The African Queen

The African Queen | 1951 | U | Dir. John Huston | US | 105 mins | IMDb 7.7

The second of our Classic Cinema Season screenings is classic adventure drama The African Queen.

A gripping and enduring, unconventional romance set in the heart of Africa, featuring Lady with Attitude Katharine Hepburn and the legendary, charismatic screen presence that is Humphrey Bogart.

The African Queen is a classic adventure drama made in 1951 by American director and actor John Huston. He was recently seen at on screen in Harrogate paying the villainous Noah Cross in Chinatown (1974) but is mainly known for the great movies that he directed including The Maltese Falcon (1941) and The Misfits (1961) featuring another of our Ladies with Attitude, Marilyn Monroe, right through to Escape to Victory (1981).

Shot on location in the Congo and filmed in glorious technicolour by renowned British cinematographer Jack Cardiff, the shoot was notoriously difficult, with the cast and crew all succumbing to sickness.

The African Queen is based on a 1935 novel by C S Forester and tells the story of strait-laced missionary Rose Sawyer who through circumstances finds herself thrown together with a rough and ready steamboat captain Charlie Allnut. Charlie delivers mail and supplies, along a river in the Congo, on his steamboat The African Queen.

Together the unlikely couple take a trip down river on The African Queen and adventure ensues, against the backdrop of a growing war between Germany and Britain.

The adventure takes second stage to the performances as Rose and Charlie journey from barely disguised dislike to friendship and beyond.

Despite over 100 years of acting experience between them, this was the first and only time the two great actors Hepburn, playing Rose, and Bogart, taking the role of Charlie, made a film together. They work in tandem to infuse the drama with a light comic touch, that saw them both nominated for acting Oscars with Bogart winning the only Oscar of his career and Hepburn adding to her record breaking career total of 12 nominations.

• Seating limited to 64 so we recommend you book in advance.

• Screen 3.

• One wheelchair space - get in touch to reserve this - at contact.harrogatefilmsociety@gmail.com

• Doors open at 6.45pm and the film will start after the introduction @ 7pm.  

• Premier seating RESERVED for Classic Cinema Package holders ONLY. All other seating is unreserved.

• Free parking in Odeon car park but you must display a parking voucher available from Odeon staff.