As a middle-aged woman myself, I must say, that it was actually quite refreshing to see 2 good looking people in my age bracket falling in love. 🥰 I mean, we make up a significant portion of the population (back then, as well as today) and we, too, need love, 😂. I know I tire of watching only young people in romance films. So, it’s just strange to me that no one at the time thought that anyone would want to see middle-aged people falling in love. Jeez, love is beautiful at any age and these 2 were still absolutely stunning in this film too, so I find it even more strange that people actually thought they were too old! 🤦🏽♀️ HOWEVER, when he mentioned grandkids, I had to chuckle to myself, “Might be a tweensy bit too late for that, ole Charlie!” 😂
Katherine Hepburn wrote a lovely, light memoir, 'The Making of the African Queen, or How I Went to Africa with Bogart, Becall and Huston and Almost Lost My Mind'! It's very entertaining and pretty good on the production background, too.
This is what I love about this film. Two people from different places, different social-classes who would never have met and would not have spoken as equals if they had, both unsought and would have never been married to anyone back home - a plain old-maid and a plain old-bachelor - under extraordinary circumstances are suddenly beautiful to each other in their eyes and minds.
@@MoviesWithMia I hope you can watch the 50s Witness for the Prosecution, and Hitchcock’s 30s Lifeboat. It’s my favorite film of his along with Psycho and the Birds.
I had the great pleasure of interviewing Angela Allen, the film's script supervisor (or "continuity girl" as the job title was in those days). An amazing lady. This was her first film with Huston and he worked with her regularly afterwards, so impressed was he by the way she kept making notes even as their boat rose up on the back of a hippopotamus.
my mom was a "script girl" in the 70's with 21 credits on her imdb page..... Angela Allen was a script god...... 93 credits between 1947 and 2002?!?!? still kicking at 93 years of age now..... was nice of Bafta to honour her career in 2005..... not much credit given to such difficult and important work very often.
For a time, I was doing a monthly "Classic Movie Night" with my friends as I worked my way through the AFI TOP 100 list. I mentioned I was doing this to my grandmother, and she asked if I'd seen THE AFRICAN QUEEN? I told her "No" and she just shuddered and said "Oh, the mosquitoes in that film". Some 60 years later and she still remembered that scene. She passed away a short time after that and as my own small tribute to her, we watched this movie on my next CMN. I can see how it made an impression on her.
This reminds me of Cary Grant in "Father Goose" from 1964, his penultimate film. It takes place in the Pacific also during WWII and yes there's a woman in it, Leslie Caron. There's a good amount of humor in it and a different role for Grant.
"Ghost And Mrs. Muir" is going to make many happy, it's gotten requested so many times! Bernard Herrmann has so many amazing, classic scores, and that is indeed one of them! Good choice! Cool choice! ;)
Bernard Herrman can never get enough recognition if you ask me..... kudos for the shout out to him..... he's one of my heroes for sure. sad though... he died at 64 the day before Christmas in 1975 before Taxi Driver was released in February the following year... then won the Oscar for Best Original Score posthumously. approximately 40% of his 100+ film credits are actually post mortem. and his first f-ing film credit was Citizen f-ing Kane ffs.... c'mon now.... this guy should have a bigger statue than Rocky somewhere huh.
@@JuandeFucaU He did great music for the Mercury Theatre broadcasts as well, pre-Citizen Kane. I was watching "Sisters" sometime relatively recently, and his score is fantastic in that one too! At least Brian gave Bernard some work before he ripped him off in the score for "Carrie"! :P
One of the best movies I ever saw, in my youth, in an old small theater in a small North Carolina village on the beach that specialized in re running old classic movies. November 1964 I think…..
You asked if there was a reason why they chose to make Charlie Canadian instead of simply American and I believe the reason is related to the fact that in the original novel, Charlie is actually English. I think they chose to make him Canadian for the movie just to keep him a little bit closer to England culturally but, Humphrey Bogart would still be able to use his natural accent for the part.
This was a common practice when an American had to play a British subject without doing an English accent. For example, Clark Gable does so in "They Met in Bombay." Remember that the USA was not in World War One until 1917, so there would have been no reason for Charlie to take part in an attack on the Germans.
Wow, I didn’t know Lauren Bacall nursed sick cast and crew - what a lady! Great reaction, as always, Mia! This was my first Bogart film I watched when I was a kid. Always loved his and Katharine Hepburn’s performances. John Huston was a terrific director- one of my favorites!
I've seen this movie a long time ago and only got it on DVD in recent years. With the current climate I couldn't help but wonder. Isn't Rose among the strongest women in movie history? With her boundless determination and optimism Charlie never stood a chance resisting her mad scheme. To his credit, by the time he gives up they had already overcome so many obstacles that the ones left didn't look that big any more. And even facing death she rubs it into the German's faces how close the two had come to sink them. Let's not forget that this all happens just after she lost everything that meant something to her. The mission and her brother. Something else that should not be overlooked. this movie doesn't need a villain. there are enemies, yes, but they are just like all the other obstacles on the way. There is no villain and the movie comes along fine. If there is a reason for me to watch 'Jungle Cruise', then to compare it to 'The African Queen'. Even though I can guess the outcome.
Charlie was every bit as much a gentleman as anyone she could have met from Oxford or Cambridge. I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE this movie. And Charlie, so worldly and so naive - a rough man with a big heart. He offered Rose a drink of gin, no clue he was doing the wrong thing - then immediately offered to make her a cup of tea. All to provide comfort and make her feel at home after such tragedy.
I’ve mentioned Key Largo would be a great movie to react to. Bogart uses his own boat The Santana in the movie! Directed by John Huston, starring Bogart, Lauren Bacall, Edward G Robinson and Lionel Barrymore.
You should watch The Red Shoes!! It's a classic technicolour from the 1940s that contains one of the best dance sequences ever put to film, and is apparently one of Martin Scorseses favourite films :)
C. S. Forester also wrote the Hornblower novels. The recent Tom Hanks movie "Greyhound" was based upon the Forester novel "The Good Shepherd." Several other movies were based on his stories.
Robert Morley was usually cast in comedies, and/or someone's unscrupulous cohort, but looking at this now I'm thinking how effective he was as a good man tragically falling to delusion and death. It's like everyone was cast against type, and it works.
Yes!! Exactly! Huston and his casting team really challenged the acting stereotypes that these actors had on them, really showcasing their acting abilities!
My personal favorite comedy with Robert Morley in a prominent role is the 1978 film *Who Is Killing the Great Chefs of Europe?,* directed by Ted Kotcheff's and starring Jacqueline Bissett and the lamentably late George Segal. It's a delight from appetizer to dessert. 😁
Another great reaction, Mia!! You're going to love The Ghost and Mrs. Muir. The beautiful music was composed by Bernard Herrmann, who later wrote the music for several Hitchcock films.
Love this movie! Bogart is fantastic at being the grumpy guy that’s actually nice. Not sure if you’re going in chronological order, but if you haven’t seen “Papillon” from 1973, I highly recommend it! 😄
They made Bogart's character Canadian because in the book, the character was British, with a Cockney accent. Bogart wouldn't do the accent so they made him Canadian, as he had to be a British subject. Love that you chose this classic to watch!
Jack Cardiff was a genius.You'll love Black Narcissus and The Red Shoes when you get to them. Get some hankies ready for the Ghost & Mrs. Muir. The score is indeed sublime.
Had the pleasure to go sail on the actual African Queen in Key Largo. Found out from the captain, that the boiler was a prop. It was made to be removed for filming purposes. The actual boat was propelled by a gasoline engine. I also found out that the African Queen was built the same year as the Titanic. They also made Humphrey Bogart's character a Canadian because he could not get the Cockney accent down.
My mom's favourite actress is Katharine Hepburn, and she recruited me by showing this film. I instantly became a fan of both actress and movie (and I love the memoir Hepburn wrote about it). At one point, I told my parents, "You two are Hepburn and Bogart in The African Queen." They laughed a bit shyly, but didn't deny it. :-)
Jack Cardiff, The African Queen's cinematographer, also did The Red Shoes (1948) and Black Narcissus (1947). Both of which have stunning color. I highly recommend both!
I loved that they were put through so many challenges while they were on the boat, and they learned how to work as a team and manage to survive a sinking ship. Katharine was a very active woman throughout her life, so we were able to see in The African Queen that this wasn't the first time she got her hands dirty. Another film similar to this is On Golden Pond because Ethel and Norman visit their lakehouse every Spring. Plus, there's one scene at the beginning of the film where Kate is seen carrying logs on her back
BIG shout out to your historical backgrounds! Another great review! Keep shining! ✨omg jus noticed ur nails! 💕 Cute Mia! Love your makeup and teeee toooo.
The Hepburn/Bogart chemistry is replicated somewhat in the number of films she made with Spencer Tracy. Another unlikely pairing, though they had a famous offscreen relationship too.
Mama Mia, it's Mia! Glad to see you back with another classic. I thought Bogart and Hepburn were actually quite hysterical playing off of each other on film in this. Academy Award for Bogey.
A true classic, they both did such a wonderful job... You really feel like you are right there with them floating down the river 😎 Can't wait to see your reaction, Mia ! ( I bet I've watched this great movie 50+ times )
One of the best movie of hers is Guess who's coming to dinner, If you've heard the back story of Kate and Spencer Tracy, you will love it. There are scenes where you just see the love
Love this movie one of the greatest love stories ever filmed in my opinion , that ending when they are married is so touching, I now pronounce you man and wife, proceed with the hanging “ or something like that classic! I’ll watch your reaction after work thanks again!
I tip my hat to you, Mia for taking on the classics. Not many UA-camrs would do it. One of my personal suggestions for you is "Angels With Dirty Faces" with James Cagney. Cheers!
Lots of great John Huston films to get to. You've already done "The Misfits," but there's also "The Maltese Falcon," "The Treasure of the Sierra Madre," (both starring Bogart), "The Asphalt Jungle," and "The Man Who Would Be King." And those are just my favorites. I don't doubt there are others that would get highly recommended by other posters.
@@subitman12 Colorization has gotten a lot better since the 80s, but "The Maltese Falcon" is one of those that should be left alone - it will always be better in B&W.
Those are all on my list of must-see John Huston but I also add "Moby Dick". All four of those movies are favorites. As soon as I single out one - I'm tempted to talk about how great "Man Who Would Be King" is - I get almost guilty! All four of those movies are super classics, as is "Moby Dick" (as are lots of others) ("Prizzi's Honor" is great!)
I agree with you regarding the strength of Rosie when she talked of her brother's death. She had to be a strong woman to be willing to accompany her brother to Africa in the first place. It just shows how strong women in general really are. Her brother went into shock and then died, and she just kept on going.
For a very different movie with somewhat similar themes, I'd recommend 'Zulu'. It's not a romantic film, obviously, but it's also a war movie set in Africa, and also involves a struggle against overwhelming odds - there's even missionaries in both. Plus, it's overall a great, exciting movie with great performances.
The cinematographer of this film, Jack Cardiff, was a genius. He quite rightly won an Oscar for his work on Powell and Pressburger’s “Black Narcissus” arguably the most beautiful film ever made.
I can’t help but be reminded of another Hepburn movie, Rooster Cogburn. The plot is very similar, with Kate again playing a missionary with her father, who is a preacher. John Wayne has a role similar to Bogart’s, playing a US Deputy Marshall with a similar drinking problem. He helps her find her father’s killer. The movie is actually a sequel to True Grit, but she isn’t in that one. I recommend watching it sometime.
Jack Cardiff was the Director of Photography for this film. Cardiff was a British Cinematographer who was a master at shooting in Technicolor came to prominence from his work with Powell and Pressburger's Black Narcissus and The Red Shoes which were also in Technicolor and very beautiful films to watch. It would be a treat for your eyes to watch either of those great films. Martin Scorcese is a great fan of The Red Shoes.
The book is substantially different. I won't give away the plot differences for anyone that wants to read it, but I will say that unlike most books made into movies, I like the movie better. So observant of you to notice the black and white type lighting early in the movie. It is lacking in so many modern movies.
Love this movie! Not a big fan of Hepburn normally, but she's great in this role. Thanks for your reaction video. Always interested in what you have to say.
@@randywhite3947 that’s what I’d like to know lol I even enjoyed The Lion in Winter, because she was good enough to carry it by herself, although it wasn’t that great on the whole.
I wasn't sure why I wasn't receiving notifications and then I realized I was no longer subscribed! Hmm. Anyway I'm back and happy to see you're still uploading reactions to my favorite films!
I love this movie. Another great movie with Hepburn playing opposite a strong leading man is the 1975 film with John Wayne; Rooster Cogburn and the Lady.
Hi Mia Tiffany, back in 1984 I recall my Boss telling me that the " Africa Queen " was still afloat and docked somewhere along the Gulf of Mexico. He had boarded it. He said it was quite small. Anyways, after checking it is ported in Key Largo, Florida. I hope that you get to visit it one day. " Hey! "
Your sense of humor is a lot like my second daughter's. I saw this film many years ago and it intrigued me. I also saw a radio-controlled model of the African Queen, it even had a single-cylinder steam engine. I wish I had bought it.
It's been awhile since I've poked my head into the comments of one of your reactions Mia, but I just had to for this one, I adore the movie. I hear "rewatch" and some excitement begins to deflate but actually it was tons of fun, because we're in the same boat! Rewatching a movie all about a boat, that is. Filming on location in this case really makes all the difference, you really can see every bead of sweat, speck of dirt, the coating of all that grime. I've never minded the artificiality backlots sometimes saddle you with, it's a tradeoff like anything else, but African Queen feels decades ahead of its time because they did something that would only become more commonplace later. It's also always good to see two actors have a passionate romance at an older age, it's always been unfair for it to be seen as a young people's game. And it does what any should do where both these characters grow with it. Thanks for sharing this with us! And Ghost and Mrs. Muir, yes! Oh god yes! Cannot wait, that's a gem and perfect fit for the next series (And it would've been for this one too I think).
Highly recommend "The Ghost and Mrs. Muir" to anyone who hasn't seen it. And if you're fond of such, I remember the late 60s TV series as being rather charming too. Always thought Hope Lange should have had a bigger career.
@@paintedjaguar I've been saving that series for a rainy day or a few, it does look that. But for now all I want is a twofer with this movie and The Ghost and Mr. Chicken. Ah well, maybe for October.
I love this movie. You are right that Hepburn and Bogart worked very well together. Excited for The Ghost and Mrs. Muir. This is one of my favorite movies.
If this is meant to be World War 1, I'm guessing Bogie is Canadian because Canada would have entered the war before USA, being part of the British Empire.
Wonderful reaction, Mia! This shows Bogart's wonderful acting range - instead of the usual tough guy he plays a weak little man redeemed by the love of a good woman. To see another side of him, watch "The Caine Mutiny" - an excellent, very disturbing movie that makes you look at your own moral choices. But I find Robert Morley's death scene in the African Queen one of the two most poignant scenes I've ever seen in a movie. Bogart plays a Canadian because at this time in history America wasn't in the war, but there was no way he could imitate an English accent. From personal experience, you don't feel a leech on you - it injects an anaesthetic into your bloodstream so you won't.
As I understand it, Charlie Allnut is a cockney in the novel. Bogart didn't think he could do that accent, so Charlie had to come from somewhere else. As the U.S. was neutral in 1914, and Canada was part of the British Empire, the character became Canadian. Good call and a great performance, eh?
Great film! Thanks for reacting to it Mia. Forrester had a real fondness for stories about insignificant working class people unexpectedly throwing a wrench in vast, strategic forces they can barely envision. Often the 'hero' is acting out of strange impulses born of a sense of duty, or of sheer mechanical training, and don't think much on what they're doing. None the less, unseen they turn the tide. Two somewhat brutal versions of this are in the books detailing the war in Spain against Napoleonic France in 'Death to the French' and 'The Gun'. Both are pretty devoid of heroism, and are almost Goya-esque in their depiction of war. - with a very black, cynical but sympathetic humour. Brown on Resolution is about a young British naval rating who somehow manages to be the architect of the demise of powerful German warship, however the genius of the story revolves around the life of his mother back home - her blind devotion to the navy, her little dreams, and her brave battle against cancer. African Queen is classic Forrester; funny, sad, heroic and whimsical.
Charlie is a Canadian because the author, C.S. Forester, was an Englishman,, loyal to the Crown and the Empire. He sometimes used Canadian characters to show the influence of the "New World" on English people and situations. In the 1935 movie, "Brown on Resolution," Forester's hero was the illegitimate son of a British officer, taken to Canada as a baby by his mother and raised there. His mother instilled in him all the good qualities she imagined should be held by a British sailor.
How is the movie, Michael? Brown on Resolution is one of my very favourite Forester stories, primarily for everything revolving around his devoted-to-the-navy mother and the sad, funny, subtly cruel and subtly inspiring life she endures..
Summertime Directed by David Lean is another great film staring Katherine Hepburn with some great couples chemistry! It's beautifully filmed in Venice.
Mia, this another great reaction video. Please keep them coming. BTW, the church hymn that Robert Morley is trying to teach the natives is "Bread of Heaven" - this song is featured in another classic, "How Green Was My Valley" (hint, hint, hint).
The African Queen is one of my all time favorites. As usual both Bogart and Hepburn were outstanding. If it was not for a bit of iffy rear projection, this would be 100 percent, perfect film.
Mia, you seemed so excited about the elephants that maybe you should do a series with films that feature elephants. Here are three movies that you can start out with: Tarzan the Ape Man(1932), The Greatest Show on Earth with James Stewart as a clown, and Howard Hawks Hatari with John Wayne and the Baby Elephant Walk theme
I've loved this movie for many years and only just recently read the book. The ending in the movie is a hundred times better than the ending in the book.
Three actors who worked with John Houston said he gave them the best direction in one sentence. Katie Hepburn said that he gave her the best damned direction in finding the core of this charge her. She started off more severe. Houston said this and she's said who do you see the character as. Houston said Eleanor Roosevelt. A prim woman who always had a smile and a lady...not stern but an amiable helpful companion. Mrs. Roosevelt had a beautiful smile.
Michael Caine and Eli Wallach also said John Huston gave them one line of direction that gave them the whole character. Michael Caine in TheMan Who would be King and Eli Wallach in the Misfits.
Just wanted to mention that you left out Theodore Bikel when listing the supporting cast. He was the First Officer who also questioned Charlie and Rose aboard the Königin Luise towards the end. Bikel was an Austrian-American actor and folk singer. He was also the first Captain von Trapp in the original Broadway production of The Sound of Music with Mary Martin as Maria. Bikel would work in movies, television, and stage throughout his long career. It is said that he played the role of Tevye in Fiddler On The Roof on stage more than any other actor. Thank you so much for reacting to The African Queen. It's one of my all-time favorite movies!
I read the book, by C.S. Forrester ,who wrote the famous Hornblower series of naval novels . On the very last page ,Charlie is musing and wondering how his wife in London is getting on ,that he hasn`t seen for years .
This is why I love your channel. I haven’t seen this movie since they used to show it on TV in the 70s. You have a knack of finding these great movies from decades ago and triggering great memories.
Fantastic reaction Mia Tiffany perfectly cast smartly written and beautifully filmed the African queen remains thrilling funny and effortlessly absorbing even after more than a half a centuries worth of adventure movies borrowing literally from its creative DNA THE AFRICAN QUEEN (1951) 96/100% Certified Approved ☑️ Charlie Allnut: A MAN TAKES A DROP TOO MUCH ONCE IN A WHILE, ITS ONLY HUMAN NATURE." Rose Sayer: NATURE MR ALLNUT IS WHAT WE ARE PUT INTO THIS WORLD TO RISE ABOVE.
CS Forester was best known besides this, the Hornblower works. While there were some clasic attempts at Hornblower, most reviewers shy away from TV miniseries and historical dramas. A&E's Hornblower I would like to see reviewed, was on par with Master and Commander yet a fraction of the budget and 8 episodes. Also the Ted Turner Histories like Rough Riders, Ironclads and others that are neglected IMHO. Glad to see you cover the classics and not just the big budget stuff.
Check out the Clint Eastwood film ‘White Hunter, Black Heart’ . Peter Viertel who was one of the screenwriters on African Queen, wrote a fictionalised novel about the making of the African Queen and his relationship with John Huston. Although the names are different, I.e John Wilson for John Huston etc, it was starred in and directed by Clint Eastwood in 1990.
Mia, the best comedy you haven't reviewed is Sullivan's Travels. T he Coen brothers made a movie about the film Sullivan was trying to make. Sullivan actually goes on four journeys.
I miss the days when movies were more good-hearted and kind. This was a great movie and the cast was a masterclass in acting.
As a middle-aged woman myself, I must say, that it was actually quite refreshing to see 2 good looking people in my age bracket falling in love. 🥰 I mean, we make up a significant portion of the population (back then, as well as today) and we, too, need love, 😂. I know I tire of watching only young people in romance films. So, it’s just strange to me that no one at the time thought that anyone would want to see middle-aged people falling in love. Jeez, love is beautiful at any age and these 2 were still absolutely stunning in this film too, so I find it even more strange that people actually thought they were too old! 🤦🏽♀️ HOWEVER, when he mentioned grandkids, I had to chuckle to myself, “Might be a tweensy bit too late for that, ole Charlie!” 😂
Thank you for this! Yes, I wholeheartedly agree with you! Love looks beautiful at any age 😉
Katherine Hepburn wrote a lovely, light memoir, 'The Making of the African Queen, or How I Went to Africa with Bogart, Becall and Huston and Almost Lost My Mind'! It's very entertaining and pretty good on the production background, too.
It is such a lovely book!
This is what I love about this film. Two people from different places, different social-classes who would never have met and would not have spoken as equals if they had, both unsought and would have never been married to anyone back home - a plain old-maid and a plain old-bachelor - under extraordinary circumstances are suddenly beautiful to each other in their eyes and minds.
I like your show. Thank you for doing older movies. Most of the younger reviewers miss them.
Thank you so much! I really appreciate you for saying that 😁
@@MoviesWithMia I hope you can watch the 50s Witness for the Prosecution, and Hitchcock’s 30s Lifeboat. It’s my favorite film of his along with Psycho and the Birds.
Bogart and Hepburn have great chemistry because they both radiate strength and independence, but on different frequencies.
I had the great pleasure of interviewing Angela Allen, the film's script supervisor (or "continuity girl" as the job title was in those days). An amazing lady. This was her first film with Huston and he worked with her regularly afterwards, so impressed was he by the way she kept making notes even as their boat rose up on the back of a hippopotamus.
my mom was a "script girl" in the 70's with 21 credits on her imdb page.....
Angela Allen was a script god...... 93 credits between 1947 and 2002?!?!?
still kicking at 93 years of age now..... was nice of Bafta to honour her career in 2005.....
not much credit given to such difficult and important work very often.
Do you have a link to the interview?
@@HuntingViolets It's on the Criterion Channel, in two parts, but you have to be a subscriber.
For a time, I was doing a monthly "Classic Movie Night" with my friends as I worked my way through the AFI TOP 100 list. I mentioned I was doing this to my grandmother, and she asked if I'd seen THE AFRICAN QUEEN? I told her "No" and she just shuddered and said "Oh, the mosquitoes in that film". Some 60 years later and she still remembered that scene. She passed away a short time after that and as my own small tribute to her, we watched this movie on my next CMN. I can see how it made an impression on her.
This reminds me of Cary Grant in "Father Goose" from 1964, his penultimate film. It takes place in the Pacific also during WWII and yes there's a woman in it, Leslie Caron. There's a good amount of humor in it and a different role for Grant.
Funny movie!!!!! Love it!!!!!
"Ghost And Mrs. Muir" is going to make many happy, it's gotten requested so many times! Bernard Herrmann has so many amazing, classic scores, and that is indeed one of them! Good choice! Cool choice! ;)
That’s such a bitter sweet movie. “My dear….”
Love that one.
Bernard Herrman can never get enough recognition if you ask me..... kudos for the shout out to him..... he's one of my heroes for sure.
sad though... he died at 64 the day before Christmas in 1975 before Taxi Driver was released in February the following year... then won the Oscar for Best Original Score posthumously.
approximately 40% of his 100+ film credits are actually post mortem.
and his first f-ing film credit was Citizen f-ing Kane ffs.... c'mon now.... this guy should have a bigger statue than Rocky somewhere huh.
@@JuandeFucaU He did great music for the Mercury Theatre broadcasts as well, pre-Citizen Kane. I was watching "Sisters" sometime relatively recently, and his score is fantastic in that one too! At least Brian gave Bernard some work before he ripped him off in the score for "Carrie"! :P
One of the best movies I ever saw, in my youth, in an old small theater in a small North Carolina village on the beach that specialized in re running old classic movies. November 1964 I think…..
You asked if there was a reason why they chose to make Charlie Canadian instead of simply American and I believe the reason is related to the fact that in the original novel, Charlie is actually English. I think they chose to make him Canadian for the movie just to keep him a little bit closer to England culturally but, Humphrey Bogart would still be able to use his natural accent for the part.
This was a common practice when an American had to play a British subject without doing an English accent. For example, Clark Gable does so in "They Met in Bombay." Remember that the USA was not in World War One until 1917, so there would have been no reason for Charlie to take part in an attack on the Germans.
yes, I remember hearing that Humphrey Bogart was originally supposed to have a Cockney accent but that didn't really work out
Wow, I didn’t know Lauren Bacall nursed sick cast and crew - what a lady! Great reaction, as always, Mia! This was my first Bogart film I watched when I was a kid. Always loved his and Katharine Hepburn’s performances. John Huston was a terrific director- one of my favorites!
I've seen this movie a long time ago and only got it on DVD in recent years.
With the current climate I couldn't help but wonder. Isn't Rose among the strongest women in movie history?
With her boundless determination and optimism Charlie never stood a chance resisting her mad scheme. To his credit, by the time he gives up they had already overcome so many obstacles that the ones left didn't look that big any more. And even facing death she rubs it into the German's faces how close the two had come to sink them.
Let's not forget that this all happens just after she lost everything that meant something to her. The mission and her brother.
Something else that should not be overlooked. this movie doesn't need a villain. there are enemies, yes, but they are just like all the other obstacles on the way. There is no villain and the movie comes along fine.
If there is a reason for me to watch 'Jungle Cruise', then to compare it to 'The African Queen'. Even though I can guess the outcome.
Charlie was every bit as much a gentleman as anyone she could have met from Oxford or Cambridge.
I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE this movie. And Charlie, so worldly and so naive - a rough man with a big heart. He offered Rose a drink of gin, no clue he was doing the wrong thing - then immediately offered to make her a cup of tea. All to provide comfort and make her feel at home after such tragedy.
I’ve mentioned Key Largo would be a great movie to react to. Bogart uses his own boat The Santana in the movie! Directed by John Huston, starring Bogart, Lauren Bacall, Edward G Robinson and Lionel Barrymore.
You should watch The Red Shoes!! It's a classic technicolour from the 1940s that contains one of the best dance sequences ever put to film, and is apparently one of Martin Scorseses favourite films :)
I could get with that. Mesmerising film!
C. S. Forester also wrote the Hornblower novels. The recent Tom Hanks movie "Greyhound" was based upon the Forester novel "The Good Shepherd." Several other movies were based on his stories.
Robert Morley was usually cast in comedies, and/or someone's unscrupulous cohort, but looking at this now I'm thinking how effective he was as a good man tragically falling to delusion and death. It's like everyone was cast against type, and it works.
Yes!! Exactly! Huston and his casting team really challenged the acting stereotypes that these actors had on them, really showcasing their acting abilities!
My personal favorite comedy with Robert Morley in a prominent role is the 1978 film *Who Is Killing the Great Chefs of Europe?,* directed by Ted Kotcheff's and starring Jacqueline Bissett and the lamentably late George Segal. It's a delight from appetizer to dessert. 😁
Another great reaction, Mia!! You're going to love The Ghost and Mrs. Muir. The beautiful music was composed by Bernard Herrmann, who later wrote the music for several Hitchcock films.
Love this movie! Bogart is fantastic at being the grumpy guy that’s actually nice. Not sure if you’re going in chronological order, but if you haven’t seen “Papillon” from 1973, I highly recommend it! 😄
They made Bogart's character Canadian because in the book, the character was British, with a Cockney accent. Bogart wouldn't do the accent so they made him Canadian, as he had to be a British subject. Love that you chose this classic to watch!
Jack Cardiff was a genius.You'll love Black Narcissus and The Red Shoes when you get to them.
Get some hankies ready for the Ghost & Mrs. Muir. The score is indeed sublime.
Had the pleasure to go sail on the actual African Queen in Key Largo. Found out from the captain, that the boiler was a prop. It was made to be removed for filming purposes. The actual boat was propelled by a gasoline engine. I also found out that the African Queen was built the same year as the Titanic.
They also made Humphrey Bogart's character a Canadian because he could not get the Cockney accent down.
This movie was so good, they’ll never make anything like this again. I’m glad you watched and appreciated this film. Truly a masterpiece
My mom's favourite actress is Katharine Hepburn, and she recruited me by showing this film. I instantly became a fan of both actress and movie (and I love the memoir Hepburn wrote about it).
At one point, I told my parents, "You two are Hepburn and Bogart in The African Queen." They laughed a bit shyly, but didn't deny it. :-)
great reaction! Clint Eastwood made a film about how this movie was made, Clint plays John Huston. "White Hunter, Black Heart"
Recommended especially for a scene in which Eastwood's John Wilson tells off a bigoted woman without raising his voice.
I absolutely love your insight to this movie. A truly great adventure love story.
Jack Cardiff, The African Queen's cinematographer, also did The Red Shoes (1948) and Black Narcissus (1947). Both of which have stunning color. I highly recommend both!
Also did A Matter Of Life And Death (1946) and was one of the cameramen for The Life And Death Of Colonel Blimp (1943).
I loved that they were put through so many challenges while they were on the boat, and they learned how to work as a team and manage to survive a sinking ship. Katharine was a very active woman throughout her life, so we were able to see in The African Queen that this wasn't the first time she got her hands dirty. Another film similar to this is On Golden Pond because Ethel and Norman visit their lakehouse every Spring. Plus, there's one scene at the beginning of the film where Kate is seen carrying logs on her back
BIG shout out to your historical backgrounds! Another great review! Keep shining! ✨omg jus noticed ur nails! 💕 Cute Mia! Love your makeup and teeee toooo.
When you understand that it’s really only two characters for most of the movie shows what good actors they both were.
Agreed! 💯
Great chemistry indeed. This movie is so good! Thank you for another wonderful reaction. The Ghost and Mrs. Muir is a gorgeous movie!
Saw ghost as an early teen the ending brought tears
The Hepburn/Bogart chemistry is replicated somewhat in the number of films she made with Spencer Tracy. Another unlikely pairing, though they had a famous offscreen relationship too.
Best Katharine Hepburn line in whole film for me, when she's told it was impossible to have come down the Ulanga. "Never...the.less"
Mama Mia, it's Mia! Glad to see you back with another classic. I thought Bogart and Hepburn were actually quite hysterical playing off of each other on film in this. Academy Award for Bogey.
I showed this to my son when he was about 8 years old and he LOVED it. Such a great adventure movie.
A true classic, they both did such a wonderful job...
You really feel like you are right there with them floating down the river 😎
Can't wait to see your reaction, Mia ! ( I bet I've watched this great movie 50+ times )
My parents brought me up on this film. RIP Bill & Margery love Dave x
One of the best movie of hers is Guess who's coming to dinner, If you've heard the back story of Kate and Spencer Tracy, you will love it. There are scenes where you just see the love
I watched this with my Momz. It is a wonderful film.
Love this movie one of the greatest love stories ever filmed in my opinion , that ending when they are married is so touching, I now pronounce you man and wife, proceed with the hanging “ or something like that classic! I’ll watch your reaction after work thanks again!
I tip my hat to you, Mia for taking on the classics. Not many UA-camrs would do it. One of my personal suggestions for you is "Angels With Dirty Faces" with James Cagney. Cheers!
A classic for sure and deservedly so. Movies used to be so simple but often had more impact because of character development.
Lots of great John Huston films to get to. You've already done "The Misfits," but there's also "The Maltese Falcon," "The Treasure of the Sierra Madre," (both starring Bogart), "The Asphalt Jungle," and "The Man Who Would Be King." And those are just my favorites. I don't doubt there are others that would get highly recommended by other posters.
The Maltese Falcon is one of my favorites. I prefer the b/w version as Ted Turner decided to colorize the classics, It was horrible.
@@subitman12 Colorization has gotten a lot better since the 80s, but "The Maltese Falcon" is one of those that should be left alone - it will always be better in B&W.
Those are all on my list of must-see John Huston but I also add "Moby Dick". All four of those movies are favorites. As soon as I single out one - I'm tempted to talk about how great "Man Who Would Be King" is - I get almost guilty! All four of those movies are super classics, as is "Moby Dick" (as are lots of others) ("Prizzi's Honor" is great!)
"Treasure of the Sierra Madre."
At this point on the Bogart arc--- oh, man, you gotta see "Treasure of the Sierra Madre"...
I love this movie. I’ve seen it three or four times. It was also my mom‘s favorite movie. I’m looking forward to watching this reaction.
I agree with you regarding the strength of Rosie when she talked of her brother's death. She had to be a strong woman to be willing to accompany her brother to Africa in the first place. It just shows how strong women in general really are. Her brother went into shock and then died, and she just kept on going.
The Ghost Mrs. Muir is such a bittersweet movie. One of my mom’s and my favorites. It made us love Rex Harrison
I was born in 1979. It was old when i was new. And it and chitty chitty bang bang remain my 2 favorite films of all time.
For a very different movie with somewhat similar themes, I'd recommend 'Zulu'. It's not a romantic film, obviously, but it's also a war movie set in Africa, and also involves a struggle against overwhelming odds - there's even missionaries in both. Plus, it's overall a great, exciting movie with great performances.
I never knew that Lauren Bacall had a background part of this classic movie.
I remember seeing a live steam model of the African Queen. It was radio controlled and very accurately built.
Anthony and Cleopatra- Hepburn toured Australia in the 50s doing several Shakespearean plays- including Anthony and Cleopatra.
The cinematographer of this film, Jack Cardiff, was a genius. He quite rightly won an Oscar for his work on Powell and Pressburger’s “Black Narcissus” arguably the most beautiful film ever made.
I couldn't believe it when I saw the great man's name in the credits for Rambo II, all those years ago.
I can’t help but be reminded of another Hepburn movie, Rooster Cogburn. The plot is very similar, with Kate again playing a missionary with her father, who is a preacher. John Wayne has a role similar to Bogart’s, playing a US Deputy Marshall with a similar drinking problem. He helps her find her father’s killer. The movie is actually a sequel to True Grit, but she isn’t in that one. I recommend watching it sometime.
Jack Cardiff was the Director of Photography for this film. Cardiff was a British Cinematographer who was a master at shooting in Technicolor came to prominence from his work with Powell and Pressburger's Black Narcissus and The Red Shoes which were also in Technicolor and very beautiful films to watch. It would be a treat for your eyes to watch either of those great films. Martin Scorcese is a great fan of The Red Shoes.
The book is substantially different. I won't give away the plot differences for anyone that wants to read it, but I will say that unlike most books made into movies, I like the movie better. So observant of you to notice the black and white type lighting early in the movie. It is lacking in so many modern movies.
One of the few movies my family loved equally! Some Like it Hot is another. Usually we have our own favorites. So this one has a special place for me.
Love this movie! Not a big fan of Hepburn normally, but she's great in this role. Thanks for your reaction video. Always interested in what you have to say.
Thank you so much for watching! Yeah, I think she was great in this one 😁
Why aren’t you a big fan?
@@randywhite3947 that’s what I’d like to know lol
I even enjoyed The Lion in Winter, because she was good enough to carry it by herself, although it wasn’t that great on the whole.
I wasn't sure why I wasn't receiving notifications and then I realized I was no longer subscribed! Hmm. Anyway I'm back and happy to see you're still uploading reactions to my favorite films!
I love this movie. Another great movie with Hepburn playing opposite a strong leading man is the 1975 film with John Wayne; Rooster Cogburn and the Lady.
Absolutely!
Hi Mia Tiffany, back in 1984 I recall my Boss telling me that the " Africa Queen " was still afloat and docked somewhere along the Gulf of Mexico. He had boarded it. He said it was quite small. Anyways, after checking it is ported in Key Largo, Florida. I hope that you get to visit it one day. " Hey! "
Your sense of humor is a lot like my second daughter's. I saw this film many years ago and it intrigued me. I also saw a radio-controlled model of the African Queen, it even had a single-cylinder steam engine. I wish I had bought it.
It's been awhile since I've poked my head into the comments of one of your reactions Mia, but I just had to for this one, I adore the movie. I hear "rewatch" and some excitement begins to deflate but actually it was tons of fun, because we're in the same boat! Rewatching a movie all about a boat, that is. Filming on location in this case really makes all the difference, you really can see every bead of sweat, speck of dirt, the coating of all that grime. I've never minded the artificiality backlots sometimes saddle you with, it's a tradeoff like anything else, but African Queen feels decades ahead of its time because they did something that would only become more commonplace later. It's also always good to see two actors have a passionate romance at an older age, it's always been unfair for it to be seen as a young people's game. And it does what any should do where both these characters grow with it. Thanks for sharing this with us!
And Ghost and Mrs. Muir, yes! Oh god yes! Cannot wait, that's a gem and perfect fit for the next series (And it would've been for this one too I think).
Highly recommend "The Ghost and Mrs. Muir" to anyone who hasn't seen it. And if you're fond of such, I remember the late 60s TV series as being rather charming too. Always thought Hope Lange should have had a bigger career.
@@paintedjaguar I've been saving that series for a rainy day or a few, it does look that. But for now all I want is a twofer with this movie and The Ghost and Mr. Chicken. Ah well, maybe for October.
OMGGGG so glad you commented!!! You’re always so insightful!
@@MoviesWithMia Why thanks! It does make my day a bit. Take care. 🙂
An Absolute Classic!!!
I love this movie. You are right that Hepburn and Bogart worked very well together. Excited for The Ghost and Mrs. Muir. This is one of my favorite movies.
If this is meant to be World War 1, I'm guessing Bogie is Canadian because Canada would have entered the war before USA, being part of the British Empire.
Wonderful reaction, Mia! This shows Bogart's wonderful acting range - instead of the usual tough guy he plays a weak little man redeemed by the love of a good woman. To see another side of him, watch "The Caine Mutiny" - an excellent, very disturbing movie that makes you look at your own moral choices. But I find Robert Morley's death scene in the African Queen one of the two most poignant scenes I've ever seen in a movie. Bogart plays a Canadian because at this time in history America wasn't in the war, but there was no way he could imitate an English accent. From personal experience, you don't feel a leech on you - it injects an anaesthetic into your bloodstream so you won't.
Loved your reaction to this film. Can't wait to see yours for the next one, which happens to be one of my favorite films.
As I understand it, Charlie Allnut is a cockney in the novel. Bogart didn't think he could do that accent, so Charlie had to come from somewhere else. As the U.S. was neutral in 1914, and Canada was part of the British Empire, the character became Canadian.
Good call and a great performance, eh?
It was Katherine Hepburn who saw saw Peter O’Toole playing Shakespeare filming ended then recommended him to David Lean
What!?! No way! That is so cool! Friends helping friends!!
Great film! Thanks for reacting to it Mia. Forrester had a real fondness for stories about insignificant working class people unexpectedly throwing a wrench in vast, strategic forces they can barely envision. Often the 'hero' is acting out of strange impulses born of a sense of duty, or of sheer mechanical training, and don't think much on what they're doing. None the less, unseen they turn the tide. Two somewhat brutal versions of this are in the books detailing the war in Spain against Napoleonic France in 'Death to the French' and 'The Gun'. Both are pretty devoid of heroism, and are almost Goya-esque in their depiction of war. - with a very black, cynical but sympathetic humour. Brown on Resolution is about a young British naval rating who somehow manages to be the architect of the demise of powerful German warship, however the genius of the story revolves around the life of his mother back home - her blind devotion to the navy, her little dreams, and her brave battle against cancer. African Queen is classic Forrester; funny, sad, heroic and whimsical.
Charlie is a Canadian because the author, C.S. Forester, was an Englishman,, loyal to the Crown and the Empire. He sometimes used Canadian characters to show the influence of the "New World" on English people and situations. In the 1935 movie, "Brown on Resolution," Forester's hero was the illegitimate son of a British officer, taken to Canada as a baby by his mother and raised there. His mother instilled in him all the good qualities she imagined should be held by a British sailor.
How is the movie, Michael? Brown on Resolution is one of my very favourite Forester stories, primarily for everything revolving around his devoted-to-the-navy mother and the sad, funny, subtly cruel and subtly inspiring life she endures..
i loved watching this movie with my mama, she loved old romance movies. i miss her very much.
Bogart and Hepburn? Can't loose! Thumbs up!
Summertime Directed by David Lean is another great film staring Katherine Hepburn with some great couples chemistry! It's beautifully filmed in Venice.
Mia, this another great reaction video. Please keep them coming. BTW, the church hymn that Robert Morley is trying to teach the natives is "Bread of Heaven" - this song is featured in another classic, "How Green Was My Valley" (hint, hint, hint).
The African Queen is one of my all time favorites. As usual both Bogart and Hepburn were outstanding. If it was not for a bit of iffy rear projection, this would be 100 percent, perfect film.
It was this film’s spotlight on Gordon’s Gin that lead to my life long love affair with that devine spirit.
Hepburn did a tour in Australia where she played Cleopatra in 'Antony and Cleopatra' wish there was some film of that- I've seen some photos
Hi Mia... love the channel ✌😎
I have a request....
The Grapes of Wrath (1940)
A movie that should be seen by everyone, please put it on the list 🙂
Mia, you seemed so excited about the elephants that maybe you should do a series with films that feature elephants. Here are three movies that you can start out with: Tarzan the Ape Man(1932), The Greatest Show on Earth with James Stewart as a clown, and Howard Hawks Hatari with John Wayne and the Baby Elephant Walk theme
Enthusiastic seconding for *Hatari!,* one of the Duke's non-Westerns that still delivers excitement (and laughs). 😀
I always liked Bogart's characterization in We're No Angels. Funny.
I've loved this movie for many years and only just recently read the book. The ending in the movie is a hundred times better than the ending in the book.
I just saw the actual boat last month on Key Largo. It's docked just down the road from where Bogart filmed part of the movie Key Largo.
There's a mini-documentary on youtube somewhere about the history of that boat.
Three actors who worked with John Houston said he gave them the best direction in one sentence. Katie Hepburn said that he gave her the best damned direction in finding the core of this charge her. She started off more severe. Houston said this and she's said who do you see the character as. Houston said Eleanor Roosevelt. A prim woman who always had a smile and a lady...not stern but an amiable helpful companion. Mrs. Roosevelt had a beautiful smile.
Michael Caine and Eli Wallach also said John Huston gave them one line of direction that gave them the whole character. Michael Caine in TheMan Who would be King and Eli Wallach in the Misfits.
Just wanted to mention that you left out Theodore Bikel when listing the supporting cast. He was the First Officer who also questioned Charlie and Rose aboard the Königin Luise towards the end. Bikel was an Austrian-American actor and folk singer. He was also the first Captain von Trapp in the original Broadway production of The Sound of Music with Mary Martin as Maria. Bikel would work in movies, television, and stage throughout his long career. It is said that he played the role of Tevye in Fiddler On The Roof on stage more than any other actor.
Thank you so much for reacting to The African Queen. It's one of my all-time favorite movies!
I think you should wear your Dracula cape more often. Because it looks cool.
Thank you
I read the book, by C.S. Forrester ,who wrote the famous Hornblower series of naval novels .
On the very last page ,Charlie is musing and wondering how his wife in London is getting on ,that he hasn`t seen for years .
This is why I love your channel. I haven’t seen this movie since they used to show it on TV in the 70s. You have a knack of finding these great movies from decades ago and triggering great memories.
Fantastic reaction Mia Tiffany perfectly cast smartly written and beautifully filmed the African queen remains thrilling funny and effortlessly absorbing even after more than a half a centuries worth of adventure movies borrowing literally from its creative DNA THE AFRICAN QUEEN (1951) 96/100% Certified Approved ☑️ Charlie Allnut: A MAN TAKES A DROP TOO MUCH ONCE IN A WHILE, ITS ONLY HUMAN NATURE." Rose Sayer: NATURE MR ALLNUT IS WHAT WE ARE PUT INTO THIS WORLD TO RISE ABOVE.
"Guess Who's Comming to Dinner? " " It's a mad, mad, mad , mad World" " Dark City "
CS Forester was best known besides this, the Hornblower works. While there were some clasic attempts at Hornblower, most reviewers shy away from TV miniseries and historical dramas. A&E's Hornblower I would like to see reviewed, was on par with Master and Commander yet a fraction of the budget and 8 episodes. Also the Ted Turner Histories like Rough Riders, Ironclads and others that are neglected IMHO. Glad to see you cover the classics and not just the big budget stuff.
10/10 is the correct score for this movie!
WOW- Just like Joe VS the Volcano w/Tom hanks. I Thank you re-educating me about this Movie African Queen.
A great Hollywood classic and my mom's favorite, thanks!
Back in the 60s African Queen was always on tv.
Clint Eastwood starred in a fictionalized version of the making of the African Queen in 'White Hunter, Black Heart.
One of my favorite... thank you for sharing.
Check out the Clint Eastwood film ‘White Hunter, Black Heart’ . Peter Viertel who was one of the screenwriters on African Queen, wrote a fictionalised novel about the making of the African Queen and his relationship with John Huston. Although the names are different, I.e John Wilson for John Huston etc, it was starred in and directed by Clint Eastwood in 1990.
Mia, the best comedy you haven't reviewed is Sullivan's Travels. T he Coen brothers made a movie about the film Sullivan was trying to make.
Sullivan actually goes on four journeys.