gunga Din he plays Sgt. Archibald Cutter. He is playing comedy through half the film. He is doing this with Victor Mclaglen, (Sgt.MacChesney) and Douglas Fairbanks Sr. (Sgt. Thomas Ballantine). They are all part of a British regiment stationed in India. Some of the comic scenes involve a fight scene at the beginning, spiked punch and an elephant. The elephant on the shaky bridge with Grant riding him is the best.
The film shifts to action, when Sgt. Cutter, is led to the meeting place of the Thugee, by Gunga Din, (Sam Jaffe). The cult is led by Guru. He is played by Eduardo Ciannelli. The performance is over the top, but convincing. Guru’s motivation is to drive the British from India, no matter the cost. Only the dedication of Sgt. Cutter and his comrades stand in the way.
This is an enjoyable movie, with Grant working well with. It is McLaglen in his element. He would later do a variation of this character in the John Ford cavalry trilogy. Both men have Sgt. Ballantine, as their straight man. Sam Jaffe is the title character, who dreams of being a soldier. He can’t because he isn’t British. The ironic part is he does more than he could if he were in the army. Jaffe’s character through a lot of the movie, seems to be a mascot. It is only a fascade for the true courage that he shows. This can’t be measured and it gives a true dramatic moment to the film. Jaffe continued to act in films for many years, and won an Oscar for his role in The Asphalt Jungle. He became a television star on Ben Casey, playing Dr. David Zorba.
The comic moments in the movie, were second nature to George Stevens. His bread and butter was comedy. This film transitions well into the serious mode. It was Stevens first action film. He keeps the action and suspense flowing. He would later win two academy awards for directing, A Place in the Sun and Giant. They were both dramas. George Stevens despite his success with comedy, never made another one, after serving in the war. His decision was still a good one. He made many serious films, that are considered masterpieces.
Gunga Din was only the beginning of good movies for Cary Grant. It gave him another dimension. He went on to make a number of films for Alfred Hitchcock. These films helped his career to grow even more than James Stewart’s association with Hitchcock. The presence of Grant in a film always lent for style and grace. Gunga Din set him on a new career path.