A Reel Retro Review: THE AFRICAN QUEEN (1952)

Reel Speak’s Retro Reviews will randomly review a classic film from the TCM library every week, with the intention of introducing some overlooked and perhaps forgotten screen gems from the past to those of us who may be unfamiliar or unawares of their existence. 

 

Later this week, Walt Disney Pictures will release its action-adventure film JUNGLE CRUISE, which is based on the long-running theme park attraction of the same name. That ride, which made its opening in 1955, took much of its inspiration from the 1952 John Huston film, THE AFRICAN QUEEN. 

 

At the beginning of the First World War in German East Africa in 1914, missionary Rose Sayer (Katharine Hepburn), convinces steamboat skipper Charlie Allnut (Humphrey Bogart), to stage an attack on a German steamer that is preventing the British from counter-attacking the invading army. 

 

Directed by John Huston and based on the 1935 novel of the same name by C.S. Forester, THE AFRICAN QUEEN is structured as a closed-quarters, isolation story…with Charlie and Rose making their way up the river alone; avoiding German snipers, harsh weather, and African wildlife such as alligators, leeches, bugs, and hungry hippos. The stakes are simple; Charlie just wants to lay low until the war blows over, while Rose seeks a bit of justice for her dead brother (at the hands of the invading German army), and a way for her kinsman to make their way into Africa and set things right. 

 

The long journey up-river allows for tons of character development. Charlie is a drinker and is rough around the edges, while Rose is well-to-do and a believer in the good book. With the two of them practically trapped on the little 30-foot boat, they have little else to do but banter, quip, and argue with each other. The energy between the two is electric, and the contrasting beliefs and goals clash nicely. 

 

Director John Huston took the production to Uganda and the Congo in Africa and it pays off. The scenery is gorgeous and looks fantastic for a nearly 70-year-old film. The harsh living and travelling conditions on the little boat are captured in full, and the two lead actors are not afraid to have themselves presented as dirty and un-attractive. A combination of location and in-studio shooting is done, although the transitions between the two are sometimes jarring. The storyline of Charlie’s love for gin is a curious one; his drinking never seems to impede their progress or cause any real problems, and Rose’s hard objection to booze seems rooted in faith…perhaps a precurser to Prohibition.

 

Acting is fantastic. With the bulk of the film focusing on just Katharine Hepburn and Humphrey Bogart, there is plenty of space for the two to really stretch. Hepburn goes from a mourner to a freedom fighter with ease, and is not afraid to get down in the murky water when she has to; far from a damsel in distress and worthy of top-billing with Bogart. Bogart is a delight; rough around the edges but full of heart. 

 

The finale finds our two heroes stripped of everything on their way to bombing the German steamer, including Charlie’s beloved boat. The final solution comes about out of a little bit of dumb luck, but it does work and the film finishes in thrilling fashion. THE AFRICAN QUEEN is full of amazing photography and wonderful performances, and is a cruise worth every nautical mile.

 

BOTTOM LINE: See it 

 

Reel Facts: Humphrey Bogart would win an Oscar for Best Actor for his performance; his only career win. Much of the cast and crew were ill during the rough production on location; Bogart and Huston later bragged they escaped sickness by not drinking the local water and instead relying on the whiskey they had brought with them.