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Bwana Devil

  • 1952
  • Not Rated
  • 1h 26m
IMDb RATING
4.6/10
471
YOUR RATING
Bwana Devil (1952)
Adventure

British railway workers in Kenya are becoming the favorite snack of two man-eating lions. Head engineer Bob Hayward becomes obsessed with trying to kill the beasts before they maul everyone ... Read allBritish railway workers in Kenya are becoming the favorite snack of two man-eating lions. Head engineer Bob Hayward becomes obsessed with trying to kill the beasts before they maul everyone on his crew.British railway workers in Kenya are becoming the favorite snack of two man-eating lions. Head engineer Bob Hayward becomes obsessed with trying to kill the beasts before they maul everyone on his crew.

  • Directors
    • Arch Oboler
    • Robert Clampett
  • Writers
    • Robert Clampett
    • Arch Oboler
  • Stars
    • Robert Stack
    • Barbara Britton
    • Nigel Bruce
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    4.6/10
    471
    YOUR RATING
    • Directors
      • Arch Oboler
      • Robert Clampett
    • Writers
      • Robert Clampett
      • Arch Oboler
    • Stars
      • Robert Stack
      • Barbara Britton
      • Nigel Bruce
    • 18User reviews
    • 15Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Photos84

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    Top cast16

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    Robert Stack
    Robert Stack
    • Bob Hayward
    Barbara Britton
    Barbara Britton
    • Alice Hayward
    Nigel Bruce
    Nigel Bruce
    • Dr. Angus McLean
    Ramsay Hill
    • Major Parkhurst
    Paul McVey
    Paul McVey
    • Commissioner
    Hope Miller
    • Portuguese girl
    John Dodsworth
    • Sir William Drayton
    Patrick O'Moore
    Patrick O'Moore
    • Ballinger
    • (as Pat O'Moore)
    Patrick Aherne
    • Latham
    • (as Pat Aherne)
    Edward C. Short
    • Native Hunter
    • (as Edward Short)
    Bhogwan Singh
    Bhogwan Singh
    • Indian Headman
    Paul Thompson
    Bhupesh Guha
    • The Dancer
    Bal Seirgakar
    • Indian Hunter
    Kalu K. Sonkur
    Kalu K. Sonkur
    • Karparim
    • (as Kalu K. Sonkar)
    Milas G. Clark Jr.
    • Mukosi
    • (as Miles Clark Jr)
    • Directors
      • Arch Oboler
      • Robert Clampett
    • Writers
      • Robert Clampett
      • Arch Oboler
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews18

    4.6471
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    Featured reviews

    DavidLEzell

    Brand New Print, Same Bad Movie

    The story is not unlike the story of Jaws. A tiny group of people is isolated and threatened by this horrible creature, cut off from the world. Experts are brought in to eliminate the menace and restore order.

    The only reason I mention this is to show the difference between talent (Spielberg/Benchley) and zero talent (Obler/Clampett) for story telling and film making. This 79 minutes (plus the mandatory intermission early 3-D requires) seemed to stretch way beyond its length. Horrible film.

    Quick notes: What year is this story set in? It sure seems like 1952 until Barbara Britton, in high-button shoes, steps off the train.

    The highlight was when star Robert Stack took his shirt off. Maybe if he had done the entire thing shirtless I would raise the score a half a point.

    This was seen at the Film Forum in Manhattan, struck from the camera negative. It made zero difference as it was still completely awful.
    4planktonrules

    A little dull and Stack overacted, but it's better than many of the reviews indicated.

    I will admit that "Bwana Devil" is not a great movie, but to compare this groundbreaking 3-D movie to "Plan 9 From Outer Space" is utterly ridiculous, as "Bwana Devil" is not bad--but it is slightly below average. The negatives are Robert Stack's overacting and forgetting his accent frequently as well as a few cheesy scenes (seeing a stuffed lion tossed on Nigel Bruce when he was supposedly being attacked was unintentionally funny). The HUGE plus is that this film was made mostly in Africa and looks so much better than the tons of schlocky African films of the 1930s-50s.

    The story is a dramatization of a real story of a couple man-eating lions and the man who ultimately killed them. It's the same story you'll see in the newer and better "Ghost and the Darkness"--so my advice is see this film instead. But, if you don't, you'll essentially learn the same story...along with Stack's less than stellar performance. Not a bad film at all--just not one that will bowl you over, either.
    5AryeDirect

    The First 3-D Color Feature

    I saw it the first day of its first run release at the Chicago Theater in Chicago in 1952. 'Bwana Devil' was the brainchild of radio director, Arch Oboler. - best known for the radio (and early live TV series) 'Lights Out'. Oboler's brother-in-law was Milton Gunzburg. Gunzburg was, I believe, the optician who connected the use of Polaroid lenses to the making of stereoscopic films.

    In 1952, television was stomping out movies and movie theaters the way rogue elephants could destroy villages. Hollywood was searching for any gimmick it could use to bring people back to the theaters. Cinerama, a cumbersome early widescreen process had come on the scene. It produced an 3-D like effect. That opened the door for Gunzberg and his brother-in-law. They called their process Naturalvision, raised some money to demonstrate the process, and produced 'Bwana Devil'.

    While the story and production values took a back seat to the illusion of depth, the picture was a hit. It was quickly followed by 'House of Wax' and others. Most producers opted to exploit the stereoscopic effects rather than make good movies. 'House of Wax' was one of the rare exceptions. After about a year, audiences tired of the shoddy productions, and Naturalvision eventually disappeared. Into the void Fox introduced CinemaScope, a flat wide-screen process, and helped stem the sinking theater system.

    I imagine seeing 'Bwana Devil' in flat projection would be painful. But for those of us who saw it with pristine prints, and quality projection, it was something to behold. Lions leaping off the screen into our laps was something few of us would forget.

    It has taken another fifty years for 3-D to return. Today's producers seem not to be making the same mistake as those in the early fifties. I hope so. After all, 3-D is so much more fun than flat.
    7blueglas-159-114603

    Reminds me of another movie.

    Viewers: Hello. This movie does not show up on Cable very often. It reminds me of a much more recent movie, The Ghost and the Darkness. Similar plot...but has historical truth, of the two lions of "Ranchipour". The British colonel was building a bridge over the river, and some 150 workers were eaten by the two lions. He killed the lions. Those two lions , "taxidermied", are on display at the Chicago Field House,Chicago, IL.
    1wgsj

    PAINFUL TO RECALL

    I saw this movie when it was first released in Pittsburgh Pa. I had traveled from Youngstown Ohio, a distance of approx. 85 miles. I knew nothing of the plot nor the players. I had read no reviews nor had I talked to anyone who had seen it. Believe me I will never make that mistake again. It was being touted I believe as the first feature length movie filmed in the new 3D process. That was what enticed me to make a 170 mile round trip.

    There was a waiting line two abreast that stretched (I kid you not) 2 or 2½ blocks long and moving very slowly. I could hardy wait to be seated. If I had only known at that moment what I soon would know, I could have been ¾ of the way back to Youngstown by the time the feature started.

    By the time the first 3D scene was shown, I was already nodding off. The novelty quickly wore thin and from then on it was pure agony.

    Without going into excruciating detail, I can only offer the following advice. If you have ever seen the famous film PLAN NINE FROM OUTER SPACE, supposedly the worst movie ever filmed, it in my humble opinion stands head and shoulders above this garbage.

    I don't know if this has ever been shown on tv, if it has I don't know why. If you ever get a chance to see it, do something else. Take a walk, cut the grass, wash the dog, have someone flog you with a rubber hose. ANYTHING. Your time will have been better spent.

    This has been my first movie review. It might well be my last unless a worse movie comes along and I wouldn't make book that will happen.

    Bill

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    Storyline

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    Did you know

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    • Trivia
      Is the first American 3-D movie shot in color.
    • Quotes

      Bob: Now I'm in a conspiracy against *him*.

    • Connections
      Referenced in Meet Mr. Lucifer (1953)

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    FAQ14

    • How long is Bwana Devil?Powered by Alexa

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • November 30, 1952 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • The Lions of Gulu
    • Filming locations
      • Democratic Republic Of Congo(as the Belgian Congo)
    • Production company
      • Arch Oboler Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

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    • Budget
      • $323,000 (estimated)
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

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    • Runtime
      1 hour 26 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

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