The African Queen

THE AFRICAN QUEEN (COLOUR, 1951)

Director:
John Huston

Cast:
Humphrey Bogart, Katherine Hepburn, Robert Morley, Peter Bull and Theodore Bikel

Ages:
8 and up

Plot:
Charles Allnut (Bogart) is a foul-smelling mail boat captain in WWI Africa. He soon comes to pity Rose Sayer (Hepburn), a missionary and brother of Rev. Samuel (Morley). He takes her aboard his ship and the two plots a plan to blow up German Ship Louisa. The two cross the many rivers till they reach the place they need to go.

Katherine Hepburn and Humphrey Bogart in The African Queen.

Why it’s good:
There’s nothing much to it really. The war is the backdrop. The adventure is an unquestionable highlight of the film.

The romance is quite touching in its own way – dislike, forgiveness and then the swell thing. Quite a corny romance, unfortunately, with Bogart playing his Oscar-winning role as Charles the mail boat captain.

The story is quite well plotted, and as the ship’s captain is going to execute Charles and Rose, Charles says,” May you perform a wedding? It would mean a lot to this lady.”

The wedding goes quite well, too and the ship blows up later. You have to see the film to understand the ending. As they fall into the water, they look at each other as if they were married for real. They do not regret it either.

Parent’s guide:
Charles drinks a little too much and he drinks it in single gulps. The bottles are then emptied by Rose who says it is bad for his health. The two kiss many times in the film.

Trivia:
Shot on location in Africa and Turkey.

If you like this…:
More adventures and war in the background has “The Four Feathers” (1939) and "Gunga Din" (1939).  

The Desperate Hours

THE DESPERATE HOURS (Black and white, 1955)

Director:

William Wyler

Cast:
Humphrey Bogart, Fredric March, Arthur Kennedy, Martha Scott, Dewey Martin, Gig Young, Robert Middleton, Mary Murphy and Richard Eyer  

Ages:
10 and up

Plot:
Dan (March) lives in a suburban household with his son, Ralphie (Eyer), wife (Scott) and daughter, Cindy (Murphy). Their house is soon terrorised by escaped convicts Sam Kobish (Middleton), Glenn Griffin (Bogart) and Glenn’s young brother Hal (Martin). Hal dies when knocked over by a car and it soon turns out that the three wanted Dan’s money. Dan and family turn to Jesse Bard (Kennedy), who help them outwit the convicts with his force.

From left: Frederic March as Dan Hillard and Humphrey Bogart as Glenn Griffin.

Why it’s good:
It is a cross between the dramas and the film noirs.

The drama is more present, since it told the audiences then to keep their houses safe from intruders. It still delivers that message today.

It is now an underrated classic in the way that this kind of stuff still happens now. The kidnaps now are violent and bloody, but still it is a kidnap.

Another reason is Bogart’s new wave acting where he is simply immersed in his roles as a convict and an intruder. He acts in a way he would if he were there.

The supporting cast dominate the film too. Dewey Martin is in love with the person he terrorizes while Eyer’s Ralph is forced to drink milk fast.

Parent’s guide:
There is a scene where one person gets shot in the front yard of Dan’s house. Sam carjacks a garbage collector’s truck and kills him. Also, one character gets knocked down by a truck on the road.

Trivia:
Bogart and March’s only film pairing.


If you like this…:
More gangland dramas would include "Scarface: The Shame of a Nation" (1932); see Gangster action), "Little Caesar" (1931) and "White Heat" (1949).   

    

Casablanca

CASABLANCA (Black and white, 1942)

Director:

Michael Curitz

Cast:

Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman, Paul Henreid, Claude Rains, Conrad Veidt, S.Z. Sakall, Sydney Greenstreet, Peter Lorre, Joy Page and Dooley Wilson

Ages:

7 and up

Plot:

In wartime Casablanca, Morocco, Rick Blaine (Bogart) opens a café in the neighbourhood where everyone goes. One day, there comes Ilsa, Rick’s old lover, together with her husband, freedom fighter Victor Laszlo (Henreid). The two were trying to go to America, but only Rick can help them. What will he do? Will he hand them over to the cops (led by Rains) or will he give him the pass that he received from customer Ugarte (Lorre)? 



From Left: Paul Henreid, Ingrid Bergman and Humphrey Bogart in Casablanca. 

Why it’s good:

It standardly rehearses wartime disappointment and it is so classic I might not need to discuss it. But I will.

The film is marvellous and excellently huge in its own way. My father recommended this title when we talked about Morocco. Yes, it was set in Morocco. But that is not the point. The point is the romance between the stars Bogart and Bergman.

The second point is a history lesson on World War II, though evidently this whole story is not true. German Gestapos like Veidt’s character are the main villains, while you can say the captain that Rains plays is good. 

You might need to list down the things you have to cover with your child before watching this beautiful war-romance for sensitive older kids. For instance, during my first viewing, I had to know about why the tough Europeans like Lorre, Page, Henreid, Bergman and Bogart want to flee to America. Even with the corny but easy to understand map in the film’s first scenes, it is still a fog of bewilderment to me.

My second viewing was better, and I could understand it more. I could savour the tale, the romance and the drama, as well as the war.If you think now is the time for your kid to watch this, show it. Just put it on.

Parent’s guide:

Smoking and mild drinking goes on in Café Americana, Casablanca. There is also a passionate kiss told in Rick’s point of view.

Trivia:

Only one scene of the film was filmed outside the studio, which is the airplane scene where Rick sees Ilsa for the last time.

If you like this…:

See the "War and Action" section for more wartime films.