In WWI East Africa, a gin-swilling Canadian riverboat captain is persuaded by a strait-laced English missionary to undertake a trip up a treacherous river and use his boat to attack a German... Read allIn WWI East Africa, a gin-swilling Canadian riverboat captain is persuaded by a strait-laced English missionary to undertake a trip up a treacherous river and use his boat to attack a German gunship.In WWI East Africa, a gin-swilling Canadian riverboat captain is persuaded by a strait-laced English missionary to undertake a trip up a treacherous river and use his boat to attack a German gunship.
- Won 1 Oscar
- 5 wins & 9 nominations total
Harry Arbour
- German Sergeant Major at Kungdu
- (uncredited)
Errol John
- Undetermined Role
- (uncredited)
Joseph Layode
- African Sergeant
- (uncredited)
Gerald Onn
- Petty Officer
- (uncredited)
John von Kotze
- German Officer
- (uncredited)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaSources claimed that everyone in the cast and crew got sick except Humphrey Bogart and John Huston, who said they avoided illness by essentially living on imported Scotch whiskey. Bogart later said, "All I ate was baked beans, canned asparagus and Scotch whiskey. Whenever a fly bit Huston or me, it dropped dead."
- GoofsThe propeller on the boat is made of bronze (stainless steel hadn't been invented yet). Bronze cannot be easily welded, even with the proper equipment, but he welds a new blade to the propeller. (In the book, Allnut makes a replacement blade out of iron, and rivets it to the bronze propeller.)
- Quotes
Captain of Louisa: By the authority vested in me by Kaiser William the Second I pronounce you man and wife. Proceed with the execution.
- Crazy creditsOpening credits prologue: GERMAN EAST AFRICA
September 1914
- ConnectionsEdited into Catalogue of Ships (2008)
- SoundtracksGod of Grace and God of Glory (Cwm Rhondda)
(uncredited)
Words by Harry Fosdick
Music by John Ceiriog Hughes
Featured review
Two Hollywood heavyweights bring out the best in each other
THE AFRICAN_QUEEN is a fine film, starring Humphrey Bogart and Katharine Hepburn. Bogart plays a boat mechanic and Hepburn plays a prim and proper English missionary. The vast majority of the movie is just accompanying the two characters on a dangerous trip down an African river, and that suits me just fine.
As the characters motor along, they become better acquainted and are forced to depend on each other. Bogart's blue-collar boatman and Hepburn's proper Englishwoman make for an unlikely romantic pairing.
This performance won Humphrey Bogart his one and only Academy Award. And deservedly so, as this is perhaps his best acting performance. Bogart plays a dirty, scraggly mechanic. An ordinary Joe. A blue-collar worker. It's a bit of a departure from his famous 1940s roles as sarcastic and clever reluctant heroes. His role in THE AFRICAN_QUEEN is one where an actor can lose himself in the character. It's not Humphrey Bogart wearing a different outfit, it's a small-time boatman in Africa. A man with little interest in global affairs. A man who likes his gin. A man who knows his boat like a good friend, and who can read the river like an open book. A man who will gladly oblige the requests of his higher-class passengers. Bogart's character is just a bit softer and more nuanced, I think, than his roles in, say, CASABLANCA, THE MALTESE FALCON, or THE BIG SLEEP.
For the most part, THE AFRICAN_QUEEN follows two characters on their foolhardy adventure down the river. There are no other characters for 95% of the film. So it is important that the two stars can act at the same level. The great Katharine Hepburn provides a screen presence that can balance out Humphrey Bogart's. It's a rare delight to see two titans of the silver screen share almost the entire screen time. And Bogie and Hepburn, playing opposite-type characters, keep each other in check. Neither star outshines the other.
The story has to do with World War I repercussions in the African colonies. When the Germans go on the march, Hepburn's missionary escapes with Bogart's boatman. They motor downstream in Bogart's rusty steamer "The African Queen", braving all sorts of danger, from rapids to crocodiles to gunfire. The reason for the journey? Hepburn decides it is her patriotic duty to use the explosive cargo on the "Queen" to sabotage a German ship.
All along the journey, through the hardships, the two sailors need each other. Hepburn learns how to handle the boat and grows to admire Bogart, while Bogart benefits from Hepburn's help and female companionship. As far as the mission goes, one person is always there to spur the other one on when the going gets rough. Each one will do just about anything for the other.
John Huston's Technicolor film was shot in part on location in Africa and includes some nice scenery. The movie is pleasant, with some adventure and some romance. It's not heavy or bogged down with political themes or messages. It's not really "about" anything. (The human spirit, maybe?) THE AFRICAN_QUEEN is just an enjoyable trip through the African jungle with two of the biggest stars in Hollywood history.
As the characters motor along, they become better acquainted and are forced to depend on each other. Bogart's blue-collar boatman and Hepburn's proper Englishwoman make for an unlikely romantic pairing.
This performance won Humphrey Bogart his one and only Academy Award. And deservedly so, as this is perhaps his best acting performance. Bogart plays a dirty, scraggly mechanic. An ordinary Joe. A blue-collar worker. It's a bit of a departure from his famous 1940s roles as sarcastic and clever reluctant heroes. His role in THE AFRICAN_QUEEN is one where an actor can lose himself in the character. It's not Humphrey Bogart wearing a different outfit, it's a small-time boatman in Africa. A man with little interest in global affairs. A man who likes his gin. A man who knows his boat like a good friend, and who can read the river like an open book. A man who will gladly oblige the requests of his higher-class passengers. Bogart's character is just a bit softer and more nuanced, I think, than his roles in, say, CASABLANCA, THE MALTESE FALCON, or THE BIG SLEEP.
For the most part, THE AFRICAN_QUEEN follows two characters on their foolhardy adventure down the river. There are no other characters for 95% of the film. So it is important that the two stars can act at the same level. The great Katharine Hepburn provides a screen presence that can balance out Humphrey Bogart's. It's a rare delight to see two titans of the silver screen share almost the entire screen time. And Bogie and Hepburn, playing opposite-type characters, keep each other in check. Neither star outshines the other.
The story has to do with World War I repercussions in the African colonies. When the Germans go on the march, Hepburn's missionary escapes with Bogart's boatman. They motor downstream in Bogart's rusty steamer "The African Queen", braving all sorts of danger, from rapids to crocodiles to gunfire. The reason for the journey? Hepburn decides it is her patriotic duty to use the explosive cargo on the "Queen" to sabotage a German ship.
All along the journey, through the hardships, the two sailors need each other. Hepburn learns how to handle the boat and grows to admire Bogart, while Bogart benefits from Hepburn's help and female companionship. As far as the mission goes, one person is always there to spur the other one on when the going gets rough. Each one will do just about anything for the other.
John Huston's Technicolor film was shot in part on location in Africa and includes some nice scenery. The movie is pleasant, with some adventure and some romance. It's not heavy or bogged down with political themes or messages. It's not really "about" anything. (The human spirit, maybe?) THE AFRICAN_QUEEN is just an enjoyable trip through the African jungle with two of the biggest stars in Hollywood history.
helpful•40
- jimjo1216
- Feb 14, 2010
Details
Box office
- Budget
- $1,000,000 (estimated)
- Gross worldwide
- $46,305
- Runtime1 hour 45 minutes
- Aspect ratio
- 1.37 : 1
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