This exsquisite piece of art stars Humphrey Bogart (in his only oscar-winning role) and Katharine Hepburn
The film begins in the summer of 1914. News reaches a small African village that it's motherland (Germany) is at war. The Rev. Samuel Sayer and his sister Rose (Hepburn) have become enemy aliens. Eventually the good reverend dies and the village is destroyed by German troops. Charlie Allnut (Bogart) comes to the village and taking pity on Rose agrees to take her down the river battling rapids, Germans hiding in a fort, bloodthirsty parasites and an endless swamp of weeds which seems to go nowhere in order to destroy a large German gunship using makeshift torpedoes. Despite fierce rows and moral antagonism between the bossy devout abstentionist and the free-spirited libertine drunk loner, the two grow closer to each other as their quest drags on.
Most of the dialogue is between Charlie and Rose and takes place on, of course, The African Queen. No easy task for director John Huston who is able to keep the audience interested in these two consistently throughout the film. Their blooming love never feels rushed or contrived. Hepburn and Bogart deserve much of that credit as well being able to hold the film for as long as they are without any other person to react with. Even James Stewart had more people to talk to in "Rear Window"
I definately suggest watching this one and please don't take it for granted.
★★★★
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