Mogambo (1953)

This movie was made by John Ford without his usual stable of character actors and set in Africa showing a hunting crew that fills orders for animals for the world's zoos, circuses, and animal trainers.

John Wayne was Ford's usual pick to star in these manly-man movies but here Ford used Clark Gable, another he-man, as the Bwana who ramrods the crew of hunters that catch all the animals.  Of course there is a large contingent of native African actors playing all the supporting positions such as porters, cooks, and other service occupations but none are really that memorable.  There are a few other European or American actors but none are given much to do outside of the animal trapping and drinking around the campfire after work is done.  This is interesting, particularly because Ford's bud John Wayne later starred in Hatari, a similar safari animal catching film, but under the direction of Howard Hawks.

Mogambo is a remake of 1932's Red Dust with Clark Gable reprising the white hunter role he played 21 years before opposite Jean Harlow and Mary Astor. This time the love triangle is populated with Ava Gardner and Grace Kelly, along with Gable, who, it would seem would have a difficult time choosing which beauty to spend his time with.  That might seem to be a reasonable theory, but a little watching shows Ava Gardner's worldly slut character running away with the show every time the camera is on her while Grace Kelly's uptight married prude is just OK.  I guess I would call this a chick flick with Clark Gable as first prize between the two vixens but Kelly doesn't really have a chance when Gardner turns her charm on.

The story: The safari trapping season is in full swing and Victor Marswell (Clark Gable) pulls his Land Rover caravan into one of his bush cabins and finds Eloise Kelly (Ava Gardner) also known as Honey Bear bathing in his outdoor shower.  He helps her dry off intending to chuck her out in the bush but takes pity on her as she tells her story about meeting some maharajah or other to go on safari. She finds out from Gable that her lover, a client of his, already returned to India. With the only long distance transport by boat she must wait for a week until the next boat out.  So with Gable and his whiskey bottle she decides to wait. 

Well, soon the boat shows up with Gable's next clients, a husband and wife team - the husband an anthropologist and wife is the prim Grace Kelly.  Gable gives Gardner plane fare and puts her on the outgoing boat.  Of course it has already been established that Gable and Gardner were an item at some past time.

The couple request Gable to take them up to see the gorillas but Gable nixes the plan because they are unpredictable to find and also sometimes violent. The husband gets a reaction to one of his shots and Gable nurses him in his rough way, also offending Kelly with his callous manners.  In the meantime Gardner returns as the boat had engine damage that will take about four weeks to repair. Gable decides to take them up to see the gorillas, etc., since he has Gardner aboard and Kelly has given him signs she is willing. 

In the meantime, Gable and Kelly give in to their attraction that suddenly comes on.  So it is that all of them go on safari with Honey Bear intending to catch a plane out of Cairo when they get up that way.   The story plays out pretty much as you'd expect with the two scientists getting back together and Gable with Gardner. Good landscape footage and animal scenes from John Ford's practiced eye.

The Warner Bros DVD is presented in 4x3 format in color with an overlong running time of 115 minutes.  The only extra is the theatrical trailer and subtitles are also included.   This is not a bad movie; it's just not a very good one. Women will like this one better than men because of the love scenes and each woman gets a chance to pout, turn on the waterworks, and give the man a piece of her mind, etc. 

Also recommended: Howard Hawks' Hatari
and my favorite safari movie Cornel Wilde's The Naked Prey

Recommended:
Yes

Viewing Format: DVD
Video Occasion: Better than Watching TV