The African Queen
3/4
Starring: Humphrey Bogart, Katharine Hepburn
Rated PG for Thematic Elements, Some Violence and Smoking
Most movies don't age well. Whether due to changing social mores or current events, something that is timely today will most likely be viewed as quaint or even boring fifty years from now. Will anyone remember the "Transformers" franchise in 2050? Doubtful. Other times, a movie becomes outdated because the technology that brings films to life has improved, or that better filmmakers have raised the bar. Such is the case with "The African Queen." While there are some exciting scenes here and there, and the performances by the two leads are excellent, this sort of Saturday morning serial has been done better. Indiana Jones, "Congo," or more appropriately, "Romancing the Stone" mined the same territory to much better effect.
Rose Sayer (Hepburn) is a missionary working in Central Africa with her brother (Robert Morley) on the eve of World War I. Their periodic visitor, a salt of the earth type named Charlie Allnutt (Bogart), informs them that Germany is now at war with Britain. Shortly thereafter, the Sayers are attacked by the German army and Rose's brother dies from shock. She is rescued by Charlie and is overcome with patriotic fervor (and the quest for revenge). Apparently, there is a German warship nearby that is causing trouble for England, and Rose gets the idea to use supplies on Charlie's boat, "The African Queen," to make two makeshift torpedoes and sink it. Charlie thinks she's nuts, but Rose won't take no for an answer.
What's especially notable about "The African Queen" is not that its two stars play against type, but they do it so well. Both Humphrey Bogart and, to a lesser extent, Katharine Hepburn, were stars because of their on-screen personalities. Bogie became a legend by playing the bitter, sardonic hero that was at home in film noir and "Casablanca." Katharine Hepburn was a fast-talking, blunt and feisty firecracker (much like she was on screen. Charlie and Rose couldn't be more different from those personas. Charlie is jovial, romantic and emotional. Rose is warm and empathetic. Yet if there are any moments that don't work in their performances, it's because the writing fails them or they're over-directed by John Huston, who was a legend in his own right.
By all accounts, filming "The African Queen" was a living hell. Shooting a movie in the jungle is notoriously difficult (anyone remember "Apocalypse Now?"), and this is no different. Cast and crew became ill (during the church scene that opens the film, Katharine Hepburn had a puke bucket off camera because she was suffering from dysentery), inclement weather, lugging huge equipment through dense jungle, and dangerous local wildlife. When it was revealed that the miserable shoot had to be extended, there was a near mutiny. Huston and Hepburn barely escaped with their lives after a hunting excursion led them into the middle of a herd of wild animals. And Huston's wife gave birth to his daughter Angelica while he was away shooting this movie. So yeah, it wasn't a walk in the park.
"The African Queen" was released in 1951, but in 2009 it underwent a restoration, and it looks glorious. While there are some inconsistencies in the contrast and what appears to be different film stock, overall the film looks incredible on Blu Ray. There are precious few scenes where it's obvious that the actors on in front of a primitive green screen.
While the action scenes are exciting and the performances by the Bogie and Kate are excellent, the film does drag from time to time. There are scenes that go on for too long as if the characters are just trying to fill up dead space. Or they simply don't land the way they were intended. But it's still good fun.
Starring: Humphrey Bogart, Katharine Hepburn
Rated PG for Thematic Elements, Some Violence and Smoking
Most movies don't age well. Whether due to changing social mores or current events, something that is timely today will most likely be viewed as quaint or even boring fifty years from now. Will anyone remember the "Transformers" franchise in 2050? Doubtful. Other times, a movie becomes outdated because the technology that brings films to life has improved, or that better filmmakers have raised the bar. Such is the case with "The African Queen." While there are some exciting scenes here and there, and the performances by the two leads are excellent, this sort of Saturday morning serial has been done better. Indiana Jones, "Congo," or more appropriately, "Romancing the Stone" mined the same territory to much better effect.
Rose Sayer (Hepburn) is a missionary working in Central Africa with her brother (Robert Morley) on the eve of World War I. Their periodic visitor, a salt of the earth type named Charlie Allnutt (Bogart), informs them that Germany is now at war with Britain. Shortly thereafter, the Sayers are attacked by the German army and Rose's brother dies from shock. She is rescued by Charlie and is overcome with patriotic fervor (and the quest for revenge). Apparently, there is a German warship nearby that is causing trouble for England, and Rose gets the idea to use supplies on Charlie's boat, "The African Queen," to make two makeshift torpedoes and sink it. Charlie thinks she's nuts, but Rose won't take no for an answer.
What's especially notable about "The African Queen" is not that its two stars play against type, but they do it so well. Both Humphrey Bogart and, to a lesser extent, Katharine Hepburn, were stars because of their on-screen personalities. Bogie became a legend by playing the bitter, sardonic hero that was at home in film noir and "Casablanca." Katharine Hepburn was a fast-talking, blunt and feisty firecracker (much like she was on screen. Charlie and Rose couldn't be more different from those personas. Charlie is jovial, romantic and emotional. Rose is warm and empathetic. Yet if there are any moments that don't work in their performances, it's because the writing fails them or they're over-directed by John Huston, who was a legend in his own right.
By all accounts, filming "The African Queen" was a living hell. Shooting a movie in the jungle is notoriously difficult (anyone remember "Apocalypse Now?"), and this is no different. Cast and crew became ill (during the church scene that opens the film, Katharine Hepburn had a puke bucket off camera because she was suffering from dysentery), inclement weather, lugging huge equipment through dense jungle, and dangerous local wildlife. When it was revealed that the miserable shoot had to be extended, there was a near mutiny. Huston and Hepburn barely escaped with their lives after a hunting excursion led them into the middle of a herd of wild animals. And Huston's wife gave birth to his daughter Angelica while he was away shooting this movie. So yeah, it wasn't a walk in the park.
"The African Queen" was released in 1951, but in 2009 it underwent a restoration, and it looks glorious. While there are some inconsistencies in the contrast and what appears to be different film stock, overall the film looks incredible on Blu Ray. There are precious few scenes where it's obvious that the actors on in front of a primitive green screen.
While the action scenes are exciting and the performances by the Bogie and Kate are excellent, the film does drag from time to time. There are scenes that go on for too long as if the characters are just trying to fill up dead space. Or they simply don't land the way they were intended. But it's still good fun.
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