Three movie giants come together in the cinematic classic The African Queen, combining the masterful direction of John Huston with the fabulous chemistry of Humphrey Bogart and Katharine Hepburn in their only onscreen pairing. Adapted from a novel by C.S. Forester, this wartime romantic adventure sees the pair forced to travel together down a hazardous East African river after the outbreak of World War I.
Katharine Hepburn plays Rose Sayer, the maiden-lady sister of a prim British missionary (Robert Morley). When invading Germans kill her brother and level the village, Charlie Allnut (Bogart in the role which won him his only Oscar), the slovenly, gin-swilling captain of a tramp steamer called the African Queen, offers to take Rose back to civilisation. She can’t tolerate his drinking or bad manners; he isn’t crazy about her imperious, judgmental attitude. However it does not take long before their passionate dislike turns to love. Together the disparate duo work to ensure their survival on the treacherous waters and devise an ingenious way to destroy a German gunboat.
The African Queen is one of the most beloved films in the history of cinema, and may well be the perfect adventure film. With a roller-coaster storyline complemented by the chemistry between its stars, and masterful direction from John Huston, The Masters of Cinema Series is proud to present The African Queen on Blu-ray.
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Technical Specifications
Supplements
- Isolated music & effects track
- Audio commentary by cinematographer Jack Cardiff
- Embracing Chaos: Making The African Queen, a comprehensive documentary about the making of the film
- A video interview with co-screenwriter Peter Viertel, author of White Hunter, Black Heart, by filmmaker Michael Scheingraber
- Audio recording of the Guardian interview with John Huston at the National Film Theatre in 1981, discussing his work and career
- Video interview with critic Kim Newman
- Video interview with historian Neil Sinyard
- Lux Radio Theater adaptation from 1952 with Humphrey Bogart and Greer Garson
- Original theatrical trailer
- A collector’s booklet featuring an interview with John Huston from 1952; A Pair of Aces and a Queen, an archival article on the film’s production; African Adventure, Teddy Joseph on his memories working on the set of the film