“The African Queen”, directed by John Huston and adapted from novel by C.S Forester, was released in 1951.
Sydney Pollack on Hepburn and Bogart in THE AFRICAN QUEEN
Often denied the recognition that was his due, he won his sole Oscar for his role here. Just as famous as their performances is the turbulent making of the film on location in Africa, plagued by sickness, poisonous creatures, difficulties with native crews, and more. But it was undoubtedly worth it.
The courage and lip-quivering vulnerability of Hepburn are tremendous. The film is primarily plot driven-as most adventure films. This is shown throughout the film because a majority of the plot occurs outside of the protagonists’ control (other than Rose’s decision to seek revenge).
The African Queen US theatrical release poster
Setting the Scene: German East Africa, 1914
The establishing unit introduces Charlie and Rose-each on their own paths-but that conjoin together after an African village is invaded by the Germans. It’s German East Africa, in 1914, and prim and proper Rose Sayer (Katharine Hepburn) plays the piano at the 1st Methodist Church of Kungdu, struggling to teach the locals to sing - something they couldn’t care less about, as evidenced by disinterested faces and a preoccupation with obtaining a discarded cigar from a new arrival.
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The visitor is gruff, unshaven, gin-loving mineworker and deliveryman Charlie Allnut (Humphrey Bogart), who smokes and reclines on his little 30-foot boat, African Queen. He’s clearly not thrilled to be in the company of Rose and her brother, the reverend (Robert Morley), indifferent to their work in Africa and to the war breaking out in Europe. The establishing unit introduces Charlie and Rose-each on their own paths-but that conjoin together after an African village is invaded by the Germans.
The Inciting Incident and the Plan for Revenge
The inciting incident is the burning of the rural village by the Germans, which subsequently leads to Rose’s decision to escape onto Charlie’s African Queen boat. It’s closer than they think, however, when troops march into the church and set it ablaze. Traumatized, the reverend loses his grip on sanity and eventually passes away.
Mr. Allnut returns to the disheveled remains of the church and convinces Rose to accompany him on his outbound vessel - while the going is good. Charlie is satisfied with waiting out the war in the backwaters, but Rose insists she can’t sit idly by. The German army has a 6-pound gunship called “Louisa” and forts set up across the rivers and borders of Africa, inspiring Rose to devise a plan to turn the Queen into a makeshift torpedo - for ramming the enemy craft.
The Perilous Journey Downstream
As they journey downstream, dealing with heavy rains, white water rapids (comparable to her brother’s most spirited sermons), crocodiles, enemy snipers, drunkenness, madness, waterfalls, and more, the two find themselves falling in love, despite their incredible differences. It helps that nearly the entire movie showcases nothing but the two of them, slowly adapting their relationship through harrowing adventures and meaningful exchanges.
The complication within the film’s structure is when their propeller shaft is bent sideways and a blade missing from the propeller. The crisis is when the two almost give up after taking a wrong turn and winding up within dense reeds in the river.
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Character Development and Relationships
Like few other actors, Bogie and Hepburn create a pair of the greatest odd couples, distinguished by their likeableness, wit, charm, and, perhaps most notably, age. Allnut is filled with glib, sarcastic comments and crass remarks while Rose speaks carefully and gracefully, sips tea, and disapproves of just about everything Charlie does. But their resulting bickering is hilarious, touching, and decidedly believable.
Rose inspires Charlie to change for the better, sometimes because she doesn’t leave him any choice. Her method of curing him of overdrinking might have tempted another man to throw her over the side of the boat. Eventually, they learn to respect and trust one another.
Memorable Visual Moments
“The African Queen” is also filled with some of the most memorable visual moments in cinema: Rose dumping Charlie’s booze into the river, Sayer’s silent treatment, the learning of Allnut’s first name, a run-in with leeches, and the thrilling conclusion on the deck of the German ship.
The Climax and its Visual Contrast
The climax is when Charlie and Rose fail to bomb the Louisa and are taken aboard. Another crucial scene in this film is at the climax when Rose and Charlie are about to be hung. The setting upon the Louisa completely contrasts that of the two characters who are soiled and dirty-whereas the Louisa is pristine.
This creates a complex contrast between these subjects and evokes an obvious conflict. The lighting in this scene implies that it is at the end of the day-which implies the two are at the end of their journey. The props in this scene, the nooses, medallions and other ship attire also contrast the two “raw” leads.
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Themes and Cultural Reflection
Though the theme takes a backseat to the film’s plot, the theme of love in the face of the impossible is the most prominent-especially within the framework of Rose and Charlie’s relationship. At the end of the film, when Rose thinks they are about to die, she says, “Dear Lord, We’ve come to the end of our journey, and in a little while we’ll stand before you. I pray for you to be merciful. Judge us not for our weaknesses, but for our love and open the doors of heaven for Charlie and me.”
“The African Queen” reflected the cultural values of the fifties in that a majority of the world’s effort was repairing the catastrophes brought on by the second World War. The film might have reflected this in it’s theme that love and hope endures. Perhaps Huston and his fellow filmmakers hoped to convey an idea of hope for those affected by the war.
Production Challenges and Techniques
Unusual for its time, bulky Technicolor cameras were transported to on-location shoots in Uganda and Congo, nations today that then were still under colonial rule. The cast and crew endured sickness and spartan living conditions during their time on location. In the early scene in which Rose (Hepburn) plays an organ in the church, a bucket was placed off-camera in which she could vomit between takes because she was sick.
About half of the film was shot in the UK. The scenes in which Bogart and Hepburn are seen in the water were all shot in studio tanks at Worton Hall Studios in Isleworth, near London. The vessel used to portray the German gunboat Königin Luise was the steam tug Buganda, owned and operated on Lake Victoria by the East African Railways and Harbours Corporation.
The cameras was unable to fit wholly on the boat, so segments had to be removed in order to film. This created very intimate shots with the actors, and placed the African Queen as the focal point within the dense jungle. This intimacy was key for several features in the film.
The following table summarizes key aspects of the film's production:
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Director | John Huston |
| Stars | Humphrey Bogart, Katharine Hepburn |
| Setting | German East Africa, 1914 |
| Filming Locations | Uganda, Congo, UK Studios |
| Key Themes | Love, survival, adventure |
Reception and Legacy
Contemporary critical reviews were mostly positive. Variety called The African Queen "an engrossing motion picture ... Performance-wise, Bogart has never been seen to better advantage. Nor has he ever had a more knowing, talented film partner than Miss Hepburn." The African Queen was adapted as a one-hour Lux Radio Theater play on December 15, 1952.
