In her book the making of the african queen hepburn said she rushed for the. Originally published in 1935, the african queen is a tale replete with vintage forester dramaunrelenting suspense, reckless heroism, impromptu military manoeuvres, neardeath experiencesand a good oldfashioned love story to boot. The making of the african queen or how i went to africa with bogart, bacall and huston and almost lost my mind 1987 by katharine hepburn is the actresss recollections of her great african adventure some thirty years after the fact. The african queen tells the story of an englishwoman, who is the companion and housekeeper of her brother samuel, an anglican missionary in germancolonized tanganyika presentday tanzania.
The making of the movie the african queen in uganda humphrey bogart katharine hepburn director john huston looked forward to coming to africa katherine hepburn wrote a book, how i went to africa with bogart, bacall, and huston and almost lost. The african queen, american adventure film, released in 1951, that was based on c. Forester, is one of the classics of hollywood adventure filmmaking. Geschichten meines lebens, making of african queen. May 11, 2010 anjelica huston and angela allen will be in conversation at a screening of the restored african queen at the bfi, london 0207928 3232, on 27 may. Not that the lack of intimate detail is a reason to shun the book, but hepburn makes it clear that she will not reveal the sort of fundamentally dull tidbits biographies often contain. The african queen is the film that completely transformed my understanding of plot, character and theme and how they can function together in screen drama.
The film adaptation, which starred katharine hepburn and humphrey bogart, became one of the most popular films ever made. In the making of the african queen hepburn said she rushed for the outhouse only to find a black mamba inside, then ran to the trees. Fighting time, heat, malaria, and bullets, they make their escape on the rickety steamboat the african queen. The making of the african queen, first edition, knopf. Anjelica huston and angela allen will be in conversation at a screening of the restored african queen at the bfi, london 0207928 3232, on 27 may. In addition to the six main characters there is a new series of. The film is especially noted for humphrey bogarts performance, which earned him the only academy award of his career. The making of the african queen hardcover january 1, 1987 by katherine hepburn author 2.
Very unorthodox writing style but i got it for my dad who is a lifelong bogart fan and it was very interesting to hear this perspective on the movie. Foresters 1935 novel that would require a location shoot in the jungles of east africa, the story. With warren oates, mariette hartley, tyrone jackson, alfred polsen. Aug 11, 2019 the african queen 1951 is set at the beginning of wwi. Cecil louis troughton smith 18991966 wrote his novel the african queen in 1935, using the pseudonym c. Rose and charlie are opposites, and yet they are perfectly suited to each other. Meanwhile, the sunken african queen partially surfaces with the torpedoes still strapped to the hull. The film then spawned both peter viertels excellent romanaclef novel, white hunter, black heart 1953 and the clint eastwood movie of the same name, and a katherine hepburn memoir about the making of. Clint eastwoods 1990 film white hunter, black heart is loosely based on the huston of the african queen, from a novel by peter viertel, one of the african queens screenwriters. This quixotic film by director john huston, based on the 1935 novel of the same name by c. In wwi africa, a ginswilling riverboat captain is persuaded by a straitlaced missionary to use his boat to attack an enemy warship.
Katharine hepburn, the monster and the making of the african. Or how i went to africa with bogart, bacall and huston. Aug 12, 1987 i have always been a fan of the movie the african queen in 1987 katharine hepburn wrote a memoir of the making of the african queen. It almost overshadows everything else in the film as its always the first thing brought up. Rose sayer, a 33yearold englishwoman, is the companion and housekeeper of her brother samuel, an anglican missionary in german east africa presentday tanzania. Below the town, the african queen spends several days shooting the rapids. His most notable works were the 11book horatio hornblower series, about naval warfare during the napoleonic era, and the african queen 1935. Ultimately, rose is not comfortable rising above nature, and indeed grows to love it, as she gives up some of the strictures of civilization and. Allnut and rose, a disreputable cockney and an english spinster missionary, wend their way down a river in central africa in a rickety, asthmatic steam launch, and are gradually joined together in a mission of retaliation against the germans. The screenplay was adapted by james agee, john huston, john collier and peter viertel. Discover delightful childrens books with prime book box, a subscription that. After many days on the river, they come close to shona, and allnutts nerve fails.
The african queen widescreen, subtitled, dubbed on tcm shop. In the 21st century, there are still fans from around the world that love the movie and want to experience the boat firsthand. His novels a ship of the line and flying colours were jointly awarded cecil scott forester was the pen name of cecil louis troughton smith, an english novelist who rose to. Or how i went to africa with bogart, bacall and huston and almost lost my mind, by katharine hepburn this isnt strictly a biography and really should be catalogued in what i call my making of section where i have books about the making of this or that movie but oh well i wanted to keep.
John huston to make the african queen, an adaptation of c. I wanted to see how closely hollywood followed the story. There would be no better place to do so than the historic river nile itself. Foresters classic romantic adventure is a tale of opposites attracted. The african queen bogart, hepburn, and a case of the jungle jeebies. Or how i went to africa with bogart, bacall and huston and almost lost my mind, by katharine hepburn. With humphrey bogart, katharine hepburn, robert morley, peter bull.
Despite john hustons brilliant directing, jack cardiffs gorgeous cinematography and the scripts entertaining dialogue its still the on screen chemistry between humphrey bogart and katharine hepburn that is the films strongest element. It was photographed in technicolor by jack cardiff and. The making of the african queen paperback january 1, 1988 by katherine hepburn author 4. The official series of books for the queens of africa dolls. Forester and adapted by director john huston and novelist james agee. The african queen by forester, first edition abebooks. Lauren bacall talks about being on the set of the african queen, sept. Without giving anything away, i can say that the movie followed. Huston had hoped to shoot it in tennessee, in the deep south.
The african queen shoot, like the search for scarlet ohara, or darryl f. Start your 48hour free trial to unlock this the making of the african queen study guide and get instant access to the following summary. The african queen is a 1951 britishamerican adventure film adapted from the 1935 novel of the same name by c. The sweeping drama was nominated for four oscars at the 24th academy awards, claiming a win for humphrey bogart as. This pretty much sums up everything you need to know about the seven weeks they spent filming the african queen.
As world war i reaches the heart of the african jungle, charlie allnutt and rose sayer, a dishevelled trader and an english spinster missionary, find themselves thrown together by circumstance. This is a nice book with a lot of interesting, but not great, photographs. Or, how i went to africa with bogart, bacall and huston and almost lost my mind katharine hepburn on. A classic tale of love and adventure from the author of the captain hornblower series. Knopf, the book is tentatively titled the making of the african queen. African sculpture from the justin and elisabeth lang collection. The african queen sank and had to be raised twice during filming of the movie. Author of me, the making of the african queen, or, how i went to africa with bogart, bacall, and huston and almost lost my mind, the making of the africa queen, the man who shot garbo, me bestseller collection, making of the african queen, ich.
In the early 1980s, the african queen, which had been produced thirty years earlier, in 1951, had the distinction of being the most cited film on alltimebest lists of top critics. The making of the movie the african queen in uganda. The african queen bogart, hepburn, and a case of the jungle. I decided to watch the african queen, the right before i read the book.
This isnt strictly a biography and really should be catalogued in what i call my making of section where i have books about the making of this or that movie but oh well i wanted to keep. His most notable works were the 11 book horatio hornblower series, about naval warfare during the napoleonic era, and the african queen 1935. The story of the making of the african queen was outlandish, even by huston. The photosof the queen plus launchwithcameras, the camp of mud floors and thatched huts, the dressing room a mirror propped against a tree. Whether it was true or not, it was entirely believable at the time and i was curious to find out what accounted for its appeal. Aint no person in their right mind aint scared of white water. The african queen bogart, hepburn, and a case of the. Foresters marvelous book on which it was all based is the unforgettable story ofthe missionary woman and the cockney mechanic marooned in german central africa during the first world war. The making of the african queen or how i went to africa with. It was adapted into the 1951 film of the same name.
Because this isnt a book about the making of the african queen. German troops set fire to an african village, resulting in the death of an english missionary. At least thats what i was told back in graduate school. The african queen, dvd, widescreen, subtitled, dubbed, drama, war drama, 032429273277. The african queen also known as sl livingstone is the boat used in the 1951 movie the african queen starring humprey bogart and katharine hepburn. It was photographed in technicolor by jack cardiff and has a music score by allan gray. The making of the african queen is not a private glimpse into hepburns life, but a public statement. However, few today recall that he wrote the original novel upon which john huston based the great bogart and hepburn film, the african queen.
Advance purchase recommended as cruises sell out quickly. The book is illustrated with lots of marvellous photographs, including some really lovely ones of miss hepburn i particularly like the ones of her luxurious jungle dressing room. After the events of the african queen 1951, charlie and rose are recaptured by the germans and forced to tug one of their big cannons that could bring. In the event one finds the following information useful, i would like to offer. Charlie and rosie are able to jump off just before the explosion and safely swim to shore. Ive only known such excitement a few times before a few times in my dear brothers sermons when the spirit was really upon him.
Their adventures on his old steamer, the african queen, and eventual unlikely romance form the backbone of the story, based on a novel by c. Nature, says hepburns rose sayer in the film, is what we were put on earth. The african queen 1951 is set at the beginning of wwi. The queen rams into the german ship, and it explodes. Or how i went to africa with bogart, bacall and huston and almost lost my mind hardcover august 12, 1987. For the rest of the african queen cast and crew, it was a green hell. As they fight their ramshackle old launch downriver to strike a blow for england, the african queen seems to breathe the spirit of hornblower himself. The african queen is one of the finest and most satisfying of the odd couple takes a trip together genre. The making of the film is chronicled in lillian rosss 1952 book, picture. The african queen this is a standalone novel written by the author of the mr. It happened one day while preparing a lecture for my script analysis class.
The making of the african queen or how i went to africa with bogart, bacall and huston and almost lost my mind hepburn, katherine published by new york. The african queen 1951 is the uncomplicated tale of two companions with mismatched, opposites attract personalities who develop an implausible love affair as they travel together downriver in africa around the start of world war i. Zanuck chasing starlets around his desk, is now part of hollywood lore. Midshipman hornblower hornblower saga, a series that i highly recommend. Set in german east africa at the outbreak of world war. The movie was released in 1951, and 36 years later katharine hepburn published a book titled the making of the african queen, or, how i went to africa with bogart, bacall, and huston and almost lost my mind. The african queen starred humphrey bogart and katharine hepburn, debuted for academy award eligibility in 1951, and was released wide in 1952. This short but fascinating book is a must for any fan of katharine hepburn or of the african queen. I dont blame you for being scared, miss, not one little bit.
See more ideas about humphrey bogart, african and katharine hepburn. His straightlaced sister rose katharine hepburn, now alone, is taken aboard a riverboat, the african queen, by its ginsoaked canadian skipper, charlie allnut humphrey bogart. Get more information, check availability and book online. Mar 24, 2011 lauren bacall talks about being on the set of the african queen, sept. Nov 12, 20 directed by academy award winner john huston, and filmed on location in the belgian congo, the african queen is arguably one of the finest films ever made with one of the most legendary star. Lauren bacall quoted the natives had been told to watch it and they did. The making of the african queen by katharine hepburn. In the title she does say, and almost lost my mind but nowhere in the book does she give. I never dreamed that any mere physical experience could be so stimulating. The making of the african queen or how i went to africa. The film was directed by john huston and produced by sam spiegel and john woolf. In her book the making of the african queen hepburn said she rushed for the outhouse only to find a black mamba inside, then ran to the trees.
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