Mountains of the Moon (1990)

Director:

Bob Rafelson

Writers (WGA):

William Harrison (novel)
William Harrison (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

23 February 1990 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Drama | History | Mystery

Plot:

The story of Captain Richard Francis Burton's and Lt. John Hanning Speke's expedition to find the source...

Plot Keywords:

River | Expedition | Nile River | Queen Victoria | Friendship

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Patrick Bergin	...	Richard Francis Burton
Iain Glen	...	John Hanning Speke
Richard E. Grant	...	Larry Oliphant
Fiona Shaw	...	Isabel Arundell (Mrs Burton as from 1861)
John Savident	...	Lord Murchison
James Villiers	...	Lord Oliphant
Adrian Rawlins	...	Edward
Peter Vaughan	...	Lord Houghton
Delroy Lindo	...	Mabruki
Bernard Hill	...	Dr. David Livingstone
Matthew Marsh	...	William
Richard Caldicot	...	Lord Russell
Christopher Fulford	...	Herne
Garry Cooper	...	Stroyan
Roshan Seth	...	Ben Amir
Jimmy Gardner	...	Jarvis
Doreen Mantle	...	Mrs. Speke
Anna Massey	...	Mrs. Arundell
Peter Eyre	...	Norton Shaw
Leslie Phillips	...	Mr. Arundell
Frances Cuka	...	Lady Houghton
Roger Ashton-Griffiths	...	Lord Cowley
Craig Crosbie	...	Algernon Swinburne
Paul Onsongo	...	Sidi Bombay
Lenny Juma	...	Jemadar (as Leonard Juma)
Bheki Tonto Ngema	...	Ngola
Martin Okello	...	Veldu
Philip Voss	...	Colonel Rigby
Pip Torrens	...	Lt. Hesketh
Esther Njiru	...	Lema
Alison Limerick	...	Sorceress
Asiba Asiba	...	Nubian Servant
Ian Vincent	...	Lt. Allen
Ralph Nossek	...	Doctor
Stewart Harwood	...	Attendant
George Malpas	...	Lead Actor
Robert Whelan	...	Reporter #1
Bill Croasdale	...	Reporter #2
Renny Krupinski	...	Reporter #3
Rod Woodruff	...	Fencer
Fikile Mdleleni	...	Bearer
Martin Ocham	...	Bearer
Wilson Ng'ong'a	...	Bearer
Rocks Nhlapo	...	Bearer
Patrick Letladi	...	Bearer
Konga Mbandu	...	Bearer
Michael Otieno	...	Bearer
Fatima Said	...	Somali Girl
Zam Zam Issa	...	Somali Girl
Norta Muhammed	...	Somali Girl
Pineniece Joshua	...	Somali Girl
Roger Rees	...	Edgar Papworth, Artist
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Omar Sharif	...	Arab chief in Cairo (uncredited)

Directed by
Bob Rafelson

Writing credits (WGA)
William Harrison		(novel "Burton and Speke")
William Harrison		(screenplay) &
Bob Rafelson		(screenplay)

Produced by
Chris Curling	....	associate producer
Mario Kassar	....	executive producer
Daniel Melnick	....	producer
Andrew G. Vajna	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Michael Small

Cinematography by
Roger Deakins		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Thom Noble

Casting by
Celestia Fox

Production Design by
Norman Reynolds

Art Direction by
Maurice Fowler
Fred Hole

Set Decoration by
Harry Cordwell

Costume Design by
Jenny Beavan
John Bright

Makeup Department
Christine Beveridge	....	makeup supervisor
Karen Edwards	....	hair stylist
Sally Harrison	....	assistant makeup artist
Joan Hills	....	assistant makeup artist
Julia Wilson	....	assistant hair stylist: Kenya
Julia Wilson	....	assistant makeup artist: Kenya
Suzanne Belcher	....	assistant makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Barbara Allen	....	unit production manager
Terence A. Clegg	....	executive in charge of production
Gerry Levy	....	unit production manager: Kenya
Paul Shersby	....	unit production manager
Michael R. Sloan	....	post-production supervisor (as Michael Sloan)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
John Chavanga	....	assistant director: second unit, Kenya
Patrick Clayton	....	first assistant director (as Pat Clayton)
James Hinga	....	third assistant director: Kenya
Patrick Kinney	....	assistant director: second unit, Kenya
Nick Laws	....	second assistant director
Tim Lewis	....	second assistant director
Konga Mbandu	....	third assistant director: Kenya

Art Department
Steve Allaway	....	supervising carpenter
Ted Ambrose	....	senior draughtsman
Lulu Archer	....	property buyer: Kenya
Martin Asbury	....	storyboard artist
Ray Barrett	....	construction manager
David Bubb	....	supervising carpenter
Stephen Challenor	....	stand-by carpenter (as Steve Challenor)
Raymond Churchouse	....	plasterer's laborer
Jack Dyer	....	chargehand stand-by stagehand
Belinda Edwards	....	production buyer
Terry Granger	....	chargehand painter (as Terence Grange)
Peter Hancock	....	property master
Robert Harper	....	chargehand painter
Kevin Harris	....	assistant construction manager
Brian Hartnoll	....	supervising painter
Arthur Holland	....	chargehand carpenter
Frank Howe	....	chargehand drapes
John Howitt	....	chargehand machinist
Brian Humphrey	....	chargehand dressing props
Dave Jordan	....	chargehand dressing props (as David Jordan)
Gwendolyn Margetson	....	junior draughtsman
Philip McDonald	....	location property master
Jonathan McKinstry	....	assistant art director
Dave Midson	....	chargehand dressing props
John Moore	....	propman
Jim Morahan	....	draughtsman
Mickey Pugh	....	supervising stand-by props (as Michael Pugh)
Tim Rowson	....	sketch artist: Kenya
Peter Russell	....	assistant art director
Arthur Smith	....	supervising painter
Joanna Stutchbury	....	property buyer: Kenya
Paul Tappin	....	supervising plasterer
Paul Wescott	....	chargehand stand-by painter
Kevin Wheeler	....	chargehand dressing props
Geoff Wiles	....	chargehand plasterer
Mickey Woolfson	....	chargehand stand-by props (as Michael Woolfson)

Sound Department
C.J. Appel	....	adr supervisor
Mark Berger	....	supervising re-recording mixer
Todd Boekelheide	....	sound re-recording mixer
Luis Colina	....	sound editor
Frank E. Eulner	....	assistant sound editor
Tina Fallani	....	assistant sound editor
Marjorie L. Hagar	....	assistant sound editor
Taffy Haines	....	sound maintenance engineer
Simon Kaye	....	production sound mixer
Ann Kroeber	....	sound editor
Jeffrey Kroeber	....	assistant sound editor
Robert Marty	....	assistant sound editor
John Nutt	....	sound editor
David Parker	....	sound re-recording mixer
Diana Pellegrini	....	sound editor
Michael Silvers	....	sound editor
Alan Splet	....	supervising sound editor
Tommy Staples	....	boom operator
John Verbeck	....	sound editor
Gwendolyn Yates Whittle	....	assistant sound editor
Kristen Gerstner	....	apprentice sound editor (uncredited)
Larry Oatfield	....	sound re-recording mixer (uncredited)
Philip Rogers	....	sound recordist (uncredited)
Lionel Strutt	....	adr mixer (uncredited)

Special Effects by
David Harris	....	special effects supervisor
Ray Lovell	....	senior special effects technician
David H. Watkins	....	senior special effects technician

Stunts
Alf Joint	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Omar Ahmed	....	electrician: Kenya
Mohammed Athman	....	electrician: Kenya
Richard Broom	....	grip
David Bryant	....	focus puller
David Chiganze	....	grip
John Clark	....	electrician
Ray Coates	....	generator operator
Frank Connor	....	still photographer
Ben Davis	....	clapper loader
Roger Deakins	....	camera operator
Kevin Edland	....	best boy
Paul Englefield	....	second camera focus
Bob Gomme	....	generator operator
John Higgins	....	gaffer
Ibrahim Jibril	....	grip: Kenya
George Kamau	....	electrician: Kenya
Steve Langley	....	electrician
Stewart Monteith	....	electrician
Terry Mulligan	....	electrician
Nick Penn	....	clapper loader
Dick Pope	....	additional photographer
Ramadhan Rajab	....	electrician: Kenya
Mirella Ricciardi	....	special still photographer
Oreste Wafula	....	grip: Kenya
Nikki Williams	....	clapper loader

Casting Department
Beverley Keogh	....	location casting: Liverpool
Emma Style	....	casting assistant

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Sophia Ali Abdi	....	wardrobe assistant: Kenya
Ken Crouch	....	wardrobe supervisor (as Kenny Crouch)
Lisa Johnson	....	wardrobe mistress
Christopher Kariuki	....	wardrobe assistant: Kenya
Simon Murray	....	assistant wardrobe
Elizabeth Ryrie	....	African costumes coordinator: Kenya

Editorial Department
Donah Bassett	....	negative cutter
Noori Dehnahi	....	post-production coordinator
Vicki Hiatt	....	assistant editor
Chris Peppe	....	assistant editor
Robert Raring	....	color timer
Scott Stevenson	....	assistant editor
Marcy Stoeven	....	assistant editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Christopher Dedrick	....	orchestrator
Curtis Roush	....	music editor
Alan Snelling	....	music engineer
Allan Wilson	....	conductor
Peter Fuchs	....	score recordist (uncredited)
George A. Martin	....	music editor (uncredited)
Shawn Murphy	....	scoring mixer (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Vic Floyd	....	driver
Errol James	....	driver
Arnie Mitchell	....	transportation coordinator: Kenya
David Tobitt	....	driver

Other crew
Stephanie Clark	....	production secretary
Robert Clarke	....	supervising rigger
Con Cremins	....	location accountant: Kenya
Hazel Crombie	....	deputy production accountant
Dennis Davidson	....	publicist
Kevin De La Noy	....	location manager
Patsy de Lord	....	production coordinator
Eleanor Fazan	....	choreographer
Robin Hollister	....	location coordinator: Kenya
Annabel Lee	....	production assistant
Suzanne McGeachan	....	production assistant (as Sue Clegg)
Mel Nortcliffe	....	production assistant
Davis Sindiyo	....	extras coordinator: Kenya
Pilar Sneddon	....	assistant: Mr. Rafelson
John Trehy	....	production accountant
Angela Wharton	....	script supervisor (as Angela Noakes)
Beverly Winston	....	production secretary
Jolene Wolff	....	assistant: Mr. Rafelson
Michael Barnes	....	legal attorney (uncredited)
Wayne Docksey	....	animal master (uncredited)
Lonnie Ramati	....	production business affairs (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Carolco Pictures
• IndieProd Company Productions
• Zephyr Films

Distributors

• TriStar Pictures (1990) (USA) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Films (1990) (France) (theatrical)
• Scotia International Filmverleih (1990) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Kinowelt Home Entertainment (2005) (Germany) (DVD)
• LK-TEL Vídeo (199?) (Brazil) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Bavaria Musik-Studios  music recorded at
• Clinton Recording Studios  music mixed at
• Clinton Recording Studios  music recorded at
• Graunke Symphony Orchestra  orchestra
• Lee Lighting  grip and lighting equipment
• Saul Zaentz Film Center  sound re-recording

Also Known As:

Runtime:

136 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Rankcolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) | Dolby (35 mm prints)

Certification:

Australia:M | Iceland:16 | Portugal:M/12 | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Africa

Company:

Carolco Pictures

Trivia:

In the end titles, Rod Woodruff is credited with playing a fencer but his role is missing from the end film.

Goofs:

Factual errors: Isabel asks Burton to sign her copy of "A System of Bayonet Exercise" and hands him a very substantial book. This writing of Burton's was a 36-page pamphlet.

Quotes:

Arab chief in Cairo:In this wilderness you will find only Allah's terrible whimsy.

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls (1995)

Soundtrack:

Wagogo Soothing Song

Too bad no-one seems to know this nice movie.

I have to admit that, before it was shown on television a few weeks ago, I had never heard of the movie. When I see how many people wrote a review or voted for this movie on IMDb, I guess I'm not the only one. It's clear to me that this is a movie that has never had any attention. Not from the public, the cinema's nor the festivals. Even journalist didn't pay much attention to it. Does that mean this movie isn't worth seeing? Certainly not, although the subject probably isn't very attractive to the mainstream audience.

The movie tells the story of Burton and Speke, two friends and explorers who tried to find the source of the Nile in the middle of the nineteenth century. Burton was more of an anthropologist who wanted to learn more about the indigenous tribes which they encountered on their journeys, while Speke was more interested in the discovery of the source itself. Once they were back home they become enemies, because Speke tells everybody who wants to hear it that he alone discovered the source of the Nile, namely Lake Victoria.

There are different things that I liked about this movie. The acting was very good, the costumes were nice, but what I really liked were the images from the African landscapes, the animals, the people... Seeing the images from England just made me look forward to the next scenes in Africa. It never felt right to see these two explorers in England, you're always left with the feeling that they belong in Africa. I guess that is where the strength of this movie lies ... It makes you feel exactly the way these men felt. I reward this little masterpiece with an 8/10.