User Reviews

Gunga Ram, a boy in the employ of a maharajah vows revenge against the cult of Sabaka, the god of fire. The cult had burned his older sister and her husband alive in their home in order to help win converts.

Set in India, with a cast made up of entirely Hollywood vets, it was supposedly shot in India, its more dress up day at the back lot rather than a real shot on location film. Clearly much of the film, the animal and travelogue sort of stuff was shot on location, however I doubt any of the name actors stuff was.

The cast is for the most part is wasted in their small roles. Reginald Denny as a British Lord basically sits in a chair and watches a parade, top billed Boris Karloff plays a disapproving general, and while he's very good in his scenes has a role that means nothing to the proceedings. Only Victor Jory and June Foray as the heads of the fire cult have anything to do. (And its nice to have more than just Ms Foray's voice to keep us entertained.) The movie itself is okay. An unremarkable adventure for kids, its the sort of thing I could have seen my parents dropping me off at on a Saturday afternoon when I was a kid.Its not particularly scary, actually its not particularly anything, it just sort of is. It doesn't help that after an involving first third, where we meet all the characters and have a good number of possible plots set up, the film shifts gears and becomes primarily interested in the revenge story. This would be okay if it wasn't the only thing going on, but as the sole focus of the film its not enough to sustain the last 45 minutes to an hour.

An okay time killer this would be worth seeing if a decent, unfaded and worn print could be found. Its a good example of what family films used to be (and why they went out of favor). Frankly if it wasn't for the stars this film would have been lost to time.

5 out of 10.

Being a Boris Karloff fan, this was like finding a rare old coin, including expecting a few flaws. My impression is that this is fairly obscure. He must have been on a working-vacation in India 'cause his part is supportive. Others in the cast, too, are recognizable, albeit out-of-place. The premise is that a maharaja is caring for an orphaned teen of lower caste. The youngster's pregnant, married older sister and her husband are among those killed by perps intending to broaden fear in the name of fire idol, Sabaka. You see, the cult's ringleaders accept enrichment from the intimidated, in exchange for protection from the wrath of Sabaka. The youth accurately exposes the hierarchy, but, his finger-pointing is so wishy-washy that the maharaja and police (Karloff) are upset with the kid and do not detain the accused. Therefore, the boy embarks on a jungle journey in pursuit of the bad guys, himself. There are obligatory - and mediocre - animal scenes. This film evidences the importance of religion in India (in 1954, anyway). The color in the flick that I saw, was poor. All-in-all, a bag mixed with pros-and-cons.

"Sabaka" is not a great film by any standard, though, in a pinch, it's worth watching as a time-passer. I know this is faint praise, but it's just not a movie I can strongly endorse. The only reason I decided to watch the film is that Boris Karloff was in the film, though he was generally wasted.

The film is set in India and it was nice to see that the film crew actually went to this country to film it. HOWEVER, it was also a severe disappointment that none of the folks in the film were Indians! While Karloff looked rather Indian, most of the actors simply looked like Hollywood actors painted up to look like Indians--which they were. And, in addition to having Hollywood types in the roles, the film also suffered from 'travelogue-itis'--the horrible need to film lots of native scenes and place them into the film--often at the most inappropriate times. For example, during a scene where the jungle is on fire, there is a scene involving a leopard killing some helpless animal---why?!?! What does this have to do with a forest fire?! The story is about a cult started by a couple of scum-bags. They worship the false fire god Sabaka--who is evil and full of nastiness. So it's up to a nice young Sabu-wannabe to infiltrate the gang and bring them all to justice using his trusted jungle friends. None of it is all that interesting but at least it isn't all that dull. And at least it's in color--nice, pretty color. But the story is a bit uninspired and it's just a slightly below average time-passer.

I only watched this film due to Boris Karloff's presence; however, I don't know why he even bothered as his supporting role here gives him precious little to do! Still, this juvenile Indian adventure is harmless enough - and mercifully short. Despite being filmed on location, it's pretty obvious that most of its jungle sequences featuring wild animals are actually stock footage! I have to say, though, that for a kiddie film it's unusually mean-spirited: animals and human beings alike get burned alive, while Victor Jory as one of the members of a fire-worshipping cult is cruelly dispatched by his high priestess (played by June Foray, more familiar to film and TV buffs as a voice artist in animation, and the only one who manages to enter into the spirit of the thing) by leading him straight into the grip of a deadly cobra! By the way, the lead character is named Gunga Ram (I wonder how they ever came up with that one?)!!

I saw this film Sabaka many years ago when it was featured on Andy's Gang and on the black and white TV show I remember being impressed with, especially with Nino Marcel as Gunga Ram as a second incarnation of Sabu. Seeing it now in color it looks far more impressive with the location shooting in India. But I'm now some 60 years have passed and the story itself isn't anything to write home about.

There's a new cult of the Fire God Sabaka starting in Maharajah Lou Krugman's kingdom. It's headed by Victor Jory and June Forey and they seem like a Hindu version of Isis, basically a criminal enterprise wrapped up as religion.

Marcel takes a personal interest in it after his sister Lisa Howard is killed after she and the house she was in are set on fire. Fire is the favorite form of execution by these fire god cultists. Marcel has all kinds of problems trying to get the Maharajah's attention, especially with the kingdom's military commander Boris Karloff in the way.

Karloff in that role and Reginald Denny as the local viceroy are wasted in their parts. Both have little to do with the story, Denny next to nothing.

I'd see a Sabu film first in fact I'm curious why he wasn't cast. He was doing films over at Lippert Pictures, some of them worse than Sabaka.

This is an incredibly bad yet fascinating Technicolor adventure from United Artists and writer-producer-director Frank Ferrin in which Indian teenager Gunga Ram (Nino Marcel) works as an elephant handler for the kindly Maharajah of Bakore (Lou Krugman). When Gunga's sister is killed by member of a nefarious cult that worships the fire demon Sabaka, the young man sets out to find the cult's High Priestess (June Foray) and bring her to justice.

Amateurishly acted and filmed with all of the finesse of someone who has never seen a movie before let alone made one, this turkey is filled with unintentional humor and terrible dialogue. It would be easy to write this off as bottom of the barrel, yet there is quite a bit of nice location filming, with an authentic parade featuring ornate decorations, and elaborate temples.

There is also the once-in-a-lifetime cast of Karloff as an Indian general, Denny as a doddering old colonial governor, future TV reporter and lover of Fidel Castro Linda Howard as Gunga Ram's ill-fated sister, and June Foray, voice of Rocky the Flying Squirrel among others, in one of her few live-action movie acting roles. Be forewarned: there are some disturbing animal scenes, including what appears to be an Indian local killing a real leopard, and a tiger let loose on a live and bound water buffalo.

Forgettable costumer about an Indian (dot not feather) boy who seeks revenge on a cult. Boring time-waster with some recognizable faces in supporting roles, namely past-their-prime talent like Boris Karloff, Reginald Denny, and Victor Jory. Nice to see June Foray in a live-action role. Print I saw had very muddy colors. Nothing much to recommend about this unless you are a Karloff completist or you are having trouble falling asleep.

The only reason why anybody has ever heard of this little squib is the presence of Boris Karloff, who wears a turban and a luxuriant Stalin moustache as the blimpish old fogey General Pollegar, whose principal function within the film is to be a nuisance, blocking the young hero's efforts to oppose a corrupt cult worshiping the eponymous fire demon, Sabaka.

About half the film comprises colour travelogue footage filmed in Mysore which includes lots of pageantry and elephants; presumably the work of Jack McCoskey, second-billed of the film's two credited cameramen. The narrative scenes for the most part consists of long, soporific dialogue sequences made to feel tinnier still by their lack of musical accompaniment. Obviously cobbled together to accommodate the location footage, most of these scenes have been shot indoors in Hollywood with a cast including familiar faces like an abstracted-looking Reginald Denny, a menacing Victor Jory and a cowardly Jay Novello. The young hero, Gunga Ram, is played by Nino Marcel as a fresh-faced all-American boy with an accent hailing from the exotic Indian principality of Brooklyn. Ironically it was Karloff himself who came closest of any of the cast to being authentically Indian, as he attributed his perennially tanned complexion to Anglo-Indian ancestry.

The film's most interesting presence is actually the veteran voice artist June Foray (now 99 years old), making an extremely rare appearance before the cameras as Marku Ponjoy, the cult's unscrupulous High Priestess.

I love Boris Karloff and he's the ONLY draw to this film. He's good as always he's not the problem. The film is so bad that Karloff could not even save this monstrosity of a movie.

Annoying. I found myself quite annoyed while *trying* to watch this one. Maybe one has to be in the right sorta mood to watch? I don't see any attraction to view this film except to see Boris Karloff in something different - that's the ONLY attraction and reason I believe anyone would watch this mess.

I was hoping to like this film just a little bit for Boris Karloff alone - but I don't.

2/10

1953's "Sabaka" was conceived as "Gunga Ram" before a title change to "The Hindu" to avoid being confused with the 1939 "Gunga Din," earning its final moniker on a very limited release after five months of location shooting in Mysore, India. The sole feature film from writer/director Frank Ferrin, expanding on his television collaboration with actor Nino Marcel from the series SMILIN' ED'S GANG, here starring as Gunga Ram, young mahout of Bakore, boasting a warm relationship with not only his elephant Tilah but also the Maharajah (Lou Krugman), in whose service his father had perished. It betrays its origins with a multitude of stock footage and barren sets behind its more distinguished performers, namely second billed Boris Karloff as General Pollegar (just over 7 1/2 minutes screen time), so disagreeable that one might believe him to be in league with the fire god worshippers of Sabaka, the high priestess (June Foray) holding villagers in the grip of fear by torching their homes and loved ones. This is how Gunga Ram stumbles upon them, his murdered sister leading him on the well worn path of vengeance despite doubts from the Maharajah and Pollegar's dismissals. Ferrin's focus on pageantry over suspense removes any tension that might have developed, the varied guest stars contributing little but name value. Victor Jory exits as soon as he arrives, Reginald Denny is also wasted, Vito Scotti a holdover from the small screen. Karloff never changes his tone in his few scenes, and after Sabaka is revealed as a fraud we see him merely wave a silent gesture, still seemingly unconvinced. He was so busy doing live television that his screen roles for the decade amounted to a meager total of just 9 features, its color photography marking it as only slightly less obscure than Italy's "The Island Monster."

SABAKA appears to be a feature version of the "Gunga" adventures that were featured on a children's show, hosted first by Ed McConnell and later by Andy Devine. I am only familiar with the Devine episodes, which were called ANDY'S GANG. Devine took over in 1955 after the death of McConnell, who had created the show for radio in the late 40s and brought it to TV.

The show is best remembered for its puppet characters, especially Froggy the Gremlin. But each episode began with the host cracking a fat book to read stories of the adventures of "Gunga, the East Indian Elephant Boy." A ten- or fifteen-minute filmed drama ensued, featuring a lot of Indian location footage.

Nino Marcel, Vito Scoti, and Lou Krugman appeared in the same roles listed for SABAKA. Closing credits for the ANDY'S GANG (which is available on EBay etc) list Frank Ferrin as producer.

Even as I type this review, I have the film showing on TV. I haven't the slightest idea of what's going on! It looks like it was a waste of the time and talents of a number of people who could have found something more productive to do.

I love Boris Karloff, so don't get me wrong on that score. And I'm certainly well familiar with June Foray, mainly as a voice-over artist for Chuck Jones' cartoons for the Looney Tunes series from Warner Brothers.

But I think this film is pointless. They should both have turned this script down and walked away from what is clearly a total disaster disguising itself as a film.