Safari (1956)

The colorful opening graphics and credits punctuated with African music and drums set up an effective introduction. We know that there will be more to the movie than just a safari. At the time of the film, Kenya was one of Britain's many African colonies. Victor Mature is he-man Ken Duffield (though he looks more like a Vic Russo) hired by wealthy Sir Vincent Brampton (Roland Culver) to lead him on a jungle hunt for a large maverick lion known as Atari ("Danger"). Sir Vincent's fiancée, the voluptuous Janet Leigh (Linda Latham), early on tells Ken that he is a "BWH" (big white hunter). More than hunting, though, Ken is more interested in finding bloodthirsty Jeroge (Earl Cameron), a Mau Mau "general" who – early in the movie – betrayed Ken's household during a frightening attack and murdered his young son in cold blood. In the movie's course, we see a native dance and a Masai ritual lion hunt. Then Linda takes an ill-advised rubber-raft trip in a crocodile-infested river that ends in dangerous rapids. We will also observe the killing of several animals, including those of a hot-tempered bull-elephant, a rhino, and some lions. These animal killings of the 1950s will not please those who are against big game hunting in principle. Conscience of their environment, they demand preservation of our animals.Among the cast are Juma who acts as Odongo, and Orlando Martins, who, as Jerusalem, likes to play the trumpet when the expedition is at camp. Both Odongo and Jerusalem hate the Mau Mau and are loyal to Ken. Odongo, Ken's boy-assistant (13 years-old) certainly has a captivating laugh. When 200 Mau Mau later attack the hunting expedition, Ken's automatic weapon helps keep the evil horde at bay. More help will be needed though, and it will come in the form of competent native (colonial) police coming to the rescue. They are as welcome as the US cavalry. In the meantime romance has developed between hunter Ken and beauteous Linda. At movie's end it is assumed that they will marry and that they will adopt Odongo, whose conclusive laugh is fitting indeed. The film is wonderfully filmed in Technicolor, while those beautiful animals are always so magnificent to see. They remain Africa's treasure indeed!

***SPOILERS*** While out in the African savanna gunning down rouge bull elephants great white hunter Ken Dufield, Victor Mature, gets the terrible news that his house or homestead outside of Nairobi and been attacked and burned down by a gang of Mau Mau's with his 12 year old son Kenny Jr, Chris Warbey,and the house help brutally murdered by the marauding terrorist gang. It just happened that Dufield was hired by big time British explorer and blue blood Sir Vincent Brampton, Roland Culver, to track this giant 550 pound man eating lion Atari who's been dining on the local native population! With the news that the Dufield household's trusting and faithful houseboy the 35 year old Jeroge,Earl Cameron, was an undercover Mau Mau general and was responsible for the carnage at the Dufield house and the death of little Kenny Big Ken Dufield is more interested in hunting Jeroge down and killing him then the man eating lion Atari that Sir Vincent hired him to kill!Walking a tightrope in trying to track down both Arati and Jeorge deep in Mau Mau country things get a bit more complicated for Dufield in that Sir Vincent brought his fiancée former showgirl Linda Latham, Janet Leigh, along for the ride! Being obligated to track down and shoot Atari Dufield at first sets his sights on the man eater before on General Jeroge. It was Sir Vincent who pulled strings to get Dufield's hunting license back which was by then lifted by the colonial government. That's when it was deemed, in starting up with the local Mau Mau's in trying to kill General Jeorge, that Dufield was a danger to the community. It's in fact Sir Vincent, in jumping or shooting off his gun, who makes thing far far worse by wounding the big cat and making him far more dangerous then he already was. As for Linda she had plans of her own in seeing the sights and almost getting herself killed in the process. That's when rowing in the dangerous African waters on a rubber dingy she got caught in a riptide that almost had her killed either by drowning or being eating by a bunch of hungry crocodiles! That's until Dufield came to her rescue shooting down, as well as getting his pants wet, the swarming crocks as they were about to close in on her.***SPOILERS*** It's after the man eater Atari is finally put away with a bullet, courtesy of Ken Dufield, between the eyes that it's reported that a major Mau Mau attack lead by General Jeroge has taken place when 200 interned Mau Mau's had broken out of a British detention camp outside of Nairobi. That finally gave Dufield the chance he's been itching for to get a shot at General Jeroge for murdering his son Kenny and the help at the Dufield house. Cowboy and Indian like ending with General or Chief Jeroge and his men, in the part of the Indians, getting by far the worst of it. With the calvary, in the person of the colonial troops, coming to the rescue in just the nick of time to save Dufield and whatever was still left, which included Linda, of his by now almost non existent safari.

I LOVE this film and it is SHAMEFUL that there is not a DVD out. Great director, great actors deserve it. One of the greatest stage and film actors ever to come out of England, John Justin, the talented and beauteous Janet Leigh, the most masculine actor I've ever seen, Victor Mature, and a superb supporting cast make this film endearing, and above all else white-knuckled action. There is romance, and sexual tension, danger, pathos, heroism, and all of the frailties of the human condition are on display here.It is very, very sad that more film goers are not exposed to this little gem. Filmed on location in Africa and every scene is powerful. If you are tired of films that are really nothing more than special effects and NOISE then watch this film, you will NOT be disappointed.GIVE US A DVD version with a pristine print. PLEASE oh gods of the arts.

A real big-screen picture, but I can only imagine... Even on my ancient Beta videocassette taped circa 1983, the Technicolor treatment amazes! Yes, there is a lot of stock footage there, but what scenery! The chase scenes, including elephants, tribal Kikuyu warriors, and the entire main cast, are so well put together as to make the transitions transparent. Much of 'Safari' has the feel of a spaghetti western, but its authenticity is never in doubt. My only complaint is that of historical inaccuracy, since the Mau-Mau revolt (and characterization) is only viewed from the side of the Brits. If you can get past that issue enough to treat this purely as an action film.