Most of the African characters, while given less screen-time, are drawn as smarter and more competent than Merriwether. The Ekele tribesmen that play a key role in the third act are caricatures to a large degree, but the butt of the humour throughout is the incompetent, pompous, lecherous white lead. While perhaps inevitably dated by its sexism the film's racism is more mildly annoying than offensive and certainly less blatant than in something like Carry On Up the Jungle (1970). Hatari! (1962), Clarence the Cross-Eyed Lion (1965) and Rampage (1963). Needless to say A Hard Day's Night out-grossed Call Me Bwana at the box-office so Saltzman botched his chance to monopolize both of the two biggest phenomenons of the Sixties.Ĭall Me Bwana melds two of the most popular sub-genres in frivolous Sixties cinema: the spy spoof and the 'swinging safari' movie: e.g. Saltzman, whose bad decisions are as legendary as his successes, opted to make this instead of a project with the Beatles. Which is saying something given Mancini is lighter than air to begin with. The production team includes many stalwarts of the Bond franchise: Peter Hunt was the editor, Maurice Binder designed the (surprisingly underwhelming) credits and Monty Norman co-wrote a score best described as Henry Mancini-lite. Which was no coincidence since Call Me Bwana was among the few non-James Bond films Cubby Broccoli and Harry Saltzman produced through their company EON. If this late era Bob Hope comedy is remembered at all it is because a billboard for the film features in a key scene in From Russia with Love (1963). Soon the gang are safari bound as Merriwether is waylaid by the local wildlife, tangles with tribesmen and takes a surprise time-out for a round of golf with real-life sporting legend Arnold Palmer (?!) However, an evil foreign power (oh, come on - it's the Soviet Union) send their own voluptuous lady spy Luba ( Anita Ekberg) to seduce and entrap the hapless American stooge. Even so the government coerce Merriwether into a mission to Africa accompanied by gutsy, judo-skilled C.I.A. He would rather spend his time chasing ladies than set out on safari. Despite his fearless image and string of best-selling books Merriwether is a fraud who never once set foot in Africa. So the US government turn to the world's leading authority on the continent: Matthew Merriwether ( Bob Hope). What's So Funny About Brit Horror? Vampira and Bloodbath at the House of Death on Arrowīob Hope, Anita Ekberg, Edie Adams, Lionel Jeffries, Percy Herbert, Paul Carpenter, Orlando Martins, Al Mulock, Bari Jonson, Peter Dyneley, Mai Ling, Mark Heath, Robert Nichols, Neville Monroe, Mike Moyer, Arnold PalmerĪ moon capsule carrying vital Cold War intel veers off course and lands in an obscure tribal region of Africa. Sex vs Violence: In the Realm of the Senses on Blu-ray Super Sammo: Warriors Two and The Prodigal Son on Blu-ray Moon Night - Space 1999: Super Space Theater on Blu-ray The Call of Nostalgia: Ghostbusters Afterlife on Blu-ray Uncomfortable Truths: Three Shorts by Andrea Arnold on MUBI Not So Permissive: The Lovers! on Blu-ray Two Christopher Miles Shorts: The Six-Sided Triangle/Rhythm 'n' Greens on Blu-ray You'll Never Guess Which is Sammo: Skinny Tiger and Fatty Dragon on Blu-ray The Ecstasy of Cosmic Boredom: Dark Star on ArrowĪ Frosty Reception: South and The Great White Silence on Blu-ray on 4K UHDĪ Woman's Viewfinder: The Camera is Ours on DVDĬhaplin's Silent Pursuit: Modern Times on Blu-ray Your Rules are Really Beginning to Annoy Me: Escape from L.A. Suave and Sophisticated: The Persuaders! Take 50 on Blu-ray The Dead of Night: In Cold Blood on Blu-ray The Movie Damned: Cursed Films II on Shudder State of the 70s: Play for Today Volume 3 on Blu-ray Monster Fun: Three Monster Tales of Sci-Fi Terror on Blu-ray Serious Comedy: The Wrong Arm of the Law on Blu-rayĭC Showcase: Constantine - The House of Mystery and More on Blu-ray Little Cat Feat: Stephen King's Cat's Eye on 4K UHD 3 From Arrow Player: Sweet Sugar, Girls Nite Out and Manhattan Baby
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |