Sanders of the River (1935)

Director:

Zoltan Korda

Writers:

Lajos Biró (adaptation)
Jeffrey Dell (adaptation)
(more)

Release Date:

26 June 1935 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Drama

Plot:

British District Officer in Nigeria in the 1930's rules his area strictly but justly, and struggles...

Plot Keywords:

Africa | Murder | Slavery | Colonialism | Ethnological

Awards:

1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Paul Robeson	...	Bosambo
Leslie Banks	...	Commissioner R.G. Sanders
Nina Mae McKinney	...	Lilongo
Robert Cochran	...	Lieutenant Tibbets (as Robert Cochrane)
Martin Walker	...	J. Ferguson
Richard Grey	...	Captain Hamilton
Tony Wane	...	King Mofolaba
Marqués De Portago	...	Farini (as Marquis De Portago)
Eric Maturin	...	Smith
Allan Jeayes	...	Father O'Leary
Charles Carson	...	Governor of the Territory
Luao	...	Chief of the Wagenia [Congo] Tribe
Kilongalonga	...	Chief of the Wagenia [Congo] Tribe
Oboja	...	Chief of the Acholi Tribe
Members of Acholi Tribe	...	Themselves (as Members of the Acholi Tribe)
Members of the Sesi Tribe	...	Themselves
Members of the Tefik Tribe	...	Themselves
Members of the Juruba Tribe	...	Themselves
Members of the Mendi Tribe	...	Themselves
Members of the Kroo Tribe	...	Themselves
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Robert Adams	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
Joe Cozier	...	(uncredited)
Bertrand Frazer	...	Makara (uncredited)
Beresford Gale	...	Topolaka (uncredited)
Jomo Kenyatta	...	Tribal Chief (uncredited)
Orlando Martins	...	K'Lova (uncredited)
Anthony Papafio	...	Bosambo's Son (uncredited)
James Solomon	...	Kaluba (uncredited)
John Thomas	...	Obiboo (uncredited)
Deara Williams	...	Daughter of Bosambo and Lilongo (uncredited)

Directed by
Zoltan Korda

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Lajos Biró		adaptation
Jeffrey Dell		adaptation
Edgar Wallace		story
Arthur Wimperis		additional dialogue

Produced by
Alexander Korda	....	producer

Original Music by
Mischa Spoliansky		(as Michael Spolianski)

Cinematography by
Osmond Borradaile
Louis Page
Georges Périnal

Film Editing by
Charles Crichton

Production Management
G.E.T. Grossmith	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Stanley Irving	....	assistant director

Sound Department
D. Field	....	sound
L. Fisher	....	sound
J. Paddon	....	sound
A.W. Watkins	....	recording director

Visual Effects by
W. Percy Day	....	matte painter

Camera and Electrical Department
Bernard Browne	....	camera operator

Editorial Department
William Hornbeck	....	supervising editor

Music Department
Muir Mathieson	....	musical director

Other crew
Cecil Grosse	....	technical advisor
C.O. 'Squash' Lemon	....	technical advisor
C. Wallace	....	technical advisor (as Major C. Wallace)
Alfred Hitchcock	....	director of the first stages (uncredited)

Production Companies

• London Film Productions

Distributors

• Athena (1950) (Germany) (theatrical)
• United Artists Corporation (1935) (UK) (theatrical)
• United Artists (1935) (USA) (theatrical) (as United Artists Corporation)
• Dr. Hauser & Company (1935) (Austria) (theatrical)
• Film Classics (1947) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Embassy Home Entertainment (1987) (USA) (VHS) (for Samuel Goldwyn Home entertainment)
• Carlton International (1991) (UK) (VHS)
• Timeless Multimedia (1994) (USA) (VHS)
• Timeless Video (1994) (USA) (VHS)
• Home Box Office Home Video (HBO) (1995) (USA) (VHS) (For Samuel Goldwyn Home Entertainment)
• Urban (2004) (USA) (DVD) (included with "The Jackie Robinson Story")
• Criterion Collection, The (2007) (USA) (DVD)
• F.C.E. (2010) (USA) (DVD) (included with "King Solomon's Mines' in "The Paul Robeson Collection')
• Adams Filmi (1936) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Les Artistes Associés (United Artists) (????) (France) (theatrical)
• Suomi-Filmi (1951) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Yleisradio (YLE) (1963) (Finland) (TV)

Other Companies

• Members of Acholi Tribe  group cast members
• Members of Sesi Tribe  group cast members
• Members of Tefik Tribe  group cast members
• Members of Juruba Tribe  group cast members
• Members of Mendi Tribe  group cast members
• Members of Kroo Tribe  group cast members

Also Known As:

Runtime:

98 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Noiseless Recording)

Certification:

USA:Not Rated | Finland:K-12 (1951) | Finland:K-16 (1936)

Filming Locations:

Africa

Company:

London Film Productions

Trivia:

This film had originally started as a project Alexander Korda assigned to be directed by Alfred Hitchcock, called "Wings of the Jungle". Hitchcock was only minimally involved in the earliest stages.

Goofs:

Errors in geography: Although the film is nominally set in Nigeria (as shown on the map in Sanders' office), the aerial wildlife shots seem to have been taken in East Africa (e.g. Kenya, Uganda, Tanganyika). Given the presence of Jomo Kenyatta as an extra in the cast, it is likely that the African scenes were shot on the eastern coast of Africa rather than in Nigeria.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Edgar Wallace: The Man Who Made His Name (1976) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Lion Song

Sanders of the River has the pleasure of bringing Paul Robeson and Nina Mae McKinney together

In reviewing films involving African-Americans in chronological order for Black History Month, it's now 1935 when singer/actor Paul Robeson has gone to England for this movie produced by Alexander Korda's London Films with direction by Korda's brother Zoltan. It takes place and is partially filmed in Africa and concerns a British colonialist (Leslie Banks) who places Robeson in charge of keeping peace among various tribes especially when the tribal king (Tony Wane) seems intent on abusing his power. Later on, Robeson meets Nina Mae McKinney and makes her his wife and they have a couple of kids. I'll stop there and just say despite some questionable politics that permeate the film, this was quite a rousing adventure to watch what with many of the wonderful scenery along the countryside with various beautiful animal shots not to mention the wonderful singing voices of Robeson and, in one instance, Ms. McKinney. And the sequences of the tribes, whether chanting or going into battle, bring plenty of excitement to bear. So on that note, Sanders of the River is at the very least, well worth a look.