Source: CineWeekly
The classic The African Queen (1951) is, for today’s sensibilities, a mixed bag. The time is the start of World War I. Two missionaries, a brother and sister team, are situated in German-controlled East Africa, on the river. The Germans show up, torch the village, kidnap the villagers, and beat the brother; he soon dies. The African Queen shows up, and her master reports similar incidents up the river. Upon hearing that the lake into which the river drains is patrolled by the German ship Königin Luise, and by her presence she bars any invasion by the British, the surviving missionary, a middle aged spinster, hatches a plot to take the Queen down the river and ram her into the Königin Luise. Despite knowing the river becomes unnavigable as it approaches the lake, the master agrees. Various adventures ensue during the trip, they make whoopee, but the attack on the German ship flops and they’re taken prisoner. Just prior to their hanging, the German captain agrees to marry them.
On the strong side of this movie are the stars, Humphrey Bogart and Katherine Hepburn, who turn in strong performances and fairly good chemistry (Theodore Bikel, in an abbreviated role, also does fine work); special effects, which, if not realistic, also do not generally fall into the category of cheesy. I liked them.
On the negative side is the script. Although I was aware of the story from the book, I believe I would still have been annoyed by the blatant foreshadowing. Worse yet is the behavior of Mr. Allnut, who agrees to take his boat, the African Queen, down the river to the rapids where it’ll be destroyed. Why? That’s not clear. Is he really such a pushover? And, frankly, his pushback in mid-journey is simply not that convincing. Perhaps a little more digging into his background might be in order. Does he have a suicidal urge, to be soothed by the missionary’s love? A bone to pick with the Germans, or even better, the Königin Luise? As it stands, his behavior doesn’t seem reasonable.
Additionally, the musical selections are somewhat broad and, in at least one instance, cartoonish. This movie may have its light moments, but the humor is not of that type, and it distracts.
But the script also spends most of its time with the two stars, and this is a positive, as we do get to see them almost minute-by-minute on a river cruise on a cantankerous, decrepit old boat. I think the book, from what I vaguely remember, did it better than the movie, but the movie does a good job, seeing the ebb & flow of an iron-willed woman and the more go with the flow master.
Because it’s a classic, I recommend it, but not strongly.
