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The African Queen (1951) 8.0
In Africa during WW1, a gin-swilling riverboat owner/captain is persuaded by a strait-laced missionary to use his boat to attack an enemy warship. Director:John Huston |
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Title: The African Queen (1951)
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Cast
| Complete credited cast: | |||
| Humphrey Bogart | ... | ||
| Katharine Hepburn | ... | ||
| Robert Morley | ... |
The Brother /
Rev. Samuel Sayer
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| Peter Bull | ... | ||
| Theodore Bikel | ... | ||
| Walter Gotell | ... | ||
 |
Peter Swanwick | ... | |
| Richard Marner | ... | ||
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Plot Summary
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Plot Synopsis
Storyline
September 1914, news reaches the colony German Eastern Africa that Germany is at war, so Reverend Samuel Sayer became a hostile foreigner. German imperial troops burn down his mission; he is beaten and dies of fever. His well-educated, snobbish sister Rose Sayer buries him and leaves by the only available transport, the dilapidated river steamboat 'African Queen' of grumpy Charlie Allnut. As if a long difficult journey without any comfort weren't bad enough for such odd companions, she is determined to find a way to do their bit for the British war effort (and revenge her brother) and aims high as God is obviously on their side: construct their own equipment, a torpedo and the converted steamboat, to take out a huge German warship, the Louisa, which is hard to find on the giant lake and first of all to reach, in fact as daunting an expedition as anyone attempted since the late adventurous explorer John Speakes, but she presses till Charlie accepts to steam up the Ulana, about to brave... Written by KGF Vissers
Taglines:
The greatest adventure a man ever lived...with a woman!Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)
Rated PG for thematic elements, some violence and smoking | See all certifications »Parents Guide:
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Details
Release Date:
20 February 1952 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
African Queen See more »Company Credits
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Technical Specs
Runtime:
Sound Mix:
Mono (Western Electric Recording)Color:
Color (as Colour by) (Technicolor)Aspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1
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Rose: How do you know? You never tried it.
Charlie: Well, yeah, but I never tried shooting myself in the head neither.
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Did You Know?
Trivia
Near the end of the film,after the Königin Luise ship is hit by the torpedoes,crew members start throwing things overboard. If you watch closely,one of the objects thrown is a real live cat. See more »Goofs
When they are passing the German fort, the Germans and Askaris are using British Long Lee Enfield rifles, not German Mausers. See more »Quotes
Charlie: We can't do that!Rose: How do you know? You never tried it.
Charlie: Well, yeah, but I never tried shooting myself in the head neither.
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This is one of those films whose special effects and scenery must have been astounding at the time (1951), but which seem mediocre at best today. BUT, and that's a big 'but', this does not detract from the greatness of the movie overall. The scenery truly is beautiful, for one thing--and the direction and cinematography is great.
However, what truly makes this film a classic, and deservedly so, is the performances given by the lead actors. For their one film together, Humphrey Bogart and Katharine Hepburn pull out all the stops. Bogart is crude, dirty and a low-life river-rat with a heart of gold. He gives the Oscar-winning performance of his lifetime. Hepburn is prim and prissy, but always manages to win us over with her radiance and vulnerability, as well as that core of steel and strength she lends to all her on-screen characters. He's charming, in his way; she's achingly beautiful in hers. You can't help but warm to Charlie and Rosie, and truly, genuinely root for them to get together.
The ending is predictable; all 'opposites-attract' romance adventure stories are. You know without a doubt that the sunset will be there for Charlie and Rosie to ride off (or swim) into together. But you still hurt when Charlie hurts; and you still smile like a fool when he sees Rose, and when he tries to explain her forthrightness away by jungle fever. You believe the love, and that's what the African Queen is all about.
Oh, and the gin and leech scenes, of course. Those are brilliant, as everyone else here has already mentioned! ;)