This film is a pure adventure film as oppose to being an action/adventure film. It really doesn't have much action but it is a great travelogue to an Africa that is now vanishing. Since the movie was released in 1950 it was probably shot in '49 anyway what's on the screen is an Africa that was still relatively unspoiled by guerrilla warfare or modern times. Producers for the National Geographic channel could only wish to shoot such pristine beauty. But on to the film, the story is familiar, a Great White Hunter reluctantly agrees to guide a woman and her brother into the wilderness in search of her husband. Along the way they meet tribes, and we are shown some of the tribes doing ritual dances. Also we get to see the wonder of, I think, Victoria falls before it became a tourist spot. The pacing of the movie is rather leisurely there's no real action except for the stampede which I found very exhilarating. Stewart Granger looked good as Alan Quartermain and has a manly presence in the role, although I preferred Clark Gable in "Mogambo" as the Hollywood white hunter. Deborrah Kerr looked lovely and her make up looked perfect the entire time. Their acting tend to be a little flat, as a matter of fact the acting in general felt flat, although Miss Kerr did a good job showing concern and panic. Hers might be the best performance of the movie. The two main leads just didn't have the joy of performance that the two leads in "The African Queen" had. And as for the final fight scene between for the tribal throne. I don't expect Jackie Chan vs. Jet Li, but this fight seems to have been done by amateurs with maybe a half hour of rehearsal. A great adventure and travelogue with not much action, overall a good film.
Review of King Solomon's Mines
