The African Queen (1952)

Very very predictable, including the post credit scene !!!

I love this movie so much

Absolutely the worst movie.

Fanciful, disturbing, and wildly original, it announces the arrival of a fresh, bold voice in American cinema.

I really did enjoy this film, but the tone of the movie was very odd to me. The subject matter was very serious at times. Such as when the missionary village gets burned down or Roses brother dies. The fact that two strangers have to stick together to survive World War 2 exiled in Africa is a very scene. But the way the dialogue and other things were it kinda gave the movie the feel of almost a screwball comedy. I don't think if something like this were to really happen i think they would be too traumatized to actually fall in love. Another thing that really hurt the tone was that it was in such bright color. I don't know if they just put the brand new technology to work cause they could, but i think the bright colors did not match the tone. It looked like a bright cheery movie, but the subject matter was more dark. Because of these issues with the tone of the movie I didn't enjoy this film as much as I could have.

(Flash Review)During WWI a grimy and boozing steamboat captain teams with a well- mannered missionary woman to aim for an unlikely goal and for her a secondary and lethal mission. This film is carried almost solo by Hepburn and Bogart who won Best Actor for his performance and Hepburn and nomination. After German troops burn down her missionary school, she forges a plan to take down a huge German warship with Bogart and his trusty steamboat which is really the third character in the film. During this mission they encounter countless obstacles which they attempt to overcome which of course forges their romance. Will the two of them be able to take down a warship with grit and determination? Great acting and a good story with a few twists and turns equals a solid film classic.

This was a great film featuring fine performances by the wonderful Katharine Hepburn as well as Humphrey Bogart. They are such legends that they can make their character's love appear believable, and allow for the film to be re-watchable even today. Hepburn conveyed such beautiful emotion, whether it be the expressions on her face or the tone in her dialogue. There were some odd moments, with a cheesy line here and there at the fault of the writer, not of any of the actors. I liked the allusion to the code, while the pair were going to sleep at night Hepburn, or Rosie, hung up two blankets to hide herself from Charles. There was a lot of good in this movie, from the acting to the great editing in the use of dissolve cuts. There seemed to be many medium shots and long shots, because the backgrounds were filled with amazing views. My favorite part of this film was that it was filmed in Africa, so this allowed for the director to include so many beautiful scenic shots. The foreshadowing at the end of the film was a nice touch, as their is a shot of a sinking boat, and right before the couple were to be hanged, the ship blows up. At the end, there is a shot of a piece of wood with the name of their ship "The African Queen," showing that they accomplished what they set out to do. Great film, and any film lover should watch this at least once.

I must say, I found this movie to be less than impressive. It was a good watch but I definitely doubt that I would be watching it again. Certainly, the acting from Bogart and Hepburn is great. They do a good job of making Charlie and Rosie believable and realistic characters. However, despite how good their acting is the love story is very stiff and seems to be a long stretch, almost as if it's being forced. The cinematography is fantastic however. I watched the Netflix version so it may be retouched but the colors and quality were fantastic. The high contrast between the bright greens of the scenery and the dark browns and grays of the boat, Charlie, and Rosie make for a beautiful setting. It emphasizes how much Charlie and Rosie stick out/don't belong in the African wilderness. I also appreciate that the sound (specifically dialogue) isn't drowned out by the non deigetic background music. You can hear both of them clearly without interfering with each other too much.