Synopsis (according to imdb.com)
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.
LET ME EXPLAIN...
This was actually the last movie on the AFI List that I watched before I decided to start this blog. I remember thinking it was a pretty good adventure movie the first time I saw it, so I wondered what - if anything - might change in my opinion after a second viewing.
Unfortunately, I ended up not really liking it as much the second time. For being a movie featuring two Hollywood legends - albeit aging ones - the acting wasn't all that memorable. Plus, their whole relationship is a bit cooky: Bogart's flirting with the hippos, and his use of "old girl" as some sort of endearing nickname for his brand new beau, are two examples. There's also a real lack of backstory for any of the characters. Giving them more depth would have helped me care more, and I like to care. Awwww.
On the positive side, there were some exciting scenes of the boat going through river rapids. Additionally, the plot is intriguing. Whenever I started to lose interest in the movie (due to the issues mentioned above), remembering the plot helped bring me back each time...even if the ending isn't really THAT exciting.
What makes this a "Top 100" Movie?
Thanks to the Special Features on the DVD, I can pretty much confirm the reason this is on the AFI List: it was one of the first-ever Hollywood movies filmed "on location" (virtually all movies up to that point were shot in film studios). On top of that, they didn't just go to some nearby city or lake to shoot; they traveled to Africa and shot in the middle of the wild. All that to say, "The African Queen" was groundbreaking for filming on location in the jungle. It was also nominated for 4 Academy Awards, with Humphrey Bogart winning the lone statue for this film, for Best Actor.
Complaints:
I already mentioned them, but the lack of backstory for the main characters made this film a bit shallow. The cooky-ness of the relationship between Bogart and Hepburn was also strange, and a bit embarrassing to watch at times. And come on, you two just became a couple, so quit pretending like it's a rock-solid, years-old relationship you're both in that's sustaining you through the tough trip down river. You're barely into the honeymoon phase...
LET ME SUM UP...
For being a combination of an action adventure/romantic comedy/war movie, this is a bit shallow for me to fully appreciate. Bogart's character in particular was a little embarrassing to watch, though apparently it was good enough to win the Oscar for Best Actor. The simple plot of a dangerous trek into hostile territory, however, kept me interested enough to not completely dislike "The African Queen".
MY RATING: 5.5/10 (1.5 lower from my previous rating)
