Sydney Pollack's Out of Africa suffers from the same illness as David Lean's Dr. Zhivago:  it drags on for several hours, with the story frequently set aside in favor of asides. 

Not surprisingly, the film won Oscars for Best Picture, Director, Screenplay, Cinematography, Original Score, Art Director and Sound.  The Academy rarely awards my favorite films.  I thought that it should have won for costumes, as they do fit the period and place very well.  I wonder what is so original about the score, which depends so heavily upon Mozart and native African songs?

Which Story Does it Tell? 

Based on three autobiographical books by Isak Denisen (the pen name of Karen Blixen), plus biographies by Judith Thurman and Erroll Trzebinski, Out of Africa attempts the overly ambitious task of presenting ten years of the Denisen's life in a mere two hours and 41 minutes.

It seems that the writer of the screenplay could not decide whether this is the story of colonial Africa during World War I, or a story of forbidden love in the midst of a marriage of convenience, or perhaps the story of growing coffee in Africa.  Furthermore, the director takes every opportunity to dazzle our eyes with the scenery, whether it is relevant or not.

The panoramic views of the African plains - the text on the screen tells us that this is Kenya, East Africa, in 1913 - grab my attention but fail to tell the story.  The beauty of vast grasslands dotted with wild animals pleases me, but this film uses too much of it. 

After marrying her best friend in order to get her dowry - both of them are flat broke - Karen Blixen travels to Africa to meet her new husband, Baron Blixen, at the dairy farm which he has purchased with her money.  The marriage gets off to a rocky start when Karen discovers that he has decided to plant coffee, instead of raising dairy cattle as they had agreed, without consulting her.  The native Kikuyu chief tells her that they cannot grow coffee this high.  Nobody has ever done it before.  But somehow, the coffee farm succeeds for a few years. 

The film offers valid criticisms of the colonial policies of European nations in Africa, but they often seem forced and artificial. 

Characters 

The characters lack chemistry.  Robert Redford's portrayal of Dennis, the American hunter and safari guide, is the most interesting and complex, but I do not like him. 

I do sympathize with Karen as Meryl Streep portrays her, but she makes poor decisions that seem to lack proper motivation.  When Dennis and Karen are together, they seem less in love than Karen and her husband, who married her for money. 

I like Baron Blixen as Klaus Maria Brandauer portrays him, but we see too little of him.  He actually has some chemistry with Karen. 

I suspect that  would have liked Berkeley Cole, played by Michael Kitchen, if I had seen more of him in this film.  And I could say the same about at least half a dozen supporting roles. 

Biggest Flaw 

This long, convoluted movie attempts to justify an illicit love affair between Karen and Dennis.  I am not convinced.  Dennis takes advantage of a lonely woman whose husband neglects her, and she fails to see it.  She must understand that Baron Blixen cares about her.  They were friends before they married.  She has pushed her husband away and run into the arms of a man who will never give her the comfort and stability that she needs.  Yet the screenplay would have you believe that her love affair with Dennis gave her life.  If I wrote the story, I would show that it destroyed her life. 

Final Thoughts 

This movie is worth watching, if you can spare nearly three hours of your precious time.  Besides, you can go to the kitchen during the boring parts.

It is not a bad film, but I do not believe that it deserved all those Academy Awards. 

Technical 

Director - Sydney Pollack

Company - Mirage Enterprises

Distribution - Universal

Screenplay - Kurt Luedtke 

Director of Photography - David Watkin

Music - John Barry 

Run time - 2 hours 41 minutes

Release date - 1985

Color

Stereo (70 mm prints in 6-track, 35 mm prints in Dolby) 

Languages - English and Swahili

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Thank you so much for reading my review! 

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Recommended:
Yes

Viewing Format: VHS
Video Occasion: Good for a Rainy Day
Suitability For Children: Suitable for Children Age 13 and Older