Gunga Din is a 1939 adventure film directed by George Stevens (Shane, Giant) starring Victor McLaglen, Cary Grant and Douglas Fairbanks Jr. The film is partially based on Rudyard Kipling's 1892 poem of the same name. In the film, Kipling is actually a minor character who writes the poem based on the exploits of Indian water-bearer Gunga Din, played by a 47-year old Sam Jaffe.
Although based on a British poem and starring (mostly) British actors playing British characters, the film was produced by RKO and shot entirely in California, with the Alabama Hills doubling as the Khyber Pass. Although the film was the second highest grossing film in 1939, second only to what is now the highest-grossing film of all time, Gone with the Wind, the film actually lost money due to production costs. A remake, Sergeants 3, starring Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Peter Lawford was released in 1962, moving the setting to the American West. The film was a major influence on Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, which also used Thuggee cultists as villains. (Both films are also criticized by native Indians for their portrayal of Indian culture.)
The following weapons were used in the film Gunga Din:
British/Colonial troops are armed with Krag-Jørgensen rifles and carbines. Some Thuggee cultists are also armed with Krag-Jørgensens. Since the film was shot in California, Krag-Jørgensen were probably more plentiful than Martini-Henrys, which would've been correct for the time period. The rifles are likely Model 1892s or 1896s, while the carbines are likely Model 1899 Constabulary Carbines.
