Year: 1951
Director: John Huston
Country: U.S
Language: English
By 1951 Humphrey Bogart had been a household name for decades. Inspiring millions with Casablanca a decade earlier, women had come to want him and men had come to want to be him. He was everywhere, yet he was getting old and still hadn't won an Oscar for his acting. Katherine Hepburn was also a household name, a great actress who starred in classic films like Bringing Up Baby and The Philadelphia Story. Similar could be said for John Huston and his directing. So what happens when all three cinematic heavyweights combine? Magic.
The African Queen is set in 1914, when news of the World War hits Africa. Rose Sayer (Katherine Hepburn) buries her brother after German Troops drive him to madness. She is determined to leave but the only available transport is the crummy river steamboat 'African Queen' captained by the grumpy Charlie Allnut (Humphrey Bogart). She is also determined to find a way to do their bit for the British war effort (and revenge her brother) Constructing their own equipment, a torpedo and use the converted steamboat, to take out a huge German warship
The African Queen's brilliance relies on the collaboration of three brilliant cinema veterans; Humphrey Bogart, Katherine Hepburn & John Huston. The incredible acting of both leads, Humphrey Bogart beat out the great Marlon Brando for his Oscar at the Academy Awards, combined with the flawless directing of John Huston create an enthralling adventure film filled with action and romance. The onscreen romance between Bogart and Hepburn is very interesting to watch as it unfolds slowly and with great humor.
Indeed The African Queen has a warmth and tenderness that few films have. It can appeal to the passive as well as the aggressive due to the awe inspiring action scenes that are exquisitely edited and fantastically paced. It's a roller-coaster, loads of ups and downs, twists and turns and suspenseful moments. This film deserves great credit for not sticking to typical gendered norms. The woman starts off as the helpless heroine but slowly becomes the aggressive hero who is determined to kill a few Germans. Bogey is very much the submissive male, he clearly could not have survived if it wasn't for his brave female counter part.
In conclusion, The African Queen feels more like a great fable than a realistic film and I think that was exactly John Huston's intentions. The only problem I have with this film is the ending, it feels odd compared to the rest of the film and doesn't quite fit. Some will find this a big issue, others will not. Still it is a film that is needed to be seen by anybody who is interested in the history of Cinema. Praise it! 4/5
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