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The African Queen (1951)
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Overview
User Rating:
Release Date:
20 February 1952 (USA) moreTagline:
The greatest adventure a man ever lived...with a woman!Plot:
In Africa during WW1, a gin-swilling riverboat owner/captain is persuaded by a strait-laced missionary to use his boat to attack an enemy warship. full summary | full synopsisAwards:
Won Oscar. Another 1 win & 5 nominations moreNewsDesk:
(11 articles)
Jack Cardiff Dies (From EmpireOnline. 23 April 2009, 5:46 AM, PDT)
Jack Cardiff, Legendary Cinematographer, Director And Writer, Dies At Age 94
(From CinemaRetro. 22 April 2009, 3:59 PM, PDT)
User Comments:
Out of Africa with Bogey and Kate moreUS TV Schedule:
| Sun. July 12 | 8:00 PM | TCM |
Cast
(Complete credited cast)| Humphrey Bogart | ... | Charlie Allnut | |
| Katharine Hepburn | ... | Rose Sayer | |
| Robert Morley | ... | Rev. Samuel Sayer | |
| Peter Bull | ... | Captain of Louisa | |
| Theodore Bikel | ... | First Officer | |
| Walter Gotell | ... | Second Officer | |
| Peter Swanwick | ... | First Officer of Shona | |
| Richard Marner | ... | Second Officer of Shona |
Additional Details
Also Known As:
African Queen (Austria) (West Germany) [de]La reina africana (Argentina) (Venezuela) [es]
A Raínha Africana (Portugal) [pt]
Africká královná (Czechoslovakia: Slovak title) [sk]
Africká královna (Czechoslovakia: Czech title) [cs]
Afrika kraliçesi (Turkey: Turkish title) [tr]
Afrikan kuningatar (Finland) [fi]
Afrikas dronning (Denmark) [da]
Afrikas drottning (Sweden) [sv]
Afrykanska królowa (Poland) [pl]
De afrikaanse koningin (Belgium: Flemish title) [un]
I vasilissa tis Afrikis (Greece) [el]
L'odyssée de l'African Queen (France) (informal title) [fr]
La regina d'Africa (Italy) [it]
La reina d'Àfrica (Spain: Catalan title) [ca]
La reina de África (Spain) [es]
La reine africaine (France) [fr]
Schicksal am Olanga-Fluß (Austria) [de]
Uma Aventura na África (Brazil) [pt]
more
Parents Guide:
View content advisory for parentsRuntime:
105 minColor:
Color (Technicolor)Aspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1 moreSound Mix:
Mono (Western Electric Recording)Certification:
Canada:G (Manitoba/Nova Scotia/Quebec) | Canada:PG (Ontario) | Norway:7 | Singapore:PG | USA:Approved (PCA #15611) | South Korea:15 (2002) | Argentina:13 | Australia:G | Finland:S | Iceland:L | Netherlands:AL (video rating) | Sweden:15 | UK:U | USA:Unrated | West Germany:12Fun Stuff
Trivia:
Katharine Hepburn, in her written account of the film's production titled "The Making of "The African Queen," or How I Went to Africa with Bogie, Bacall and Huston and Almost Lost My Mind", described the first day of shooting, which required five cars and trucks to take the cast, crew and equipment three and a half miles from Biondo to the Ruiki river, at which point they loaded everything onto boats and sailed another two and a half miles to the shooting location. Press materials and contemporary articles detail the various perils of shooting on location in Africa, including dysentery, malaria, bacteria-filled drinking water and several close brushes with wild animals and poisonous snakes. Most of the cast and crew were sick for much of the filming. In a February 1952 New York Times article, John Huston declared that he hired local natives to help the crew, but many would not show up for fear that the filmmakers were cannibals. moreGoofs:
Continuity: When Rev. Samuel and Rose kneel to pray, his coat is unbuttoned. When they go out to attend the African man who screams, his coat is completely buttoned. moreQuotes:
Rose: [after Charlie checks the boat for damage after going down a rather rough set of rapids] Could you see anything, dear?Charlie Allnut: Yeah. The shaft's twisted like a corkscrew and there's a blade gone off the prop.
Rose: We'll have to mend it, then.
more
Soundtrack:
God of Grace and God of Glory (Cwm Rhondda) moreFAQ
How does it end in the book?What were Charlie and Rose doing in Africa?
A Note Regarding Spoilers
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This is one of those films whose special effects and scenery must have been astounding at the time (1951), but which seem mediocre at best today. BUT, and that's a big 'but', this does not detract from the greatness of the movie overall. The scenery truly is beautiful, for one thing--and the direction and cinematography is great.
However, what truly makes this film a classic, and deservedly so, is the performances given by the lead actors. For their one film together, Humphrey Bogart and Katharine Hepburn pull out all the stops. Bogart is crude, dirty and a low-life river-rat with a heart of gold. He gives the Oscar-winning performance of his lifetime. Hepburn is prim and prissy, but always manages to win us over with her radiance and vulnerability, as well as that core of steel and strength she lends to all her on-screen characters. He's charming, in his way; she's achingly beautiful in hers. You can't help but warm to Charlie and Rosie, and truly, genuinely root for them to get together.
The ending is predictable; all 'opposites-attract' romance adventure stories are. You know without a doubt that the sunset will be there for Charlie and Rosie to ride off (or swim) into together. But you still hurt when Charlie hurts; and you still smile like a fool when he sees Rose, and when he tries to explain her forthrightness away by jungle fever. You believe the love, and that's what the African Queen is all about.
Oh, and the gin and leech scenes, of course. Those are brilliant, as everyone else here has already mentioned! ;)