Word: omdurman
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...spacious, broiling, tented square behind his rambling mansion at Omdurman, on the upper reaches of the Nile, sharp-eyed parents, bright-eyed youths and soft-eyed maidens gathered last week for bargain day. From tent to tent the bridegrooms raced, making their selections. The price was a flat $8 per wife, rich or poor, pretty or plain, young or not, with El Mahdi footing the difference. Then Sir Sayed, tall in his flowing black galabia, appeared upon his pillared porch to intone the Koran's marriage service. Upwards of 300 glistening couples took the vows at Omdurman and blessed...
...coward seeking to regain his self-respect while England is avenging the murder of General Gordon no longer proves to be very exciting, or even interesting, fare. Whether it is the slow-paced direction or the European war that detracts from the glory of the Sudan campaign and Omdurman is hard to tell. It is probably a combination of both, with the former chiefly at fault. Although the photography is excellent, too great an emphasis on it makes the action interminably slow. At times the audience is treated to something like a travelogue of the Nile region in the midst...
...British bull's-eye is Four Feathers (United Artists-Alexander Korda), memorializing one of the most bullish turns British imperialism ever took: the gaudy slaughter at Omdurman with which Horatio Herbert Kitchener in 1898 avenged the massacre of General Gordon and the British garrison at Khartum, 13 years before. For Four Feathers Hungarian Alexander Korda, the Union Jack's most industrious cinematic flagwaver, sent his director-brother, Zoltan, and practically his entire cast to the Sudan, where they stumbled over some of the actual shells Kitchener had left behind, tottered in temperatures of 120° in the breeze...
...haired, bearded, grey-eyed, he was cosily reminiscent upon departing. He recalled his first trip in 1881, when the Mahdists were stirring up revolt against Egypt. Fanatic Mussulmen killed General Charles George ("Chinese") Gordon in 1885; the late great Lord Horatio Herbert Kitchener subdued them, captured the city of Omdurman. Young Dr. Giffen was there. After pacifying the country, the British temporarily barred missionaries. Dr. Giffen and his wife left Omdurman, found a tribe 400 mi. to the south called the Shullaks. ''They were all over six feet, and the only people I ever had to look...
...Dervish Mahdi proclaimed a Holy War and Osman Digna, brown and skinny, with an evil face, round shoulders, a hawk nose, joined the rebellion, achieved a title "Emir of the Dervish of God." He beat General Baker at Tokar. He fought General Gordon at Khartum and Kitchener at Omdurman. Three times he was reported dead. He came to life again. With his brown spearmen he broke the British square...