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| Real men drink tea, Mr. Allnut. |
Humphrey Bogart won an Academy Award for his role in this funny little romance with Katharine Hepburn.
The Great War has started and they must get the heck out of dodge before the Germans spot them, amid crocodiles, leeches and mosquitoes.
In a delightful, dialogue-friendly, humorous script by James Agee, John Huston and friends, Charlie & Rose grow fond of each other's company as they enthusiastically brave the elements over cups of tea. John Huston's insistence of shooting on location pays off in this charming affair about two average folks swept up by the war...
...Or stuck in a bed of reeds.
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| Remember when you couldn't get back in the boat? |
In a sweet scene, Rose is at first aghast when Charlie invades her makeshift fort during a rainstorm and kicks him out, before having a heart and letting him back in, so long as he stays on his side of the fort. In exchange, Rose wants his help getting back into the boat after taking a refreshing bath, so long as he doesn't take a peek at her.
1951 clearly wants its background screens and special effects back, and I found myself laughing off the dated moments of the film, squinting at the swarm of mosquitoes, and understanding why the stars couldn't actually risk traversing lakes during thunderstorms.
The picture borders on farce, but the budding romance is honest. Most of all, Bogart makes Mr. Allnut into a very likeable fellow. In a fantastic scene, he imitates a hippo and monkey, showing how man can feel right at home and live happy on the river. Hepburn shows a desire in Rose to embrace the wild side of life instead of having her nose stuck in the good book. These elements have been revisited later in Titanic and Pirates of the Caribbean films.
Ah yes, "The African Queen" is a classic. I love that film. My favorite part is when Bogart and Hepburn about to be hanged and ask to be married as a "last request", leading to the line "I now pronounce you husband and wife, proceed with the execution."
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