Plot Details: This opinion reveals major details about the movie's plot.

Are you in the mood for a river adventure? How about a story about heroism during war, or beating impossible odds? Better yet, since it is almost Valentine’s Day, how about a love story? This movie has it all, with two of the most wonderful performances by two extraordinary screen personalities, Katherine Hepburn and Humphrey Bogart. They just don’t make movies like this any more.

DIRECTION-STORY-PRODUCTION

John Huston, son of Walter Huston and father of Angelica Huston directed some memorable movies among them some of my favorites, The Maltese Falcon, The Man Who Would Be King, and The African Queen to name but 3 of the 45 he directed in 36 years. Colorful, artistic, flamboyant, he was the penultimate Hollywood personality. He had writing credits for 37 movies and acted in 64 movies ( One of his last efforts as a performer was in the animated Lord of the Rings Series as Gandalf.) Huston’s career as a director had a habit of picking up just when everyone believed he had made his last good movie.The African Queen was a popular movie , a box office hit, that revived his career. And it has remained popular for fifty years.

The story originated with CS Forestor’s novel, which was adapted for the screen by James Agee and the director John Huston, with a little uncredited help from Peter Viertel. The sceenplay is just one of the many great things about this film-it pays to have the best. The story is compact, exciting, with believable dialog.

The film was in the works as early as 1938, with Bette Davis and David Niven tagged for the leads. The war intervened, and the next time it was on the table was in 1947, and again Bette Davis was the first call, with James Mason as the proposed lead. Davis was indisposed due to pregnancy, and it came up again two years later, with Katherine Hepburn and Humphrey Bogart, who proved to be a magic combination. I would pay good money to have seen better Davis and James Mason give it a go, or even David Niven earlier, but it couldn’t have been better than this.

I don’t think Huston gets much credit for the performances, although he managed to get great performances from many people. Bogart, against all odds was still one of the favorites in Hollywood, and Katherine Hepburn had already won one of her four Academy Awards, and received 5 nominations.It is really a story of only these two. The other characters in this film are insignificant, except as props for the story.

The movie was filmed with some help from Shepperton studios in London, and locations included the Congo, Danwar Turkey and the Los Angelas Arboretum! Some of the sets were obviously just that-sets.

OTHER FILM ELEMENTS

CINEMATOGRAPHY

Cinematography was the handiwork of the legendary Jack Cardiff. I didn’t see anything really spectacular, but then again, how fair is it to judge a work that is already 52 years old? There are some wonderful wildlife shots, and some stunning pictures of Africa generally.
The VHS copy of the film is adequate, but this piece is badly in need of some TLC and a digital remastering. I have been waiting 4 years for a quality DVD to come out, and finally gave it up for a VHS rental.


There is one sequence when the couple is attacked by mosquitoes, or locusts, that must have been all special effects. It will look pretty lame by today’s standards, but don’t sweat it. It was after all, a long time before CGI! The explosions and the related special effects were actually pretty amazing.

MUSIC

The music was contributed by Allan Gray, who studied under Schonberg. It was an understated masterpiece of small romantic themes that grew and repeated, and it was very well done, because it was subtle and lyrical at the same time.

THE PLOT

Taking some liberties with the time, which is never directly given, I assume this movie is set during the hostilities of WWI, where the British Empire is fighting Germany under the Kaiser. The setting is Africa. Charlie Allnut, is a grizzled, gin-loving river trader, who delivers supplies up and down the river, On his way to as mine located along the river, he stops to visit at a small mission. The small missionary outpost, run by British Reverend Samuel Sayer and his sister Rosie, is ministering to the natives, when the Germans arrive. They burn the huts and take the natives, conscripting them into service. Samuel suffers a blow to the head when he confronts the officers, and dies shortly after.

(Charlie)-"We Can’t do that!"

(Rosie)-"How do you know? You never tried it."

(Charlie)- "Well yeah, but I never tried shooting myself in the head neither."

Charlie comes to Rosie , a proper and stiff and somewhat self righteous spinster, offering to take her someplace safe on his boat, the African Queen to “wait out” the War. He is carrying explosives he was to deliver to the mine, which is now deserted,. Then Rosie comes up with an idea. War is being fought in Africa. A large lake inland is patrolled by an enemy warship (assembled on the lake on location), preventing British troops from entering the region. Rosie and Charlie set out to find a way to use the explosives to destroy the German warship.

***
Rosie: (self righteously) Nature, Mr. Allnut, is what we are put in this world to rise above!


It seems a disaster about to happen. Gin turns Charlie into a sloppy drunk, and Rosie, well, she needs to loosen up a bit. Rosie dumps the gin. Nature does the rest.

It will be an adventurous trip, in which these two people who had all but given up having a relationship, find each other. At first they seem opposites, but there is a chemistry that is overwhelmingly touching, to bring these two together. The world is a better pace with them in it.

Do they manage to survive the strife of white water rapids, a garrison of German soldiers, battles with swarming insects, and each other? There may be some of you who have avoided this movie so far. I’ll save the ending for you!

CAST AND PERFORMANCES


Humphrey Bogart as Charlie Allnut-This role won Bogart his only Oscar. When looking up his bio (not the first time either) some statements in Maltin’s biography of Bogie bothered me. He credits Bogie’s popularity as a star to the sixties audiences who, armed with Existentialism, saw the sardonic character he played as a kindred spirit. I am not saying that is not true, but I have it on good authority that he was NOT discovered by the audiences of the sixties. The Africa Queen was his 66th movie, and he had starred in many. He was always a HUGE box office draw, probably because he was such a regular guy. He was typical of a generation, and the identification was strong. Besides which, he unquestionably had amazing charisma, which overpowered his ordinary looks and his scarred face. I don’t often take exception to the info provided by Leonard Maltin, but I do take exception to Bogie’s popularity being due solely to posthumous appreciation. Bogie had it, and he never lost it! He was nominated only three times for Oscars, but how many of his films were nominated for Oscars? (17)

This character is a bum, charming, a bit of a rascal, but always a good guy. When he gradually changes in his affection for Rosie it is a change that begins slowly and then shows in every gesture and look. It was a fun performance to experience once again. My favorite scene is when he is behind Rosie, just as they start to realize how they feel about each other. He is showing her how to use a bellows. The look on his face as he barely comes in contact with her shoulder is one of the most romantic moments in film history. It is not sex, not even kissing. Sigh.

Katherine Hepburn as Rose Sayer- started out stiff and starched and proper as only a spinster missionary could. But she showed the characteristic fire and courage that made her and Charlie realize that together they could try anything. She loosens up a bit by the end, but this movie never tuns into as kissy face smoochy smarmy sappy love story, but instead revolves around a real possiblity of two people meeting and falling in love, who first, have a mission to accomplish.
Hepburn is a class act. She could do any role and do it well, even though she lived her personal life on her own terms, and did not let Hollywood control her. She too was nominated for an Oscar for this film, and for my money she earned it!She would be nominated 12 times for Oscars, and receive four.


Robert Morley as Reverend Samuel Sayer-as the British missionary, it is surprising how much he gives about this character in such a short time. He dies in the first 15 minutes, after being hit on the head. This character actor was in many a film, and this is a pretty young looking appearance.

Peter Bull as Captain of Louisa-Toward the end of the movie he makes an important appearance , at least as regards the plot. He also utters the best line in the movie, and one of the best lines in movies generally,

“By the authority vested in me by Kaiser Wilhelm II, I pronounce you husband and wife. Proceed with the execution.”

Theodore Bikel as first officer-says remarkably little. Would be nominated for an Oscar in 1969, for The Defiant Ones.

Walter Gotell as Second officer . Who?

Richard Marner- second officer of shona (the fort by the river) Didn’t say anything that I remember but he was a lousy shot.


FINAL RECOMMENDATION

For all of you folks who despair of ever finding your soul-mate, this movie is for you!

If only they would release a nice clean copy on DVD, I would be truly happy.

I was almost afraid to watch this movie again. So often they don’t live up to expectations! But The African Queen is a treat, start to finish. It is just as good now as it was 50 years ago. What is not to like here?

Happy Valentine’s Day!-(bah humbug)





Recommended: Yes

Viewing Format: VHS
Video Occasion: Fit for Friday Evening
Suitability For Children: Suitable for Children Age 13 and Older