British Film Institute - London Film Festival

Film

What's on at the cinema plus reviews of the latest movie and DVD releases

Search cinema listings

Browse cinemas A-Z

Search 20,000 reviews

 

The Lighthorsemen (1987)

Director: Simon Wincer

Average user rating
No reviews

Movie review

From Time Out Film Guide

An account of a hard-fought WWI victory for the Australian mounted infantry in Palestine, with details of place and strategy clearly delineated, captions popping up everywhere, and much pointing at maps by moustachioed generals. The British were at a stalemate when the Lighthorse were summoned in 1917 to help plan an attack on the Turco-German army at the desert town of Beersheba, site of an 'unlimited' water supply. A British military intelligence officer (Andrews, a smart Alec with sneering nostrils) sets up a decoy which enables the Lighthorse to take the town by charging the enemy artillery cannons; he also forms the link between the facts and the fictional element. The plot straddles Boy's Own action as represented by four veterans of Gallipoli who are roped in to assist Andrews with his undercover activities, and Women's Own love interest as a fresh-faced recruit (Phelps) discovers he's unable to kill, joins the medical corps, and falls for a nurse (Thornton). It's good to look at: plumed hats, prancing thoroughbreds, and Aussie brute force shot against the clean desert light. Should appeal to people who like to play soldiers.

Author: EP

Time Out Film Guide


  • Print this page
  • Send to a friend

What do you think?
Post your review now

clear rating
Min 1 star. Zero stars will be treated as unrated.

*mandatory fields


Cast & crew

Director: Simon Wincer

Producer: Ian Jones, Simon Wincer

Cast: Peter Phelps full cast

Genre(s): War

Duration: 131 mins




Top Stories

A Bond a day: No.7 'Diamonds Are Forever'

A Bond a day: No.7 'Diamonds Are Forever'

Join Time Out as we revisit the 21 official James Bond movies to celebrate the release of 'Quantum of Solace'

Steve McQueen on 'Hunger'

Steve McQueen on 'Hunger'

Dave Calhoun meets artist Steve McQueen’s whose debut feature film, ‘Hunger’, is the story of IRA hunger striker Bobby Sands

Producer Stephen Woolley on ‘How to Lose Friends and Alienate People’

Producer Stephen Woolley on ‘How to Lose Friends and Alienate People’

Stephen Woolley, recalls the near catastrophes he had to contend with in bringing Toby Young’s memoir to the screen

Paul Newman: 1925 – 2008

Paul Newman: 1925 – 2008

Paul Newman died at his Connecticut home this weekend, at the age of 83. We look back at one of the great movie careers of the twentieth century

Richard Attenborough: interview

Richard Attenborough: interview

‘Entirely Up to You, Darling’ is the long-awaited autobiography from Sir Richard Attenborough. David Jenkins meets him in his Richmond home

Hard hacks to follow

Hard hacks to follow

To celebrate the release of 'How To Lose Friends and Alienate People', Time Out pick some of the toughest journalistic gigs in cinema