The End of the River (1947)

Director:

Derek N. Twist

Writers:

Desmond Holdridge (novel) and
Wolfgang Wilhelm (writer)

Release Date:

7 July 1948 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

Where the Law of Nature Began - And Civilization Stopped

Plot:

A South American Indian is taken from his jungle home into the world of the White Man where he is forced to stand trial for murder...

Plot Keywords:

Based On Novel

Cast

Sabu	...	Manoel
Bibi Ferreira	...	Teresa
Esmond Knight	...	Dantos
Antoinette Cellier	...	Conceicao
Robert Douglas	...	Jones
Torin Thatcher	...	Lisboa
Orlando Martins	...	Harrigan
Raymond Lovell	...	Porpino
James Hayter	...	Chico
Nicolette Bernard	...	Dona Serafina
Minto Cato	...	Dona Paula
Maurice Denham	...	Defending Counsel
Eva Hudson	...	Maria Gonsalves
Alan Wheatley	...	Irygoyen
Charles Hawtrey	...	Raphael

Also Known As:

Green Days and Blue Days (UK) (working title)

Runtime:

83 min | USA:80 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

West Germany:16 | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15

Filming Locations:

Amazon River, Amazon Rainforest, Amazonas, Brazil

Company:

Archers, The

Goofs:

Continuity: Young Manoel is only about 10 when he's forced to leave his village. Older Manoel is declared to be "about 21" during the rest of the film. But he says to Teresa that only a year ago he knew nothing of the white man.

Soundtrack:

Trepa No Coquiero

Civilization vs. Sabu

Sabu, a member of a primitive Amazonian tribe, is exiled from his homeland. Can he find a place in modern Brazil, or he will he end up jailed or executed for violating the complicated laws that govern the society at THE END OF THE RIVER?

The Tories/Conservatives of Great Britain were great believers in knowing one's place in society, and staying there. This movie is as direct an advocate for that position as I have ever seen. Sabu, once he is exiled from his tribe, is a man lost. He does not understand the customs. He trusts the wrong people -- particularly the members of a shady labor union. He does not trust the great white fathers who do nice things like save his pay for him. Even the local Catholic priest can't do a thing with him, and figures he is on a slide to Hell. So it's no surprise that our hero is on trial for his life, through no particular fault of his own. Everyone in this movie knows that Sabu would have been far better off if he could have just worked things out with his tribe...

Needless to say, the artistic viewpoint at work here produces one peculiar movie. Though everyone in the film is supposed to be Brazilian, some of the actors attempt an accent, and some simply go on screen with their BBC upper-crust or cockney accents intact. The catholic priest is made to mouth sentiments that are completely against Catholic doctrine. And Sabu, who lights up many a film with his aggressive cheerfulness, must play sullen and (even less typically) wear a shirt.

The result of all this is a movie that is, at times, fascinating, with a tragic determinism that suggests film noir and Fritz Lang, and at other times, annoying, suggesting condescending lectures from Prince Charles about the virtues of simple living. Give it a tumble, if you don't think you'll mind the occasional cinematic lecturing. The first half of the film is better than the second, when the script's essential condescension to its main character begins to really hurt Sabu's performance.