Mogambo (1953)

User Rating:

6.6/10   

Director:

John Ford

Writers:

Wilson Collison (play)
John Lee Mahin (screenplay)

Release Date:

9 October 1953 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Adventure | Romance

Tagline:

Actually filmed by M-G-M on safari...amid authentic scenes of unrivalled savagery and awe-inspiring splendor!

Plot:

Victor Marswell runs a big game trapping company in Kenya. Eloise Kelly is ditched there, and an immediate attraction happens between them...

Plot Keywords:

Safari | Gorilla | Anthropologist | Hunter | Kenya

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Clark Gable	...	Victor Marswell
Ava Gardner	...	Honey Bear Kelly
Grace Kelly	...	Linda Nordley
Donald Sinden	...	Donald Nordley
Philip Stainton	...	John Brown-Pryce
Eric Pohlmann	...	Leon Boltchak
Laurence Naismith	...	Skipper
Denis O'Dea	...	Father Josef
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Asa Etula	...	Young native girl (uncredited)

Directed by
John Ford

Writing credits
Wilson Collison		(play)
John Lee Mahin		(screenplay)

Produced by
Sam Zimbalist	....	producer

Cinematography by
Robert Surtees		(director of photography)
Freddie Young		(director of photography) (as F.A. Young)

Film Editing by
Frank Clarke

Art Direction by
Alfred Junge

Makeup Department
Colin Garde	....	makeup artist
Maude Onslow	....	hairdresser (as Maud Onslow)

Production Management
Roy Parkinson	....	unit manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Cecil F. Ford	....	assistant director (as Cecil Ford)
Wingate Smith	....	assistant director
John Pallatt	....	assistant director: gorilla footage (uncredited)

Sound Department
Amy Fisher	....	sound recordist (as A.S. Fisher)
A.W. Watkins	....	recording director
Hugh Strain	....	sound assistant (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Tom Howard	....	special effects
Bert Monk	....	special effects (uncredited)

Stunts
Bunny Allen	....	stunt double: Clark Gable (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Cecil R. Cooney	....	camera operator (as Cecil Cooney)
Skeets Kelly	....	camera operator (as Graham Kelly)
Freddie Cooper	....	camera operator: gorilla footage (uncredited)
Stephen Dade	....	additional photographer (uncredited)
Jackson Drury	....	camera operator: gorilla footage (uncredited)
Kelvin Pike	....	clapper loader (uncredited)
Jack Whitehead	....	director of photography: gorilla footage (uncredited)
Doug Wolf	....	camera operator: gorilla footage (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Helen Rose	....	costumes

Editorial Department
Joan Bridge	....	color consultant: Technicolor

Other crew
Angela Martelli	....	continuity
Bunny Allen	....	technical advisor (uncredited)
Frank Allen	....	researcher (uncredited)
Frank Allen	....	technical advisor (uncredited)
Yakima Canutt	....	director: gorilla footage (uncredited)
Eva Monley	....	production coordinator (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Distributors

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1953) (USA) (theatrical)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1954) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Chapel Distribution (1997) (Australia) (theatrical) (35mm Technicolor & 16mm prints)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1980) (USA) (TV) (network premiere)
• Living Colour Entertainment (2008) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1994) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2006) (USA) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Bahaya Tribe of Tanganyika  group cast members
• Government Officials of Kenya Colony  grateful cooperation
• Government Officials of Tanganyika  grateful cooperation
• Government Officials of The Republic of French Equatorial Africa  grateful cooperation
• Government Officials of The Ugandan Protectorate  grateful cooperation
• M'Beti Tribe of French Equatorial Africa  group cast members
• Samburu Tribe of Kenya Colony  group cast members
• Wagenia Tribe of Belgian Congo  group cast members

Runtime:

115 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

UK:U | Portugal:M/12 | Argentina:Atp | West Germany:12 (f) | USA:Approved (PCA #16530) | Australia:PG | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15

Filming Locations:

Congo

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

When the film was dubbed into Spanish, Francisco Franco's censors found the adultery between Victor Marswell (Clark Gable) and Linda Nordley (Grace Kelly) immoral, so they changed the dialog to make them incestuous siblings.

Goofs:

Errors in geography: During the gorilla footage - shot separately from the rest of the film - the gorillas are shown eating pineapples, which are not native to Africa.

Quotes:

[Vic hoists a young rhinoceros out of a trap]
Eloise Kelly: Hey! A kangaroo.

Movie Connections:

References Dumbo (1941)

Soundtrack:

COMIN' THROUGH THE RYE

Better than expected

Three Hollywood legends. DVD review.

Aging Gable gets caught between two lionesses in Africa.

Remake of the 1930's Red Dust; this update contains lush colour photography and two of the most beautiful screen actresses ever. Anyone who considers Paltrow or Zeta Jones to be screen legends should watch Mogambo. Kelly is the goody upper-crust who realises that her husband (the excellent Sinden) isn't man enough for her. Gardner is the wise-cracking emotionally-scarred rival for Gable's affections. What a bizarre sight it was to see her parading around Africa in those revealing costumes. Some great scenes: the gorilla hunt (not for fans of Gorillas In The Mist), the baby rhino, Gardner's singing, Kelly finding Gardner in Gable's arms and the abrupt but satisifying ending.

Mogambo is well recommended.