A creaky old film in a lot of ways and there were times when my interest waned, but it finishes strong, and is a good example of a forerunner of films like Indiana Jones. In it a group of Brits seeking to enrich themselves in Africa trek across a harsh desert with a man who is secretly the heir to the throne of a local tribe (Paul Robeson). There is contention for the throne as well as contention for the diamonds in the fabled King Solomon's mines, leading to action sequences on both fronts which are pretty well done. On top of that you have Robeson singing which is always a highlight, and here there is a nice little echo effect on one of the three songs he performs, 'Climbin' Up.'
The quality of the surviving print isn't stellar, but the cinematography on location is at times quite good, and one can only imagine what it would like in higher resolution, wide screen color. Unfortunately, it's mixed in with footage that is clearly shot in the studio, which pales in comparison. Like action films today, this one blends in romance (Anna Lee and John Loder, not so convincingly) as well as humor (Cedric Hardwicke, who gets off a number of clever lines). There is exoticism that works, like the grizzled old witch doctor (even if it is Sydney Fairbrother in blackface), and bits that are stereotypes (the usual stuff reflecting childishness, with a little voyeurism at topless women on top of it). It's just a mixed bag across the board, but there's enough here to make it worth checking out.
The quality of the surviving print isn't stellar, but the cinematography on location is at times quite good, and one can only imagine what it would like in higher resolution, wide screen color. Unfortunately, it's mixed in with footage that is clearly shot in the studio, which pales in comparison. Like action films today, this one blends in romance (Anna Lee and John Loder, not so convincingly) as well as humor (Cedric Hardwicke, who gets off a number of clever lines). There is exoticism that works, like the grizzled old witch doctor (even if it is Sydney Fairbrother in blackface), and bits that are stereotypes (the usual stuff reflecting childishness, with a little voyeurism at topless women on top of it). It's just a mixed bag across the board, but there's enough here to make it worth checking out.