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Mountains of the Moon (1990)

R | | Adventure, Drama, History | 23 February 1990 (USA)
Mountains of the Moon Poster
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The legendary true-story of Capt. Richard Francis Burton and Lt. John Hanning Speke's tumultuous expedition to find the source of the Nile river.

Director:

Writers:

(novel), (screenplay) | 1 more credit »

Stars:

, , | See full cast & crew »
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Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
... Richard Francis Burton
... John Hanning Speke
... Larry Oliphant
... Isabel Arundell (Mrs Burton as from 1861)
... Lord Murchison
James Villiers ... Lord Oliphant
... Edward
... Lord Houghton
... Mabruki
... Dr. David Livingstone
... William
... Lord Russell
... Herne
... Stroyan
... Ben Amir
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Storyline

The story of Captain Richard Francis Burton and Lt. John Hanning Speke's expedition to find the source of the Nile river in the name of Queen Victoria's British Empire. The film tells the story of their meeting, their friendship emerging amidst hardship, and then dissolving after their journey. Written by Greg Bole <bole@life.bio.sunysb.edu>

Plot Summary | Add Synopsis

Plot Keywords:

sneeze | botanical garden | candle | female rear nudity | horse drawn carriage | See All (198) »

Genres:

Adventure | Drama | History | Mystery

Certificate:

R | See all certifications »

Parents Guide:

 »
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Details

Country:

Language:

Release Date:

23 February 1990 (USA)  »

Also Known As:

Aux sources du Nil  »

Filming Locations:

 »
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Box Office

Budget:

$19,000,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$4,011,793
See more on IMDbPro »

Company Credits

Production Co:

, ,  »
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Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

(70 mm prints)| (35 mm prints)

Color:

(Rankcolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1
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Did You Know?

Trivia

The movie features the famous African explorer character of Dr. Livingstone (Dr. David Livingstone), who is well-known for being referenced in the famous quotation "Dr. Livingstone, I presume?", and who is portrayed in the picture by actor Bernard Hill. See more »

Goofs

Although Larry Oliphant is portrayed as a homosexual, by all accounts he was in real life heterosexual: the filmmakers changed his sexual orientation to create a more dramatic reason for Speke's betrayal of Burton after all they had gone through together. See more »

Quotes

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

Connections

Featured in Siskel & Ebert: Mountains of the Moon/Where the Heart Is/Revenge/Hard to Kill/Madhouse (1990) See more »

Soundtracks

Wagogo Marriage Ritual
Recorded by David Fanshawe
From the album "Africa - Ceremonial & Folk Music"
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User Reviews

The Great Journey
27 January 2002 | by – See all my reviews

Every time I watch "Mountains of the Moon," I grow more and more fascinated by it. An epic drama and adventure, an exploration of what makes a hero and the value of friendship... this movie is a marvel.

I barely know where to begin. The acting is exceptional, of course. Patrick Bergin really makes Captain Richard Francis Burton come alive, so much so that I started reading up on Burton on my own after seeing the movie. His Burton is a man of great courage and insatiable curiosity, but also of great pride (the film only hints at Burton's infamous sexual escapades). Iain Glen brings great depth to John Hanning Speke, a man who desires greatness but cannot escape his fundamental weakness. It would have been so easy to make these two characters into square-jawed cartoons or place them in the easy Great Hero / Cowardly Villain mold, but director Bob Rafaelson, the script, and the actors wisely give us three-dimensional real people.

While I was watching this movie, I felt like I was actually transported to Africa in the 1850s, when the first explorers ventured into what was truly the Dark Continent. You see Burton and Speke's expedition endure weather, illness, injury, and attacks by hostile tribesmen, bringing home the reality of how dangerous these expeditions really were. By the time the film ended, I felt I had been to Africa itself.

If you want to see a real epic and a fine, exciting film, this is the one to see.
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