The Southern Star (1969) User Reviews

African adventures with a phenomenal casting and based on Jules Verne's novel

[ma-cortes · 6/10 · 24 October 2006]

The picture is set in West Africa where we find a roguish geologist adventurer ( George Segal ) and his helper ( Johnny Sekka ), there both of whom encounter a hot rock . But the gem is nevertheless ownership a magnate ( Harry Andrews ) whose gorgeous daughter ( Ursula Andress )is enamored the rogue adventurer . The chief ( Ian Hendry ) of his private troops schemes to get the girl and the diamond . Besides , an ex-security chief ( Orson Welles ) equally tries to steal the precious gem .

This amusing film displays action , adventures , humor , rip-roaring and lots of fun . The movie is narrated by means of a continuous pursuit in the jungle and we are seeing several African animals although the most by an excessive use of stock-shots , thus stampeding buffalo , elephants , gnus, lions , snake... and a peculiar thief ostrich . This unknown motion picture obtained limited success in spite of a first-rate cast and result to be immensely agreeable . The tale based on Jules Verne novel is regularly directed by Sidney Hayers . Rating : Average but entertaining . It's a good stuff for young people who enjoy enormously with the extraordinary adventures in the lush jungle.

is it a madcap caper or a serious chase to the death?

[ksf-2 · 6/10 · 9 April 2016]

Part of the Orson Welles Collection from Mill Creek DVD, this one opens with Dan (George Segal , the boss on "Just Shoot Me") sleeping on a cot, at a diamond mine; the book he was reading says "Geology for Beginners", so clearly he can't be trusted. The workers have found a giant diamond, and Dan arbitrarily decides that it is a genuine, valuable diamond. The beautiful Ursula Andress, famous for the James Bond films, and of course posing in Playboy, is in here. She is Erica, the daughter of the local rich man "Kramer", who has purchased or taken the diamond. Everybody is after the diamond, and wacky hyjinx follow. A hokey bar-room brawl. Ian Hendry seems to be the local deputy, but also seems to be involved in the shenanigans, as well as being Erica's ex. All rather confusing. Lots of old, faded, stock animal footage from old Africa, although it looks like some of the critters might be from Australia. or not. They end all up at the compound of "Plankett", a smaller role for Orson Welles. Good performance from Johnny Sekka.

Much female frontal nudity at the native dance scene. Jules Verne gets writing credit, but apparently it is a rewrite of an earlier novel. Directed by Sidney Hayers, who had worked on some films and whole lot of TV. A good watch... not anything spectacular, but it does have a comical flair to it. With the upbeat music, it's more of a madcap caper than a serious manhunt to the death.

Charming caper let down by low-carat dialogue

[shakercoola · 5/10 · 8 August 2019]

An American comedy adventure; An impoverished Yankee geologist searches for a priceless diamond in Senegal. When his partner and the diamond vanish, the geologist is blamed for the crime, and a hunt ensues. Paint-by-numbers direction, poor dialogue, gratuitous photography of African wildlife in cutaway shots, but the cast make the best of it. George Segal shines. Orson Welles plays it wearily and fey with an upper-class English-London accent. Ian Hendry is impressive as the nasty hunter and Ursula Andress is gorgeous in resourceful support. All in all, the photography is good but the plot is preposterously simplistic.

An Understated Little Film

[theowinthrop · 27 April 2004]

Say Jules Verne and one has memories of cannons shooting men to the moon, or a mad sea captain destroying British ships with his personal submarine, or a proper Englishman betting 20,000 lbs (half his fortune) that he can get around the world in 80 days. And the movies have been kind to Verne's best known films: George Melies immortalized FROM THE EARTH TO THE MOON in an early film. Walt Disney did films on TWENTY THOUSAND LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA and THE CHILDREN OF CAPTAIN GRANT (the latter entitled IN SEARCH OF THE CASTAWAYS). Ray Harryhausen's special effects are one of the treats of MYSTERIOUS ISLAND. Mike Todd produced AROUND THE WORLD IN EIGHTY DAYS. And James Mason did make that JOURNEY TO THE CENTRE OF THE EARTH. What is usually not realized is the lesser known titles that have gotten onto the screen - for Jules Verne wrote nearly 80 novels. MICHAEL STROGOFF was made into a film in Great Britain in the 1930s with Anton Walbrook. FIVE WEEKS IN A BALLOON was made into a comedy adventure (with Sir Cedric Hardwicke and Red Buttons) in the 1960s. A Mexican version of the long forgotten EIGHT HUNDRED LEAGUES OVER THE AMAZON was made in the 1950s. A French version of MATTHIAS SANDORF (Verne's attempt at an updated version of THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO) was made starring Louis Jordan in the 1960s. And there was this little film, made in 1969.

What is frequently forgotten about Verne was that he was as preoccupied with politics as scientific developements. He usually was a liberal (one remarkable exception was his anti-Semitism, most markedly shown in his novel OFF ON A COMET - he also was convinced for years that Alfred Dreyfus was a traitor). In a late novel, THE DANUBE PILOT, he looks at the various warring nationalities in the Balkans and Austria Hungary. Another novel, THE SURVIVORS OF THE JONATHAN, dissects the various political philosophies of the day (Verne's hero is an anarchist). In the original THE SOUTHERN STAR Verne was taking a jaundiced eye at his particular bete noir - the British Empire in South Africa. The Boer - British rivalry there are a sounding board for looking at the society of South Africa. But one element is missing from the film. The villain is described as looking like Cecil Rhodes. But the villains in the film don't look like Rhodes.

Yet the film does get the relations of the three groups (native Africans, Boers, British) into some proportion. Ian Hendry is the real villain, having slowly made his way into a position of power over the career of his predecessor (and former patron) Welles, and hoping to take over Harry Andrews economic empire. Hendry romances Andrews niece, Andress, who is in love with Segal. As for Segal, he is friendly with Johnny Secca, who grew up with him. Andrews disapproves of this friendship, and Hendry detests the native Africans anyway. Andrews' diamond works has just produced the world's largest diamond - the "Southern Star". It is stolen and suspicion (fed by Hendry, and swallowed by Andrews) is that Secca stole it. Segal tries to help his friend (who is fleeing). Then Welles returns - he hopes to force Secca to give him the diamond, so he can regain his old position with Andrews.

The film is actually interesting enough to watch to its conclusion (and actually satisfactory even for Welles, as ambiguous a villain here as in some of his own films). It is not a great film by any stretch, but I would recommend seeing it.

The Southern Snore

[Oslo_Jargo · 5/10 · 16 December 2015]

(Contains spoilers)

The Southern Star (1968) starts out sluggish and it doesn't even pick up steam. It is unsure whether it wants to be a violent jungle manhunt flick or just a lazy adolescent comedy. I don't mind a little humour, but The Southern Star is so lackluster even in that, that nothing seems to work.

The plot is about a native Negro from French West Africa, who is friends with a white man who is engaged to Ursula Andress (as Erica Kramer), whose father, Kramer (English film actor Harry Andrews), does not like the arrangement. He's a ruthless diamond mine owner. George Segal doesn't do much either. He is the friend of the native Negro who may have stolen a diamond. Now I like George Segal (King Rat (1965), The Bridge at Remagen (1969)) but he doesn't have a good script and can't show us his prowess. Ursula Andress is eye candy and nothing else.

To bring in some conflict in the "story", they have a jealous rival to George Segal. Ian Hendry as Capt. Karl Ludwig doesn't like George Segal so he attempts to kill him and is following him. The whole film is about the chase through the jungle. In one stupid scene, George Segal starts a stampede with a few matches. The film is peppered with excessive stock footage of African animals. Orson Welles, as usual, drinks his way lazily through the film. In another scene, Ursula Andress, falls near a Cobra, again, stock footage is used and the scene looks so preposterous because the "dimension" of the Cobra stock footage is too big.

The characters don't really appear to be French at all, but more like Boers (Dutch and Afrikaners) or English blokes. Every jungle cliché is thrown in for good measure, quicksand, snake attacks, wooden bridge over river, soldiers who can't shoot, etc.

This is an average, dull affair, which doesn't really engage the viewer. It won't hurt to look at it, but don't expect much.

African adventure

[lorenellroy · 7/10 · 30 November 2007]

The Southern Star is based on a novel by Jules Verne ,one published under a number of different titles .It is most widely known by the title used in the movie but has also been published as "The Southern Star Mystery" and "The Vanished Diamond".

The setting is French West Africa(changed from South Africa in the novel) and the period is immediately before the outbreak of World War One. The star is a large diamond which goes missing and is found by banjo playing American geologist Dan (George Segal).It is actually the property of business tycoon Kramer (Harry Andrews) whose daughter Erica (Ursula Andress)Dan is in love with .Complicating matters is the fact that Kramer's head of security Karl(Ian Hendry)is also after both the diamond and Erica and has a large force of men to ensure he gets both .In particular he has a sidekick Plankett (Orson Welles) a ,man fond of drilling his troops to records of bugle music .

The greatest asset of the movie is its striking location photography of Senegal which ensures the movie is always good to look at .It is also pretty well acted -although I did wonder how Ursula Andress managed to get her hands on full make up ,including mascara ,in the jungle .Welles in particular seems to be enjoying himself hugely .

the action when it comes is fine and the movie has a lot of humour -which is my big problem with it .I prefer my period adventure straight and details like the banjo playing and bugle records grate on me a tad Its a minor grouse ,nothing more and the movie is an enjoyable romp that may have relatively little to do with Verne but is a pleasant diversion on a wet and windy afternoon

Mmmm, stock footage...and Matt Monro!

[JohnSeal · 4/10 · 23 May 2003]

Yes, The Southern Star features a pretty forgettable title tune sung by that heavy set crooner Matt Monro. It pretty much establishes the tone for this bloated and rather dull feature, stunningly miscast with George Segal and Ursula Andress as an adventurous couple in search of a large diamond. Add in Harry Andrews (with a strange accent, no less) chasing an ostrich, tons of stock footage of wildlife, and poorly composed and dull photography by Raoul Coutard, and you end up with a thoroughly unexciting romp through the jungles of Senegal.

This Star Doesn't Shine

[jjcarr-49015 · 4/10 · 16 June 2019]

The Southern Star in question is the world's biggest diamond found in 1912 in French West Africa in a mine owned by Kramer (Andrews), whose daughter Erica (Andress) is engaged to Dan (Segal). The diamond is stolen and the chief suspect Matakit (played engagingly by Johnny Sekka), Dan's klepotomanic African friend, takes off. Dan and Erika take off after Matakit and the diamond. Karl, Kramer's security chief (Hendry), takes off after Dan, Erika Matakit and the diamond, hoping to win Erica in the process. To get to his home Matakit must cross territory controlled by Plankett (Welles), Karl's renegade predecessor. We get to see lots and lots of sixties stock footage of African animals, we get to Andress topless, we get to see Welles ham it up. What we don't get is a good film. If you've nothing better to do for two hours on a wet afternoon you could do worse but you really should have something better to do.

All kinds of fortune hunting

[bkoganbing · 4/10 · 30 April 2016]

I hope Orson Welles enjoyed himself far more than he and the rest of the cast did when Welles was in Africa making The Roots Of Heaven. On that location nearly everyone in the cast became ill and Eddie Albert almost died. But that was a much better film than The Southern Star.

The title refers to a really big diamond that was found on the lands belonging to Harry Andrews who's an old Boer and old boor. While at a big clambake Andrews is throwing someone snatches the big jewel from under his nose and suspicion falls on Johnny Sekka who is a native and friend to fortune hunting George Segal. Segal is seeking his fortune by marrying Ursula Andress who is Andrews's daughter and that's not a match made in heaven.

So when Sekka runs the rest of the cast is seeking him for their own agendas. One of them is Orson Welles who used to be Andrews's head of security which is a euphemism for the private police that Andrews employs. And the current head of security Ian Hendry is seeking the big rock and Ursula both.

This is based on a Jules Verne novel, one of his lesser known works. Even being a Frenchman I doubt Verne meant any of the double entendres and only somewhat humorous lines that are present in this film. Someone decided this novel was good for satire and the results fell flat.

The location cinematography of Senegal standing in for South Africa is the best thing The Southern Star has going for it. Also Orson Welles knew he was in one of those films he did for the money to finance his own work and had himself a bit of fun with his role.

Not the best jungle feature out there.

The chess with drinks

[Cristi_Ciopron · 10/10 · 10 December 2009]

I have seen this flick when I was in kid, in '87 or perhaps in '86--and on the big screen. Ursula Andress makes it worth watching at all ages.

The director, Sidney Hayers, worked mostly for the TV--with such big--screen exceptions like Diagnosis: Murder (1975), The Trap (1966) and Night of the Eagle (1962)(which the genuine connoisseurs admire).

The Southern Star (1969), with Ursula Andress, Orson Welles and George Segal, is a recommended African adventures outing, with some gusto and even excitement and a beautiful broad to justify the movie.

It certainly doesn't resemble much the book which it claims it adapts; I remember a scene with two guys playing chess with small glasses of alcohol and drinking the pieces they were taking. The same scene is in a Greene novel.

The Jules Verne story you never knew

[Leofwine_draca · 5/10 · 29 July 2018]

THE SOUTHERN STAR is a somewhat middling African adventure yarn and an adaptation of a Jules Verne story that you've never previously heard of. It was made at the tail-end of the 1960s and mixes in a bit of adventure, a bit of derring-do, some violent action, and a lot of comedy and romance into a not altogether satisfying mix. George Segal is somewhat insipid as the lead and Ursula Andress only seems to be around so that she can go skinny dipping. Oh, and Orson Welles turns up in a supporting role and goes for a high camp approach which isn't entirely successful. The film has some nice scenery and encounters with wildlife, but the stock plot and overlong running time make it a slog to sit through.

A Cracking Adventure Caper

[greene515 · 23 July 2011]

'The Southern Star' is a cracking Adventure Caper based on a Jules Verne novel, It's set in the beautifully widescreen photographed plains of Africa Circa 1900. The title refers to a massive Diamond discovered by George Segal in a river bed,It is taken from Segal by pompous Kramer Harry Andrews, It is later snacthed by appealing African actor Johnny Sekka, with Segal's love interest and Kramer's daughter (the ravishing Ursula Andress) in tow the pair go off in search of the elusive stone, Ian Hendry is the pursuing former lover of Andress intent on claiming the stone, George Segal was at the fledgling height of his popularity here as ever he is always watchable what ever role he is cast in. Check out the 'revealing' river bathing scene with Ursula Andress it goes to show why she will always be remembered as the consummate Bond girl. Orson Welles has a small role as an over the top Gay/Camp Sgt Major. All in all 'The Southern Stone' is a great picture. i'm glad that it's finally available on DVD the quality is great.

A mess - only redeeming feature is the footage of wildlife

[csrothwec · 5/10 · 30 June 2020]

The only reason I watched this dross was because I saw the magic name "Orson Welles" in the list of actors appearing (of which more below). To start on a (the only really!) bright note, the footage of wildlife is very good indeed (although it feels as if this was taken from elsewhere and when the actors are anywhere near real wildlife (apart from the tame ostrich), it consists of dummies/props (Segal and the plastic "crocodile" in the river and Andress swimming quietly past a wallowing herd of hippos at a distance of a few feet in a river (fat chance, she would have been dead in about two minutes, killed by what are actually THE most dangerous animals in the whole of Africa - forget lions and cheetahs!) Apart from the quality of the photography, the NUMBER of animals in each shot is also very impressive; massive herds of hippos, elephants, prides of lions, herd of ostriches etc. I fear this shows how much wildlife has been lost between when the film was made (1969) and now (2020), as nature programmes never seem to show most animals in those numbers these days! To move on to the human actors; these are largely as are to be expected. I always expect VERY little indeed from George Segal (who must have been one of THE luckiest actors of his time, with everything resting on his photogenic looks), Ursula Andress (eye candy embodied) and Ian Hendry (ALWAYS playing every role in precisely the same way). A disappointment was Harry Andrews. I usually find him a magnetic actor to watch and one who, no matter who the lead star is, seems capable of stealing every scene he appears in. In this case, however, he goes WAY OVER THE TOP and his booming, laughing, lecherous, somewhat sadistic interpretation just did not work for me. Which brings us to the figure of Welles; absolutely huge/grossly obese at this time (as in "A Ferry to Hong Kong", made shortly before) and obviously just "winging it" in terms of putting any life at all into his part (even though this is admittedly very slim and he does not even appear until about half way through the movie). I felt really sad at seeing him having to take parts in such dross as this, particularly remembering that this was only a few years after two of the (in my view) finest films he ever made: "Chimes at Midnight" (which virtually everyone must agree is a masterpiece) and "The Trial" (which some people (e.g. Charles Higham) certainly do not regard as a masterpiece but which I do in terms of style and cinematic finesse). As Charlton Heston (who starred in another of Welles' undoubted masterpieces, "Touch of Evil") once said in an interview, instead of wasting his enormous talents on dross like this, Welles should have focused on finding a patron or sponsor who admired his work (although being Welles, of course, he would probably never have accepted his position in such a relationship for long in any case!) A very final thing I found abysmal: the MUSIC/soundtrack is beyond horrendous -cheap muzzak, recorded at ear-splitting levels for much of the film and thrown in at what mostly seemed totally inappropriate moments! Overall. a REAL turkey and one I am guaranteed never to waste two hours watching again in my life (even with Welles in it)!

The Southern Star

[henry8-3 · 3/10 · 30 August 2019]

Segal and Andress become embroiled in an African adventure to recover the titular diamond.

Oddly inept adaptation of a Jules Verne novel with Segal and Andress apparently making a not very convincing or funny romantic comedy and everyone else a thriller. Welles is quite fun as a camp cockney villain that you really like with Hendry deadly serious as real bad guy. Despite quite a good climax this is otherwise poorly made with wobbly sets, lousy props, endless unnecessary back projection and half the film taken up with stock footage of animals to support the mood eg cheeky monkeys when it's funny (not often), big cats when there's peril etc

Overall probably best avoided.

Bad show except for the animals

[clanciai · 8/10 · 18 December 2019]

Orson Welles is as unbearable as ever in his later films, fat and extremely unsympathetic, George Segal is no more than an adventurous playboy here, teaming with Ursula Andress, who is as superficially sexy as usual. There are many crooks, and the one good humour is presented by Harry Andrews, who actually bestows on the film its only particle of zest in his perpetual anger, and his is the main spectacular player of the film - an ostrich. The ostrich is a welcome contrast to all the human greed and barbarity of the film, where all the actors try to desperately excel each other in vicious brutality, and this ostrich will make you laugh for a change. What really makes the film worth watching though is all the wildlife sequences with all the wild animals of Africa parading and even reaching a dramatic climax of the film by their stampede. It's a very superficial film, the dialog is not very intelligent, Orson Welles is in it only for the money, and although made on a story by Jules Verne, you can't find Jules Verne anywhere in it. It's all just an effort at a spectacular entertainment, with very little humanity.

Very average mildly humorous African adventure

[Penfold-13 · 27 August 1999]

The Southern Star is a very big diamond. Someone steals it. George Segal and Ursula Andress, pursued by Ian Hendry, all hampered by the dipsomaniac homosexual ex-Major Orson Welles, attempt to retrieve it, and have encounters with wildlife, humour and danger along the way.

Typically for a 60s Africa movie, the best things about it are the wildlife shots.

Ostriches cause amusing chaos, cobras are scary, hippos are much less frightening than they look, antelopes leap, lions are fierce - you know the sort of thing.

Orson Welles, as usual, steals every scene he's in, and Harry Andrews's obvious enthusiasm for tribal music is a fairly eye-popping sight. Naturally, we have a lengthy scene in which Ursula Andress swims around naked in the lake for the cheesecake shots.

The main action consists of Hendry and some henchmen tracking Segal and Andress through the jungle and is wholly unabsorbing.

There's nothing objectionable or offensive about this movie, but there's nothing much to recommend it either.