Queen of the Amazons (1947)

User Rating:

2.6/10   

Director:

Edward Finney

Writer:

Roger Merton (writer)

Release Date:

15 January 1947 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

White Goddess of the Dark Jungle... She offered ECSTASY and DEATH!

Plot:

A woman's husband has disappeared on an expedition into the jungle. She hires a guide to take her into the jungle to find him. However, they discover that he has been captured by a savage female tribe.

Plot Keywords:

Jungle | Amazon | Ivory | Africa | Camp

Cast

Robert Lowery	...	Gary Lambert
Patricia Morison	...	Jean Preston
J. Edward Bromberg	...	Gabby
John Miljan	...	Narrator / Colonel Jones
Amira Moustafa	...	Zita, the Amazon Queen
Keith Richards	...	Wayne Monroe
Bruce Edwards	...	Greg Jones
Wilson Benge	...	Professor
Jack George	...	Commissioner
Cay Forrester	...	Sugi (as Cay Forester)
Vida Aldana	...	Tondra
Hassan Khayyam	...	Moya (as Hassam Kayyam)

Runtime:

61 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

USA:Unrated (2005 DVD release) | Canada:PG (Ontario) | Finland:K-16 | USA:Approved

Company:

Screen Guild Productions

Quotes:

Zita, the Amazon Queen: ...Greg has promised to marry you, and men are stupid when bound by such promises. All I know is that he loves me, and if he were free, he'd marry me.
Jean Preston: As far as his promise goes, don't think I would hold him for one instant if he really wanted to be free.
Zita, the Amazon Queen: Do you really mean that honestly?
Jean Preston: Of course, I mean it!
Zita, the Amazon Queen: I'm glad you're inclined to feel so sensible about it because I would have had you keeled rather than give him up. You see, here in the jungle such things are easily managed, and I'm not bound by the conventional laws of society that hamper you. Greg says that I'm more than half savage, and maybe I am. All I know is that I'm willing to fight for what I want.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Planet X: (#2.1)" (2006)

Don't judge too harshly - it's not entirely bad

Heck! It was different time altogether. What made for excitement in 1947 is merely amusing, boring, or fascinating depending on your attitude towards films and movies.

I watched it. I enjoyed it despite the amazing plot holes. The first thing you will note that the movie takes place mostly in Africa even though the Amazon is in South America. Oh, but this is about a strange white women's tribe living the jungle so they must be Amazons. Oh, and the white women's tribe is mysterious in its nature even though the origin is very well known and no-one ever decided to go rescue the survivors of the shipwreck. I can't figure it out so it is best not to try.

Stock footage runs amok. It doesn't always match or even come close in the continuity of details department or even in film granularity. One hilarious example occurs when the lead actress looks through a telescope at the wildlife and notes how they are all in a hurry. Then we are treated to stock footage of a herd of gazelles jumping away - in slow-mo. Ha ha! We must have been shown footage of 5 or 6 different tribes of people which were lumped together in this film to represent one tribe. We even were privy to stock footage of trees which are not native to Africa - but there they are growing on the landscape. It's pretty awkward but no-one probably noticed in 1947. That wasn't the point back, I suppose. This movie is here to entertain or fill time. It does both.

The acting is surprisingly competent enough by most although there seemed to be an abundance of inappropriate smiling, especially by the lead actress who gets a good share of close-ups. Yeah, she's pretty. But for a woman who has lost her fiancé to the jungle she just doesn't seem very upset. She is simply determined to go on with the safari even though her feelings for her fiancé are seriously challenged by another man in her party.

Meanwhile, her fiancé has fallen for the 'Amazon' queen but has decided to be a rat and not tell anyone. Apparently he thought no-one would care if he simply vanished along with the rest of his earlier safari party.

Meanwhile the Amazonians get the blame for all the mysterious deaths in the region. They are determined to remain secret and keep their territory safe from outsiders - except for the one lone male which the Queen keeps for herself. Considering how awesome this tribe of white women must be since they can overwhelm a safari without much problem - you never see more than 3 of the white women tribe. In fact, they put up no defense whatsoever during the eventual incursions into their camp by the antagonists - except for a well-timed blowgun incident.

Meanwhile the Queen says she will kill to keep her man but we can still be friends. Huh?? Others have noted and I will reinforce - this is not a movie to get all serious about. These are the movies I saw when I was young and it is really quite lame - but still it has a charm. It tries to be fun and succeeds a few times.

The ending moans and groans. But at least it's happy and doesn't set you up for a sequel.

Rainy day fodder when you are not so critical. Bring a pillow.