It's hard to describe this film. On one hand, it's long and slow; on the other, it's an absorbing story with fantastic acting and breathtaking scenery.
Meryl Streep stars as Karen Blixen, a Danish woman, who marries Bror Blixen and becomes a Baroness. The couple move to Africa in 1913 and start a coffee plantation.
Blixen cheats on her and is away often for business, while she stays at home working the plantation. Ultimately he gives her VD.
She falls in love with Denys Finch-Hatton (Robert Redford). The relationship is frustrating for her -- Denys does not want a commitment, he wanted freedom. When she returns to her native country, she writes about her experience as Isak Dinesen.
The film shows a lot of interesting history: the class consciousness, for one, as Karen was looked down on because of her humble beginnings. Also, it shows Europeans trying to impose their culture on a foreign people.
It definitely portrays how the different tribes saw the Europeans, basically as people who did not belong there.
It also shows the simplicity of the natives, and how their knowledge of their own country was superior. All of this is before World War II and very interesting.
Interestingly, Sikh Indians are brought to the English Gentlemen's club to act as servants and when Karen dares to enter the men's only den, it's the Sikh who is responsible for escorting her out; none of the English "gentlemen" have the balls or nerve to do it. An interesting observation on the English White man's view of the world before World War I.
Many of the lesser characters were real people. Kumante was apparently consulted by the filmmakers. Felicity is based on aviatrix Beryl Markham.
The cast includes Klaus Maria Brandauer, Michael Kitchen, Michael Gough, and Rachel Kempson, all wonderful actors.
Meryl Streep does a beautiful job as Karen/Isak. Robert Redford is miscast as Denys, who is supposed to be a British aristocrat. If he speaks with an American accent, he can't be a British aristocrat. Apparently Redford used an accent but Sydney Pollack made him overdub his lines; he thought they would distract the audience.
I think he should have been encouraged to work on and use the accent so his portrayal could have closer to the real man. As it is, he comes off as miscast -- and American. He also doesn't register as well as he could, given his looks and charm.
The scenery in this film is the true star. So many of us don't have a strong picture of Africa; this film displays its great beauty.
Interestingly, the story of Isak Dinesen was considered for Greta Garbo, and Audrey Hepburn was offered the role before Streep.
