King Solomon's Mines (B+ or 3/4 stars)
MGM's lavish remake of 1937's British adventure film 'King Solomon's Mines', stars Deborah Kerr as Elizabeth Curtis, a wealthy Englishwoman who hires the best 'white hunter' in Africa, intrepid safari guide Allan Quartermain (the dashing Stewart Granger) to help her locate her missing husband, Harry, who was lost 5 yrs. ago when searching for the legendary King Solomon's diamond mines. A widow, Quartermain has been at the safari game for a lonnnnng time & wishes to go back to England so he can be with his young son again. Fed up with taking rich, simple-minded folk out on safaris, he initially turns down the request of Elizabeth and her brother to find Henry. His refusal is polite & gentlemanly, saying that women really have no place on a dangerous safari.
But after she offers 20x his usual fee, he accepts, but remains skeptical about her motives, her ability to survive the journey, & actually believes that none of them could make it out alive. Furthermore, IF he dies, that $$ could go to his son back in England. Along with wild animals, there is also an unfriendly savage tribe in their path, one that even the other local tribes avoid like the plague. Speaking of a tribe, the narrative picks up steam when a 7 ft. tall Watusi tribesmen (Siriaque) asks to join the group so he can return to his native land to reclaim the kingdom from an evil usurper. After much hardship, the group arrives at the diamond mine is & where this tribal king has come to reclaim his throne. Drama ensues as our group gets trapped in a mine, they make a grim discovery, they must watch the 2 tribal kings fight to see who will be the legitimate king, & the outcome of that fight will determine if our protagonist live or die.
This movie is grandiose & colorfully photographed. When it dwells on the journey's hardships: stifling heat, centipedes, poisonous snakes, alligators, animal attacks, a stampede of zebras, giraffes & other beasts ... 'King Solomon's Mines' is a beautiful, compelling spectacle to see. The story slows down a tad too much when it focuses on Quartermain & Elizabeth going through a like/hate/love type of relationship, where they predictably fall for each other over time. I didn't mind the blossoming romance btwn. the leading man & lady. Stewart Granger gives a typically commanding performance. Deborah Kerr is as radiant as ever. All I'm saying is that their romance felt a tad bloated here to fill-out the film when the adventure segments ran short.
Now, 'King Solomon's Mines' doesn't have the richest story, the best performances, or the depth reserved for some of the "greats". However, I did highly enjoy it as an old-fashioned Technicolor spectacular. The Robert Surtees' Oscar-winning cinematography is magnificent {for the time}. I enjoyed Kenya & Congo's vista landscapes. The animals are fascinating to watch {though, I hate to think some of them were truly injured/killed}. And I'm sure seeing those 7 ft. tribal kings was something that 1950 audiences were intrigued by. This film was wildly popular, received good reviews (as an adventure film), & was even nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards. I definitely enjoyed it as a simple entertainment and as a peek into 1950's perception of 'the views & perceptions of colonialism in Africa'.
But after she offers 20x his usual fee, he accepts, but remains skeptical about her motives, her ability to survive the journey, & actually believes that none of them could make it out alive. Furthermore, IF he dies, that $$ could go to his son back in England. Along with wild animals, there is also an unfriendly savage tribe in their path, one that even the other local tribes avoid like the plague. Speaking of a tribe, the narrative picks up steam when a 7 ft. tall Watusi tribesmen (Siriaque) asks to join the group so he can return to his native land to reclaim the kingdom from an evil usurper. After much hardship, the group arrives at the diamond mine is & where this tribal king has come to reclaim his throne. Drama ensues as our group gets trapped in a mine, they make a grim discovery, they must watch the 2 tribal kings fight to see who will be the legitimate king, & the outcome of that fight will determine if our protagonist live or die.
This movie is grandiose & colorfully photographed. When it dwells on the journey's hardships: stifling heat, centipedes, poisonous snakes, alligators, animal attacks, a stampede of zebras, giraffes & other beasts ... 'King Solomon's Mines' is a beautiful, compelling spectacle to see. The story slows down a tad too much when it focuses on Quartermain & Elizabeth going through a like/hate/love type of relationship, where they predictably fall for each other over time. I didn't mind the blossoming romance btwn. the leading man & lady. Stewart Granger gives a typically commanding performance. Deborah Kerr is as radiant as ever. All I'm saying is that their romance felt a tad bloated here to fill-out the film when the adventure segments ran short.
Now, 'King Solomon's Mines' doesn't have the richest story, the best performances, or the depth reserved for some of the "greats". However, I did highly enjoy it as an old-fashioned Technicolor spectacular. The Robert Surtees' Oscar-winning cinematography is magnificent {for the time}. I enjoyed Kenya & Congo's vista landscapes. The animals are fascinating to watch {though, I hate to think some of them were truly injured/killed}. And I'm sure seeing those 7 ft. tribal kings was something that 1950 audiences were intrigued by. This film was wildly popular, received good reviews (as an adventure film), & was even nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards. I definitely enjoyed it as a simple entertainment and as a peek into 1950's perception of 'the views & perceptions of colonialism in Africa'.