King Solomon's Mines
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Movie Reviews of King Solomon's Mines
Movie Review: GREAT CLASSIC FILM
Summary: 4 Stars
This is a great film.
The print was quite good.
Would reccomended to anyone who likes classic films
Movie Review: The Great White Hunter meets the Lady with the Flaming Hair
Summary: 3 Stars
I have not read H. Rider Haggard's novel from which the film King Solomon's Mines (1950) is based on (I'm woefully under read), but an informed source tells me the story presented here has little to do with the original work, save for the title, the main character of Alan Quartermain, and some minor details (heck, I think they even changed the main character's name, from Quatermain to Quartermain). This seems on par for Hollywood, taking a classic story, hacking it to pieces, keeping what they deem suitable, and then filling in the rest however they see fit...sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't, but it generally always serves to annoy someone who has read and enjoyed the original material, eliciting harsh criticisms and condemnations, but in terms of an action/adventure movie, I though it was pretty good...is it a classic? Well, if it's not, it's only a few frames shy of being so...the film lists two directors in Compton Bennett (Man-Eater) and Andrew Marton (Seven Wonders of the World). Given the large amount of secondary unit stuff presented in the film (those scenes not featuring the main actors, but scenes shot on location of the animals, native peoples and such), I couldn't help wonder if maybe one of these two was the second unit director who was given a full directing credit...the film stars the very attractive Deborah Kerr (From Here to Eternity, The King and I) and Stewart Granger (Scaramouche, The Prisoner of Zenda). Also appearing is Richard Carlson (Creature from the Black Lagoon, It Came from Outer Space) along with a cast of thousands...well, more like hundreds, in the form of true African native tribes..
The story is set in the year 1897 and takes place in the deep heart of darkest, equatorial Africa. The film begins with a bang, literally, as we see Allan Quartermain (Granger) leading a hunting expedition whose prey is elephants (if you don't want to see a couple of pachyderms taken down, then fast forward or skip this film altogether...I was put off by it at first, but managed to get past it). Seems Quartermain is feeling his years (apparently he's been leading these types of expeditions much longer than anyone else), and also seems to be feeling dissatisfaction for the work itself. As he contemplates retiring, an opportunity to make a heaping wad of cash comes in the form of wealthy Englishwoman Elizabeth Curtis (Kerr), along with her brother John Goode (Carlson) to lead an expedition to search for Elizabeth's husband, who is lost in the jungles as he searched for the fabled King Solomon's mines. Quartermain is hesitant at first (a woman on an expedition?! Surely you must jest! And don't call me Shirley!), but soon relents as it's a really huge wad of cash. The group is soon off, traipsing into the interior, a place where few have dared venture, and none have returned. If this sounds ominous, it's meant to as the dangers come fast and furious in the forms of hostile natives, bitey animals, treacherous terrain, and more...
I did enjoy this film a lot, despite a few perceived flaws on my part. The biggest being the first half of the film tended to get bogged down with showing as many different creatures as possible. You name it, we saw it...I guess I can understand if you're a studio, mounting a huge production in the wilds of Africa, you're going to make damn sure you get the most of it by showing as much of the location as possible, but it became tedious after awhile. I liked seeing the animals, but it seemed more often than not these scenes were filler rather than part of the story. There were some scenes were the animals were incorporated (like the wild stampede scene), but this wasn't the norm...perhaps this was more intriguing to 1950's audiences, who may not have ever seen actual footage of this relatively unknown continent. Regardless, once we get past this, the story picks up the pace, and things begin to move along. Granger is wonderful as the virile Great White Hunter, respectful of his place within wilds, surefooted and ever vigilant of the dangers present. I wouldn't have thought it possible given the nature of the character, but Granger infuses an underlying level of suaveness I found worked extremely well. One aspect I really liked was they had him speak some of the native tongues, rather than having the natives speak broken English, adding credibility to the film. Kerr is certainly beautiful, and presents a strong, yet feminine character, determined to find her lost husband for reasons all her own. I thought the romance subplot between the characters of Quartermain and Mrs. Curtis was unnecessary and clunky, but it was minor and generally stayed out of the way. I thought Carlson's character a bit weak, but I suppose I'm used to seeing him in starring roles in science fiction films and such, and not used to him being relegated to a rather insignificant role such as here. His main role seemed to be to provide a linkage between Elizabeth and Allan, forwarding their characters, but not his own. You could have removed his character from the film and ended up with about the same results. The use of real African natives and displaying their colorful garb and rituals was a real treat, as they're not shown to be ignorant third world hold outs but intelligent, rich with culture peoples in their natural environment.
I'm unsure if anything was done in terms of restoration, but the first half of the film has a light gray tinge to it, which I found a bit depressing (hence 3 stars instead of 4). It clears around halfway through, thankfully. The print used does show wear, but it's decent enough, and is presented in its original 1.33:1 aspect ratio. The audio seems very clean and clear. The only special feature included is a extremely worn trailer. All in all, a great film but lackluster DVD release.
Cookieman108
Movie Review: Poor Transfer for a Very Dull Excursion
Summary: 3 Stars
Can a proper English lass and a reclusive game hunter find true romance amidst the backdrop of exotic Africa? Deborah Kerr and Stewart Granger demonstrate in King Solomon's Mines (1950). Part travelogue, part adventure, part melodrama, this uneven blend, co-directed by Compton Bennett and Andrew Marton, stars Granger as Allan Quartermain. After losing his most trusted guide Khiva (Kimursi) in a needless safari accident, Quartermain resolves to take on no more expeditions. His mind, however, is changed by the staunch determination of Elizabeth Curtis (Kerr). She confronts Allan's inner demons and wins his fleeting respect. Her reward: hiring Allan at a great expense to track down her husband. Seems Mr. Curtis disappeared in the deepest recesses of the dark continent on route to a diamond mine; fortune and glory...same old story! Along the way to discovering the inevitable, the safari party pick up Umbopa (Siriaque), a prince in exile who acts as their guide into the land of the Watusis. What is particularly disappointing about "King Solomon's Mines" is its overall predictability. From its faux "Gone With The Wind - ish" main title sequence through its lumbering and uneven pacing, the film is not one cohesive narrative, but four mixed up into behaving as one. Long before we reach the end of this story we've figured out that Elizabeth's husband is quite dead. The romance that develops between Granger and Kerr is stoic and flawed - cropping up from a bitter antagonism and out of blind necessity. Richard Carleson, as Liz's brother, John Goode, is wasted with bits of business that lead us into discovering the real reason why Mr. Curtis would ditch Mrs. Curtis for the wilds and unknown. The final sequence in the film, a laborious dance that belongs in an Arthur Freed musical but ends with a public execution is quite anti-climactic and, well...boring. There's little to no resolution for the main characters and little to suggest that this film could have won such overwhelming votes to be a DVD Decision Winner among other such fine contenders as "The Spirit of St. Louis" or "Bathing Beauty".
Of course, all of this fluff and nonsense would be slightly forgivable if the print quality of "King Solomon's Mines" was something to cheer about. It is not. The Technicolor negative exhibits an inconsistently rendered image with excessive amounts of age related artifacts throughout. Colors are, on the whole, weak, softly focused and poorly contrasted and balanced. Occasionally we are treated to a stunning sequence of color photography, as with the aformentioned dance of the Watusis, but for the most part we are given a dull palette onto which some color has been smeared. The travelogue footage - obviously shot long before the principle actors had arrived on location - is grossly out of focus and quite faded. There are nicks, chips and tears in the negative, making the footage appear much older than the rest of the film stock. The audio is mono but nicely balanced with limited spread but optimal audibility. A theatrical trailer is the only extra included.
Bottom line: "King Solomon's Mines" is not vintage MGM in the way that the studio's earlier African adventures like "Trader Horn" or "Mocambo" are. Instead it's a clap trap of events buttressed by a feeble tale of self discovery that strangely is never fully realized.
Movie Review: MIDDLE OF THE ROAD TRANSFER OF AN ADVENTURE YAWN
Summary: 3 Stars
Can a proper English lass and a reclusive game hunter find true romance amidst the backdrop of exotic Africa? Deborah Kerr and Stewart Granger demonstrate in King Solomon's Mines (1950). Part travelogue, part adventure, part melodrama, this uneven blend, co-directed by Compton Bennett and Andrew Marton, stars Granger as Allan Quartermain. After losing his most trusted guide Khiva (Kimursi) in a needless safari accident, Quartermain resolves to take on no more expeditions. His mind, however, is changed by the staunch determination of Elizabeth Curtis (Kerr). She confronts Allan's inner demons and wins his fleeting respect. Her reward: hiring Allan at a great expense to track down her husband. Seems Mr. Curtis disappeared in the deepest recesses of the dark continent on route to a diamond mine; fortune and glory...same old story! Along the way to discovering the inevitable, the safari party pick up Umbopa (Siriaque), a prince in exile who acts as their guide into the land of the Watusis.
What is particularly disappointing about "King Solomon's Mines" is its overall predictability. From its faux "Gone With The Wind - ish" main title sequence through its lumbering and uneven pacing, the film is not one cohesive narrative, but four mixed up into behaving as one. Long before we reach the end of this story we've figured out that Elizabeth's husband is quite dead. The romance that develops between Granger and Kerr is stoic and flawed - cropping up from a bitter antagonism and out of blind necessity. Richard Carleson, as Liz's brother, John Goode, is wasted with bits of business that lead us into discovering the real reason why Mr. Curtis would ditch Mrs. Curtis for the wilds and unknown. The final sequence in the film, a laborious dance that belongs in an Arthur Freed musical but ends with a public execution is quite anti-climactic and, well...boring. There's little to no resolution for the main characters and little to suggest that this film could have won such overwhelming votes to be a DVD Decision Winner among other such fine contenders as "The Spirit of St. Louis" or "Bathing Beauty".
Of course, all of this fluff and nonsense would be slightly forgivable if the print quality of "King Solomon's Mines" was something to cheer about. It is not. The Technicolor negative exhibits an inconsistently rendered image with excessive amounts of age related artifacts throughout. Colors are, on the whole, weak, softly focused and poorly contrasted and balanced. Occasionally we are treated to a stunning sequence of color photography, as with the aformentioned dance of the Watusis, but for the most part we are given a dull palette onto which some color has been smeared. The travelogue footage - obviously shot long before the principle actors had arrived on location - is grossly out of focus and quite faded. There are nicks, chips and tears in the negative, making the footage appear much older than the rest of the film stock. The audio is mono but nicely balanced with limited spread but optimal audibility. A theatrical trailer is the only extra included.
Bottom line: "King Solomon's Mines" is not vintage MGM in the way that the studio's earlier African adventures like "Trader Horn" or "Mocambo" are. Instead it's a clap trap of events buttressed by a feeble tale of self discovery that strangely is never fully realized.
Movie Review: splashy Technicolor remake of the adventure classic
Summary: 3 Stars
Screenwriter Helen Deutsch almost threw the baby out with the bath-water when she crafted her script for KING SOLOMON'S MINES (1950), based on the beloved adventure novel from Sir Henry Rider Haggard. It bares little in common with the source material. For all intents and purposes, it was instead solely intended as a splashy Technicolor remake of the earlier 1937 movie version, but this time with the added novelty of having been filmed mostly on authentic locations in Africa. It starred British heart-throb Stewart Granger in his American debut. MGM injected over $3 million into the production's budget, and most of the rewards reaped from that effort can be seen on the screen. It's beautifully shot.
Elizabeth Curtis (Deborah Kerr) travels to Africa with her brother (Richard Carlson), in search of her estranged husband who went missing on a quest to find the mythical uncut diamond mines of King Solomon. Mrs Curtis enlists the help of renowned adventurer Allan Quatermain (Stewart Granger). He refuses to assist in what he believes is a foolhardy and downright suicidal mission, yet the appeal of uncut diamonds--and the lovely Mrs Curtis no doubt--soon change his tune.
Their trek will take them deep into the heart of darkest Africa, fraught with many dangers including cannibalistic natives, disease, and untold legions of wild animals. When at last they reach the mines, though, will they also find Curtis?...
Here in his American movie debut, Stewart Granger delivers a most handsome performance as Quatermain, matched every step of the way by Ms Deborah Kerr's fearless turn as Elizabeth. They'd later be reunited as Rudolf and Princess Flavia in MGM's 1952 Technicolor remake of "The Prisoner of Zenda"; Richard Chamberlain and Sharon Stone attempted to revive the Quatermain franchise with two largely unsuccessful movies in the 1980's ("King Solomon's Mines" and "Allan Quatermain and the Lost City of Gold").