"The African Queen" AFI Top 100 98' #17 / 07' #65

Dennis 2022-01-01 08:01:24

"The African Queen" ("African Queen") AFI Top 100 98' #17 / 07' #65
The plot of this film is general (except for the marriage proposal before the final execution, and the German warship inexplicably pretended to crash after the marriage. The already sunk "Queen of Africa" ​​with torpedoes can be regarded as very dramatic), and the shooting and directing skills are not so superb. Of course, the acting skills of the actors are impeccable.
So the question is, why did it rank high in 1998, but its ranking plummeted in 2007?
As a 51-year-old film, although the subject of adventure is not new, shooting on the spot in Africa is bold and bold. And novel. The conditions are so difficult that except for the director Huston and the male lead Bogart (the two only drink whiskey and no water), everyone else suffers from tropical diseases. NS). In that era, the live images of Africa and all kinds of plants and animals were bound to shock the audience. This gives the film technical and cultural value.
Secondly, in the top-ranked movies of AFI, it rarely highlights the heroism of women. Going down the river, sinking German warships, and creating conditions for the British counterattack, is what the heroine Rose proposed and insisted on. The hero, Charlie, cannot be described as an unhero-without his experience and skills, bombing a ship would be impossible. However, according to his nature, if it weren't for Rose's insistence, he must have been hiding in the upper reaches of the river and passing by. Therefore, when it comes to heroism, he is still inferior to the heroine. In other films, Scarlett in "Gone with the Wind" is regarded as a strong woman, but not a hero; the princess in "Star Wars" is regarded as a hero, but after all male characters Lu (Ka, Han, Obiwan, Das) dominate .
The two leading actors are really amazing. Katherine Hepburn (Katherine Hepburn) and Humphrey Bogart (Humphrey Bogart) are respectively the greatest actress and actor in the history of Hollywood by AFI in 1999. Hepburn has so far maintained the record of dominating the four Oscars for best actresses. With this film, Bogart won his only figurine. The performance of the two masters can be glimpsed from the "transition". In the first half of the film, Rose is an out-and-out lady, rigid and plain; after she fell in love with Charlie, she changed and showed the cuteness of a little woman. In other films, Bogart always has the image of a "handsome, cold and wise" tough guy, such as Rick in "Casablanca" (here after Charlie shaved, I was surprised to find that he and Rick are the same actors!), but here Bogart It is a sloppy look, warm and vulgar. The transformation of the two also adds a lot of laughter to the film.
The above points will gradually become less important in the 21st century. Adventure or disaster romance films emerge in endlessly, such as "Titanic". The scenery of Africa is no longer mysterious, no matter how good the acting skills of old actors are, they are gradually becoming antiques... so films like "African Queen" are bound to go from bad to worse on the AFI list...

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Extended Reading
  • Beth 2022-03-27 09:01:06

    Squeeze into the ranks of my favorite movies in one fell swoop! ! The script is so amazing! ! The character arcs are beautifully done! !

  • Theodore 2022-03-25 09:01:08

    How did you think of asking Bogart to make this kind of movie? !

The African Queen quotes

  • Rose Sayer: Charlie, let me help you.

    Charlie Allnut: How do you mean? What you think you're gonna do?

    Rose Sayer: I'm going to go down there too.

    Charlie Allnut: Rosie, are you cracked? The currents down there are fierce! I don't want a drownded woman on my hands! What will you be thinking of next?

  • Charlie Allnut: Fine specimen of a man, ain't I?

    Rose Sayer: You're the bravest man that ever lived. You just over-do, that's all. What you need is a few hours' sleep. There, now you're all comfortable. Go to sleep, dear. When you wake up we'll be on our way again.

    Charlie Allnut: Rosie?

    Rose Sayer: Yes, darling.

    Charlie Allnut: You want to know the truth, dont you? Even if we had all our strength we'd never get her off this mud. We're finished.

    Rose Sayer: I know it.

    Charlie Allnut: But Rosie, I'm not one bit sorry I came. What I mean is, it was worth it.