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West of Zanzibar

  • 19541954
  • ApprovedApproved
  • 1h 24m
IMDb RATING
5.7/10
178
YOUR RATING
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Sheila Sim and Anthony Steel in West of Zanzibar (1954)
The story of native tribesmen who move towards Mombasa, getting drawn info the world of ivory smuggling.
Play trailer2:18
1 Video
12 Photos
  • Adventure
  • Drama

The story of native tribesmen who move towards Mombasa, getting drawn info the world of ivory smuggling.The story of native tribesmen who move towards Mombasa, getting drawn info the world of ivory smuggling.The story of native tribesmen who move towards Mombasa, getting drawn info the world of ivory smuggling.

IMDb RATING
5.7/10
178
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Harry Watt
  • Writers
    • Max Catto(screenplay)
    • Jack Whittingham(screenplay)
    • Harry Watt(story)
  • Stars
    • Anthony Steel
    • Sheila Sim
    • William Simons
Top credits
  • Director
    • Harry Watt
  • Writers
    • Max Catto(screenplay)
    • Jack Whittingham(screenplay)
    • Harry Watt(story)
  • Stars
    • Anthony Steel
    • Sheila Sim
    • William Simons
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 8User reviews
    • 4Critic reviews
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Videos1

    Trailer
    Trailer 2:18
    Trailer

    Photos12

    Sheila Sim in West of Zanzibar (1954)
    Orlando Martins, Sheila Sim, and Anthony Steel in West of Zanzibar (1954)
    Sheila Sim in West of Zanzibar (1954)
    Anthony Steel in West of Zanzibar (1954)
    William Simons in West of Zanzibar (1954)
    Sheila Sim in West of Zanzibar (1954)
    Sheila Sim and Anthony Steel in West of Zanzibar (1954)
    Sheila Sim in West of Zanzibar (1954)
    Sheila Sim in West of Zanzibar (1954)
    Sheila Sim in West of Zanzibar (1954)
    Sheila Sim and Anthony Steel in West of Zanzibar (1954)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Anthony Steel
    Anthony Steel
    • Bob Paytonas Bob Payton
    Sheila Sim
    Sheila Sim
    • Mary Paytonas Mary Payton
    William Simons
    William Simons
    • Tim Paytonas Tim Payton
    Orlando Martins
    Orlando Martins
    • M'Kwongwias M'Kwongwi
    Edric Connor
    • Ushingoas Ushingo
    David Osieli
    • Ambrose - Ushingo's Sonas Ambrose - Ushingo's Son
    Bethlehem Sketch
    • Bethlehem - Ushingo's Sonas Bethlehem - Ushingo's Son
    Martin Benson
    Martin Benson
    • Lawyer Dhofaras Lawyer Dhofar
    Peter Illing
    Peter Illing
    • Khingonias Khingoni
    Edward Johnson
    • Half Breedas Half Breed
    Juma
    • Jumaas Juma
    Howard Marion-Crawford
    Howard Marion-Crawford
    • Woodas Wood
    • (as Howard Marion Crawford)
    Stuart Lindsell
    • Colonel Ryanas Colonel Ryan
    • (as R. Stuart Lindsell)
    Sheik Abdullah
    • Dhow Captainas Dhow Captain
    Joanna Kitau
    • Ketch Africanas Ketch African
    Roy Cable
    • Senior Officialas Senior Official
    Fatuma
    • Tanaas Tana
    Arabs and Africans of Kenya Tanganyika Uganda and Zanzibar
    • Director
      • Harry Watt
    • Writers
      • Max Catto(screenplay)
      • Jack Whittingham(screenplay)
      • Harry Watt(story)
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
    • All cast & crew

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    Storyline

    Edit
    The story of native tribesmen who move towards Mombasa, getting drawn info the world of ivory smuggling.
    • native
    • Plot summary
    • Add synopsis
    • Taglines
      • He stopped the ivory pirates who plunder Africa's forgotten wilderness
    • Genres
      • Adventure
      • Drama
    • Certificate
      • Approved
    • Parents guide
      • Add content advisory

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Opening credits: The events and characters portrayed in this film are wholly fictitious.
    • Goofs
      When the poachers are hunting the elephants, a kookaburra call is clearly heard. Kookaburras are only found in Australia, a continent thousands of miles east of Zanzibar.
    • Quotes

      Mary Payton: Don't you understand what all this is doing to innocent African tribes?

      Lawyer Dhofar: Perhaps I do. Perhaps I do not. But, but Mrs. Payton don't you think you are being a little, to put it delicately, starry-eyed about these so-called innocent tribes? Oh. come, Mrs. Payton, we must be realists. The world cannot wait for civilisation to catch up with the primitive black man.

      Mary Payton: For one thing, this ivory business is destroying a fine, pastoral people, the Golanas; turning them into slum savages.

      Lawyer Dhofar: But Mrs. Payton, in Africa, that is what the black man is doomed to be - a slum savage. Oh, it is regrettable but inevitable. Perhaps you conveniently forget your Industrial Revolution and what it did to your people?

      Lawyer Dhofar: Africa, Mr Payton, is having its own industrial revolution. And no sentimental heart-burning is going to stop it.

      Lawyer Dhofar: But you, speaking as an African...

      Lawyer Dhofar: I am not an African. A Phoenician, perhaps; a Persian even - but not an African.

      Bob Payton: I'm proud to call myself an East African.

      Lawyer Dhofar: It is easy for a conqueror to be magnanimous. You are not an African, Mr. Payton. What are your inmost thoughts at this moment? Because I talk to you as man to man. Aren't they "I'd like to smack this little wog on the kisser?" Or something like that? I am a barrister-at-law, Mr Payton, a graduate of the Sorbonne but out here, my home, I am a wog. A munt. A nigger, even. And you ask me to sympathise with you in perpetuating that? I'm all for a change, Mr Payton, and if because of it the picturesque Golanas disappear, it's just too bad. That is the right expression, isn't it?

      Lawyer Dhofar: But please forgive me. You must have so many missionary activities to occupy you, I must not detain you any longer.

      Bob Payton: Now look here...

      Lawyer Dhofar: In this cynical world, it is indeed charming to meet an idealist. Best of luck to you, Mrs Payton. Mr Payton, may you cure the growing pains of Africa.

      Bob Payton: [now outside the office] Phew, that didn't go according to plan.

    • Connections
      Follows Ivory Hunter (1951)

    User reviews8

    Review
    Top review
    6/10
    "I can't see how there are any elephants left; every second shop seems to be an ivory dealer!"
    Cannily scheduled during the chilly month of January by Talking Pictures, the second of Harry Watt's two Technicolor tours of the Dark Continent boasts excellent photography of the local wildlife fairly well integrated into the action (although described in the credits as made at Ealing Studios).

    The narrator describes at the outset that the 'white gold' of smuggled ivory has taken the place of the 'black gold' of slavery; which at least was a step in the right direction.

    But the conflict of interests between European tree-huggers and black 'smugglers' continues to worry away today.
    helpful•1
    1
    • richardchatten
    • Jan 22, 2022

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • January 17, 1955 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United Kingdom
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Westlich Sansibar
    • Filming locations
      • Zanzibar, Tanzania
    • Production companies
      • Ealing Studios
      • Schlesinger Organization
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 24 minutes
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.66 : 1

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