
40,000 Horsemen
This 1940 Australian war film about the Light Horse Cavalry was directed by Charles Chauvel, the nephew of much-decorated Sir Harry Chauvel and the commander of that particular cavalry. In a nod to Gunga Din, the film features a trio of rowdy soldiers played by Grant Taylor, Joe Valli and Chips Rafferty. Of the three, only Rafferty broke through in the American market, with roles in Mutiny on the Bounty, The Sundowners and even TV’s The Monkees.
About Brian Trenchard-Smith
Brian Trenchard-Smith has been burning to make genre films ever since seeing Hitchcock’s Vertigo at age 13. So far he has directed 42 Crimes Against Cinema, and counting (He’s an enthusiastic recidivist.) The Fantaspoa International Fantastic Film Festival recently gave him a career achievement award. His cult hits include The Man from Hong Kong, Turkey Shoot, BMX Bandits, Stunt Rock, Dead End Drive In, The Siege of Firebase Gloria. He has also made over 100 trailers ranging from Hammer horrors to Australian films of the 70′s and 80′s. His latest film is Drive Hard, a quirky action comedy with John Cusack and Thomas Jane. He hopes to shoot a Sci-Fi action picture in Tianjing, China later this year. Brian shares a passion for history with his wife Byzantine historian Dr. Margaret Trenchard-Smith. His first novel Alice Through The Multiverse, and his autobiography Adventures in the B Movie Trade, are available on Amazon and Kindle.