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The African Queen (1951)
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Overview
User Rating:
Director:
Writers:
Release Date:
20 February 1952 (USA)
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Tagline:
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 synopsis
Awards:
Won Oscar.
Another 1 win
&
5 nominations
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NewsDesk:
(12 articles)
Jack Cardiff Dies
(From EmpireOnline. 23 April 2009, 5:46 AM, PDT)
Jack Cardiff
(From Alternative Film Guide. 22 April 2009, 5:55 PM, PDT)
(From EmpireOnline. 23 April 2009, 5:46 AM, PDT)
Jack Cardiff
(From Alternative Film Guide. 22 April 2009, 5:55 PM, PDT)
User Comments:
Don't Take This One For Granted
more (152 total)
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
Parents Guide:
Runtime:
105 min
Color:
Color (Technicolor)
Aspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1 more
Sound 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:12
Filming Locations:
Company:
Fun Stuff
Trivia:
To show her disgust with the amount of alcohol that John Huston and Humphrey Bogart consumed during filming, Katharine Hepburn drank only water. As a result, she suffered a severe bout of dysentery.
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Goofs:
Revealing mistakes: When Charlie welds the replacement blade that he "made" onto the broken propeller, the new blade he is using is a perfect fit, and was clearly cut from the propeller he is repairing.
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Quotes:
Rose Sayer:
Who do you think you are ordering me about?
Charlie Allnut: I'm the captain, that's what!
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Charlie Allnut: I'm the captain, that's what!
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Movie Connections:
Referenced in Stardust in Your Eyes (1953)
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Soundtrack:
God of Grace and God of Glory (Cwm Rhondda)
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FAQ
What was the song...Who is the African Queen?
Is this movie based on a novel?
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more (152 total)
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THE African QUEEN is probably one of the most widely available films in the world, on sale in the electronics department of virtually every major retail chain, a commonplace at every rental counter, frequently seen on television. It is hard to imagine any one in the western world, especially in the United States, who has not seen the film at least once--and probably more than once. And so we take it for granted.
That is a mistake. Based on the famous C.S. Forester novel, which it follows quite closely, THE African QUEEN is the simple story of pragmatic river-rat Charlie Allnut (Bogart) and high-minded Methodist missionary spinster Rose Sayer (Hepburn) who are thrown together by chance when German troops sweep through Africa during World War I. Once safely aboard his beat-up riverboat "The African Queen," Allnut desires nothing more than to dodge the Germans until war's end; Rose, however, determines to strike a blow against the Germans by sailing the boat downriver to attack a German battleship.
There are so many fine things about this movie that they are hard to innumerate. Filmed on location in the Congo, the cinematography is remarkably fine without being obtrusive; the script, which is at once subtle and very purposeful, has a remarkably natural tone; the two stars--who play the vast majority of the film alone together--give justly famous performances; and Huston's direction is so fine that we never feel even the slightest hint of directorial manipulation. As an adventure, it has a sense of realism that most adventure stories lack; as a character study it is remarkably detailed and finely wrought; as a love story, it is quite touching without engaging in common sentimentality. And it can be enjoyed by many people of diverse backgrounds and ages without the faintest qualm.
If you haven't seen THE African QUEEN in a while (or heaven forbid never seen it at all) don't take it for granted thinking you'll catch it sooner or later. Sit down with the film and watch it with fresh eyes. You'll be amazed.
Gary F. Taylor, aka GFT, Amazon Reviewer