The African Queen

Charlie Allnut is the Captain of The Queen, quite dishevelled and bedraggled but he ain't mean, keeps two missionaries informed, of how the world has been transformed, it's not too long before just one will leave the scene. As they escape along the river plans are hatched, to send torpedoes to a gunboat and dispatch, on their journey gin is taken, buckled shafts are warmed then straightened, it's not long before they make the perfect match. A short sojourn into the reeds causes distraction, but not long after heavy rain causes abstraction, as the enemy is spotted, the pair remain fully besotted, just goes to show that opposites, create attraction.

Great performances, great dialogue, great film.

This great classic has everything you could ask for - two fine stars who could carry the show by themselves, and a story full of adventure, drama, humor, and romance. It's a lot of fun to watch, and it is also a film you can admire for the expert way it was put together.

Bogart and Hepburn not only give great performances, they are also wonderful together, and they make the on-screen relationship between their characters believable and interesting - it's great to watch as it develops. The adventures that they find are that much more entertaining for the way that you come to care about them. The story itself is exciting, too, with a lot of ups and downs for the heroes. Topping it off are the wonderful settings, with a lot of fine shots of wild animals and jungle scenery - there is always plenty to look at, and it also sets off the action nicely.

Any one of a number of things would make "The African Queen" worth watching, and as a whole it is a terrific movie. It's a must-see for any fan of classic movies, and one that you can also enjoy watching numerous times.

John Huston directed this classic WWI romantic adventure that stars Humphrey Bogart as Riverboat Captain Charlie Allnut, an alcoholic and aging veteran of the river who is persuaded to lead pious Rose Sayer(played by Katharine Hepburn) by her missionary brother(played by Robert Morley) who is later beaten and left to die of fever by the German occupiers. Rose buries her brother, then sets out on the river journey, determined to avenge her brother's death(and do God's work) by tracking down and destroying a German submarine with a torpedo. Along the way, the mismatched couple connect and fall in love... Fine adventure with two perfectly cast stars at their best. Bogart won an overdue best actor Academy Award for his wonderful performance, with superb direction making this an authentic and memorable journey indeed, overcoming the predictable(yet believable) inevitability of the romance.

To me this film will always be the validation of Humphrey Bogart's long and distinguished career. His portrayal of the hard drinking Charlie was what made this film what it was. Also, he showed just how great an actor he was when he was able to match up against the woman who is generally considered to be the greatest actress in film history, Katherine Hepburn. Also, this film will always be recognized for having the perfect mix of action, romance and comedy and it will always be a classic.

The acting by Bogart is brilliant and Katharine Hepburn is as good.It´s exciting and VERY funny.It also have a great direction by John Huston and even if a few of the action scenes feels old and maybe some of the special effects is not fantastic Humphrey Bogart really deserved his Oscar but Katharine Hepburn is as good.The dialogue between them is wonderful.4,5/5