Clive of India

Clive of India is a 1935 American historical biographical film starring Ronald Colman about the life of Robert Clive. It was based on R. J. Minney's play of the same name, and was co-written by Minney and W. P. Lipscomb and directed by Richard Boleslawski. Colin Clive, who appears in the film, was a descendant of Clive. Plot In 1748, the British, French, Dutch and Portuguese are fighting over India. Back in England, Robert Clive (Colman) fires and misses in a duel; his opponent walks up to him, points his pistol at Clive's head and demands he retract his accusation of cheating. When Clive refuses, the other man declares him "mad" and leaves. Later, frustrated with the boredom of being a clerk, Clive recalls firing a pistol at his own head and having it misfire twice, only to have his friend fire it without a problem. This causes him to wonder if he is "destined for something after all." He is sent to India in disgrace, still a clerk (for the East India Company at Fort St. George). He is fascinated by a picture of a beautiful woman in the locket of his friend and fellow clerk Edmund Maskelyne. He discovers that she is Edmund's sister and declares he wants to marry her, even though they have never even met. He later brazenly writes to her, asking her to come to India, a year-long journey.