King Solomon’s Mines

Everything about this film is full of fun adventure.  Allan Quatermain (Stewart Granger) is an experiences hunter and safari guide in the heart of Africa.  He is sought out by Mrs. Elizabeth Curtis (Deborah Kerr), who wants to go on safari to search for her lost husband who was out searching for the fabled King Solomon’s Mines.  Allan agrees only after Elizabeth’s agreement to pay him handsomely, even if they turn back quickly.  Guessing by Elizabeth’s dress and demeanor, Allan doesn’t expect the journey to last long before she wants to turn back.  Lead by a mysterious map, Allan, Elizabeth, her brother John (Richard Carlson) and a few helpful natives set out on adventure, filled with close calls with the wild animals, encounters with the natives and romance.

While Allan is supposed to be the rugged safari man just doing his job for the money, Elizabeth is the stubborn English girl who doesn’t know anything about the wilds of Africa she’s determined to face.  Classic combination full of fun tension.  Along the way, she starts to realize that this safari is no picnic in the park.  After a few hissy-fits thinking that Allan has lead them through difficult terrain on purpose, she comes to her senses and cuts her long hair down to size.  A physical transformation to show her commitment if you will.  After her hair is somehow styled to beautiful perfection, Allan and Elizabeth start sharing more longing looks that just might land them in a tree.  And you know what goes on in trees.

If you have animal loving kids, they will be squealing with delight throughout the entire film.  Half the fun of King Solomon’s Mines are the animal encounters along the way.  There are dangerous rivers full of crocodiles and hippos, trees full of monkeys, creepy crawlies along the ground to make Elizabeth scream and a heart pounding zebra stampede just to name a few great moments.

In the realm of Best Picture nominations, King Solomon’s Mines seems like a laughable member.  The grass stained boy among men swirling brandy.  However, in the realm of 1950’s jungle-adventure, this is as great as it gets.  The Oscar winning cinematography shows off the beautiful African landscapes and the editing makes those wild animal moments feel heart pounding and dangerous.  There are even a few moments that seem like inspiration for some scenes in Raiders of the Lost Ark.  Sure the acting is a little cheesy and we predicted that love story from the beginning, but you’re going to have fun throughout the entire film.

“The only way out of this is… suffocation!”

Out of Africa

“I had a farm in Africa.”

Out of Africa can easily be summed up as “Meryl Streep in Africa.  Adventures and romance occur.” That’s way too easy and doesn’t do the film justice at all.

Karen (Streep) is a Danish woman who marries her lover’s brother, Bror (Klaus Maria Brandauer), out of convenience and to have the title of Baroness.  It seems she’s destined for a normal, boring woman’s life, until her husband moves them to Kenya, Africa.  They agree to run a cattle farm, but when she arrives, Bror informs her that they’re going to grow coffee instead, a risky task that has never been tried at that elevation before and won’t turn a profit for years.  Throughout their marriage, Bror pulls more stupid surprises like this on Karen, but thankfully, it only makes her a stronger woman.

World War I starts up and the men go to protect their lands, while Karen is left to take care of the whole farm.  When people come around to round up all the women and children for their safety, Karen rides out into the African wilderness to join her husband and the men to fight.  We watch in excitement as Karen realizes that she has no fear and can scare away lions attacking her camp in the middle of the night.

Since Bror is gone most of the time, Karen starts seeing a hunter, Denys (Robert Redford).  Their relationship grows from him making sure lions don’t attack her to romance where he kind of moves in with Karen.  But the fact that he goes on safari without her bothers Karen.

It seems that she yearns for the traditional life of a wife, but it’s too late forthat.  She’s a part of African colonization, helps educate the natives, befriends them and runs the coffee farm she didn’t even want all on her own.  The epic story of a woman stepping up and braving the wilds of Africa all around her is astounding and moving.

What really won me over to let Out of Africa reign in 1985 was the cinematography.  From beginning to end, every shot is just beautiful.  Images of giraffes running across the African plane in the hazy sunset is just breathtaking.  The airplane scene is like meditation for the eyes and ears.  Though it’s three hours long, this film is one to be seen because of what you see.

“Think of it, never a man made sound and then Mozart.”