The African Queen

One of the all-time classics of Hollywood’s golden age, this adventure from 1951 has lasting impact thanks to the inspired pairing of Katharine Hepburn and Humphrey Bogart (who won an ‘Oscar’ for his role). Basically a two-hander for the most part, this near perfect adaptation of C. S. Forester’s novel sees Hepburn and Bogey as a mismatched pair of oddballs who gradually fall in love while battling the treacherous waters of East Africa and German colonial troops.

Set in German East Africa of 1914, stiff upper lip English Methodist missionary Samuel Sayer (Robert Morley) and his equally pious sister Rose (Katharine Hepburn) try their best to convert the local natives to Christianity and never shy away from singing hymns, no matter how stifling hot and humid the weather. Pretty much cut off from civilization, their supplies to Kungdu village are delivered by Canadian Charlie Allnut (Humphrey Bogart), a mechanic with unpolished manners who uses his rusty steamboat ‘African Queen’ to supply the goods.

During one of his excursions to the Sayers’ post, Charlie informs the siblings that war has broken out between Britain and Germany and that they would be wise to leave their mission. Instead, Samuel and Rose invite Charlie for tea, which is the cue for a particularly amusing scene thanks to Charlie’s rumbling tummy (which rumbles louder by the minute) and the two hosts pretending not to hear anything. Realizing that neither Samuel nor Rose seem to take the unfolding political crisis seriously (after all, they have souls to save and to convert), Charlie leaves the village but promises to return in a few days. The next day, while busy singing hymns again in the communal hut, a native bursts in and tries to warn the villagers and the siblings of ‘invaders’: German colonial troops attack the village, burn down the straw huts and capture the natives as servants. Rose and Samuel are spared, presumably because of their status and their white skin colour but when Samuel picks an argument with one of the German officers and reprimands him for the outrage, he is struck and wounded by another German soldier. He falls delirious with fever and succumbs soon after. When Charlie returns and realises what has happened in his absence, he buries Samuel and promises Rosie to take her back to civilisation. At least that’s his intention but Rosie, hell-bent on revenge, insists on converting the African Queen into a torpedo boat so they can sink a large enemy gunboat, the Königin Luise (Queen Luise), which is patrolling a large lake downriver and thus it’s not possible for the Brits to attack the Germans.

Upon realising that Charlie isn’t at all keen on turning the African Queen into a torpedo boat (more for practical than for patriotic reasons), Rosie scolds him for deserting his country in its hour of need. As the two embark on their journey along the narrow river, it becomes clear they don’t see eye to eye. She is shocked by his rude manners and his penchant for Gordon’s Dry Gin, he is irritated by her prim and proper behaviour and at one point, calls her an ‘old maid’. Of course, this is only the beginning of a madcap boat trip during which Charlie teaches Rose to navigate the rudder and eventually supports her crazy plan to torpedo the Königin Luise. But in order to achieve their goal, the pair need to work together and by the looks of it, they spend more time bickering than getting on with one another, especially when Rosie empties all of Charlie’s gin bottles while he is sleeping and won’t allow him to take shelter in her makeshift cabin during torrential downpours. However, a never-ending string of mishaps and them passing of a German fortress bring Charlie and Rosie together and against all odds, they fall for each other. Which is just as well, as one hair-raising situation after another begins to unfold and those dastardly Germans move in ever closer…

Beautifully photographed by Jack Cardiff and expertly directed by John Huston (who also co-wrote the screenplay), THE AFRICAN QUEEN is a true jewel that never ceases shining bright thanks to the impeccable chemistry and perfect comic timing of its two stars. Peter Bull as the Captain and Theodore Bikel as the First Officer of the Königin Luise deliver their lines with a typical clichéd German accent while Robert Morley, although prominently billed in the opening credits, doesn’t have much of a part at all.

Restored in 4K and available on UHD Blu-ray, the release offers the following Extras:
Audio commentaries / video interviews / ‘Embracing Chaos: the Making of the African Queen documentary (60min) / 2010 NFT Q&A with Anjelica Huston / Lux Radio Theatre adaptation from 1952 Humphrey Bogart and Greer Garson / Behind the Scenes stills gallery / original theatrical trailer.