The African Queen (1951)'s comments

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Jeckit

While filming this movie in the Congo, everybody on the crew, including Katherine Hepburn, became extremely illl with dysentery from drinking the water. Everybody that is, except Humphrey Bogart, who only drank Whiskey.

11 years 4 months ago

maxwelldeux

7 years 4 months ago

Siskoid

In The African Queen, Humphrey Bogart and Katharine Hepburn go down an African river to escape WWI German troops, but also - and I never think this self-imposed mission is ever justified - sink a German boat patrolling the lake down-river. It's an adventure film, so a bit of a picaresque - never my favorite story structure (it's just one damn thing after another), but we're really watching this unlikely couple fall in love, so it didn't bother me too much. Bogart is symbolically associated with the wilderness, imitating animals even when he doesn't mean to, while Hepburn is a prim minister's sister and serves as catalyst for his spiritual betterment. But his wildness changes her too, unfetters her. We really are watching an osmosis of sorts, the evolution of a relationship in a pressure cooker (at this is a steam ship, after all). There's certainly something more going on under the surface and I like that, and my expectations were nicely confounded by the two leads not exactly playing to type. And it ends on a wonderfully romantic moment as well.

4 years 8 months ago

tricksta_p

Great adventure movie that is carried by the chemistry between Bogart and Hepburn.

11 years 2 months ago

frankqb

The film is largely notable for the chemistry between Hepburn and Bogart and the fact that it is essentially a play set on a boat moving down river. Much of what appears in the film is incredibly average by today's standards, especially the woefully aged green-screen effects.

Nonetheless, Bogart's performance and the novelty of the setting do make it watchable. It has some great lines and moments, but overall feels cliched today. When it comes down to it, they don't really make films like this anymore and that's a shame because this is a solid film.

3.5 stars out of 4

5 years 10 months ago

Nightwalker

John Huston has made some brilliant films (The Treasure of the Sierra Madre and The Maltese Falcon), some moderate films (The Asphalt Jungle and The Man Who Would Be King) and some terrible films (The Misfits and Annie). The African Queen is definetely one of those moderate films. A bit better than The Man Who Would Be King, a bit lesser than The Asphalt Jungle. In any case nothing to write home about. Nonetheless I was a bit disappointed. Not because it's Huston directing (he's too precarious to rely on), but beacuse it's Humphrey Bogart and Katharine Hepburn acting. I love both of them. Like, really, adore. Especially Hepburn. It might be because of misguided romantic ideas of a lost Hollywood era. Or it might be just because I like the sight and style of them both. Anyway, both Bogart (who won his first and only Oscar for this movie and called it the best acting he had ever done) as Hepburn were not on their best. By far. Did Bogart get the Oscar because it was the first time he was seen in colour? He certainly makes a different impression when seen in colour... I liked him better in The Maltese Falcon, Casablanca, The Big Sleep and especially in The Treasure of the Sierra Madre. Same with Hepburn, who just seems sick all the time (which she partly was during the recordings). Compared to Bringing Up Baby, The Philadelphia Story, Adam's Rib and even The Lion in Winter her acting was often annoying and laughable. I get why this movie is seen as a classic, but a classic doesn't necessarily mean a good movie. This was just okay. No more, no less.

9 years 4 months ago

Dieguito

Regular movie, great performance of Bogart, the best actor of the black and white and film noir eras now in colors..

12 years 8 months ago

DisneyStitch

Very gritty and well put together. Perhaps not Huston's or Bogart's best film but it's still an achievement. There is one particularly wonderful shot where Bogart claims the crocs are lining up for their dinner and the camera pushes forward to show real crocs flying into the river. Always loved that shot.

8 years 2 months ago

MetalMagnum

I thoroughly enjoyed this film. After watching Bringing Up Baby, I felt that Hepburn's portrayal of this character was a bit weak, though that might be due to illness. Beautiful scenery, a great performance by Bogart, and never a dull moment aboard The African Queen.

7 years 2 months ago