King Solomon's Mines (1937)

User Rating:

6.6/10   

Director:

Robert Stevenson

Writers:

H. Rider Haggard (novel)
Michael Hogan (writer)

Release Date:

26 July 1937 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Drama | Musical | Romance | Thriller

Plot:

White hunter Allan Quartermain and his enigmatic guide help a young Irish woman locate her missing father in unexplored Darkest Africa.

Plot Keywords:

Hunter | Desert | Rescue | Diamond Mine | Africa

Cast

Paul Robeson	...	Umbopa
Cedric Hardwicke	...	Allan Quatermain
Roland Young	...	Cmdr. John Good
Anna Lee	...	Kathleen 'Kathy' O'Brien
John Loder	...	Sir Henry Curtis
Arthur Sinclair	...	Patrick 'Patsy' O'Brien
Robert Adams	...	Twala
Arthur Goullet	...	Sylvestra Getto (as Arthur Goullett)
Ecce Homo Toto	...	Infadoos
Makubalo Hlubi	...	Kapse
Mjujwa	...	Scragga
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Ben Kubela

Runtime:

80 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Canada:G (Ontario) | USA:PG-13 (video rating) | UK:U (video rating)

Filming Locations:

Africa

Company:

Gaumont British Picture Corporation

Quotes:

Allan Quartermaine: Then it is agreed we leave tonight?
Sir Henry Curtis: Yes!
Umbopa: It is not agreed - you must stay!
Allan Quartermaine: I'm in charge here! I told you that before!
Umbopa: That was in your country. You are now in mine!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in High Adventure (2001)

Soundtrack:

Climbin' Up

Excellent first version of this story

I have just seen this adventure movie for the first time and found it very enjoyable.

A hunter and his guide set out across the desert to search for King Solomon's Mines so he can get hold of the treasure. A party, including his daughter who is worried about him follows him and after confronting a dust storm and running out of water, they reach there. Natives find them and after a battle for the throne, the mines are eventually reached and the young woman is reunited with her dad. A volcano erupts and they manage to escape and set off for home, accompanied by 100 natives for the journey across the desert as a thank you for helping the native leader get his throne back.

The movie features an excellent performance by Paul Robeson, whose songs help the movie along nicely. This also stars Cedric Hardwicke, Roland Young and Anna Lee. The special effects were good for their time, especially the cave scenes with the volcano.

This movie has since been remade several times and the best version is the 1950 one with Stuart Granger, which I also have in my movie collection.

This movie is worth checking out. Great fun.

Rating: 3 stars out of 5.