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Sanders of the River

  • 19351935
  • Not RatedNot Rated
  • 1h 25m
IMDb RATING
5.4/10
688
YOUR RATING
Leslie Banks, Nina Mae McKinney, and Paul Robeson in Sanders of the River (1935)
AdventureDramaMusic
A British District Officer in Nigeria in the 1930s rules his area strictly but justly. He struggles with gun-runners and slavers with the aid of a loyal native chief.A British District Officer in Nigeria in the 1930s rules his area strictly but justly. He struggles with gun-runners and slavers with the aid of a loyal native chief.A British District Officer in Nigeria in the 1930s rules his area strictly but justly. He struggles with gun-runners and slavers with the aid of a loyal native chief.
IMDb RATING
5.4/10
688
YOUR RATING
    • Zoltan Korda
  • Writers
    • Lajos Biró(adaptation)
    • Jeffrey Dell(adaptation)
    • Edgar Wallace(story)
  • Stars
    • Paul Robeson
    • Leslie Banks
    • Nina Mae McKinney
    • Zoltan Korda
  • Writers
    • Lajos Biró(adaptation)
    • Jeffrey Dell(adaptation)
    • Edgar Wallace(story)
  • Stars
    • Paul Robeson
    • Leslie Banks
    • Nina Mae McKinney
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 20User reviews
    • 17Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards

    Photos9

    Paul Robeson in Sanders of the River (1935)
    (1947) re-release, 1 sheet, 27 x 40
    Nina Mae McKinney in Sanders of the River (1935)
    Leslie Banks, Nina Mae McKinney, and Paul Robeson in Sanders of the River (1935)
    Leslie Banks and Robert Cochran in Sanders of the River (1935)
    Nina Mae McKinney in Sanders of the River (1935)
    Leslie Banks and Nina Mae McKinney in Sanders of the River (1935)
    Paul Robeson in Sanders of the River (1935)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Paul Robeson
    Paul Robeson
    • Bosambo
    Leslie Banks
    Leslie Banks
    • Commissioner R.G. Sanders
    Nina Mae McKinney
    Nina Mae McKinney
    • Lilongo
    Robert Cochran
    • Lieutenant Tibbets
    • (as Robert Cochrane)
    Martin Walker
    • J. Ferguson
    Richard Grey
    • Captain Hamilton
    Tony Wane
    • King Mofolaba
    Marqués De Portago
    • Farini
    • (as Marquis De Portago)
    Eric Maturin
    • Smith
    Allan Jeayes
    Allan Jeayes
    • Father O'Leary
    Charles Carson
    Charles Carson
    • Governor of the Territory
    Luao
    • Chief of the Wagenia [Congo] Tribe
    Kilongalonga
    • Chief of the Wagenia [Congo] Tribe
    Oboja
    • Chief of the Acholi Tribe
    Members of Acholi Tribe
    • Themselves
    • (as Members of the Acholi Tribe)
    Members of the Sesi Tribe
    • Themselves
    Members of the Tefik Tribe
    • Themselves
    Members of the Juruba Tribe
    • Themselves
      • Zoltan Korda
    • Writers
      • Lajos Biró(adaptation)
      • Jeffrey Dell(adaptation)
      • Edgar Wallace(story)
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Paul Robeson disowned this picture, telling journalists that it was the only one of his films to have been screened in Italy and Germany. However, his claim to have walked out of the premiere in disgust was a re-invention of history.
    • Goofs
      Although the film is nominally set in Nigeria (as shown on the map in Sanders' office), the aerial wildlife shots seem to have been taken in East Africa (e.g. Kenya, Uganda, Tanganyika). Given the presence of Jomo Kenyatta as an extra in the cast, it is likely that the African scenes were shot on the eastern coast of Africa rather than in Nigeria.
    • Quotes

      Bosambo: Lord Sandi, I lie to anybody if I think it is good for me. But, I will never lie to you.

      Commissioner R.G. Sanders: That will be very wise, Bosambo.

    • Connections
      Featured in Edgar Wallace: The Man Who Made His Name (1976)
    • Soundtracks
      The Song of the Spear
      Music by Mischa Spoliansky

      Lyrics by Arthur Wimperis

      Sung by Paul Robeson

    User reviews20

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    5/10
    What colonialism looked like from a British perspective
    Along a west African river, Sanders, a British officer (Leslie Banks) maintains peace among the warring tribes, putting much of his faith in one of the tribe chiefs, Bosambo (Paul Robeson).

    Producer Alexander Korda's first of his Empire pictures in which the politics looks dated and may even be offensive or troubling to many. Indeed Alex Korda clashed with his director brother Zoltan who felt the emphasis should be more on the tribes. That it was released unmolested in fascist Italy and Germany gives an indication on why this would become a film that Robeson would come to disown. Robeson is a strong presence in the film and sings several songs, but the British Empire propaganda makes it look like a relic from the past.

    Father of the documenatary movement and director of the celebrated documentary NANOOK OF THE NORTH (1922), Robert J. Flaherty filmed a good deal of footage on location in Africa providing all the wonderful ethnographic footage used extensively in the film. Alfred Hitchcock began work on this film before being taken over by Zoltan Korda. The film was criticised at the time for too many shots of natives dancing, but it is this authenticity that makes the film so much more interesting than other made at the time. Adapted by Lajos Biro and Jeffrey Bell from Edgar Wallace's novel, the film would be remade as DEATH DRUMS ALONG THE RIVER (1963).
    helpful•2
    2
    • vampire_hounddog
    • Aug 1, 2020

    Details

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    • Release date
      • June 26, 1935 (United States)
      • United Kingdom
      • English
    • Also known as
    • Filming locations
      • Denham Studios, Denham, Buckinghamshire, England, UK
    • Production company
      • London Film Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

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    • 1 hour 25 minutes
      • Black and White

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