NationMaster - Encyclopedia: The African Queen

The African Queen is a 1951 film made by Horizon Pictures and Romulus Films, and distributed by United Artists. The film was directed by John Huston and produced by Sam Spiegel and John Woolf. The screenplay was adapted by James Agee, John Huston, John Collier and Peter Viertel from the 1935 novel by C.S. Forester. It was photographed in Technicolor by Jack Cardiff and had a music score by Allan Gray. Image File history File links The-african-queen-1-.jpegâ€Ž This image is being used to illustrate the article on the movie The African Queen and is used for informational or educational purposes only. ... Statue of John Huston, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico John Marcellus Huston (August 5, 1906 â€“ August 28, 1987) was an American film director and actor. ... Sam Spiegel (11 November 1901 - 31 December 1985) was a successful independent film producer. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Sir John Woolf and James Woolf of Romulus Films. ... James Rufus Agee (November 27, 1909 â€“ May 16, 1955) was a Pulitzer Prize-winning American novelist, screenwriter, journalist, poet, and film critic. ... The cover of the 1974 paperback edition of one of Foresters non-fiction titles: Hunting The Bismarck Cecil Scott Forester was the pen name of Cecil Louis Troughton Smith (August 27, 1899 â€“ April 2, 1966), an English novelist who rose to fame with tales of adventure with military themes. ... Humphrey DeForest Bogart (December 25, 1899 â€“ January 14, 1957) was an iconic American actor of legendary fame who retained his legacy after death. ... Katharine Houghton Hepburn (May 12, 1907 â€“ June 29, 2003) was an iconic four-time Academy Award-winning American star of film, television and stage, widely recognized for her sharp wit, New England gentility and fierce independence. ... The current United Artists logo (a variant was used during the 1980s). ... Motto: (Out Of Many, One) (traditional) In God We Trust (1956 to date) Anthem: The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington D.C. Largest city New York City None at federal level (English de facto) Government Federal constitutional republic - President George Walker Bush (R) - Vice President Dick Cheney (R) Independence from... Independent Film Distributors was a British film distribution company. ... February 20 is the 51st day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1952 (MCMLII) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ... See also: 1950 in film 1951 1952 in film 1950s in film 1940s in film years in film film Events Sweden - May Britt is scouted by Italian film-makers Carlo Ponti and Mario Soldati Top grossing films North America David and Bathsheba Show Boat tie The Great Caruso and An... Film is a term that encompasses motion pictures as individual projects, as well as the field in general. ... There are very few or no other articles that link to this one. ... The current United Artists logo (a variant was used during the 1980s). ... Statue of John Huston, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico John Marcellus Huston (August 5, 1906 â€“ August 28, 1987) was an American film director and actor. ... Sam Spiegel (11 November 1901 - 31 December 1985) was a successful independent film producer. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Sir John Woolf and James Woolf of Romulus Films. ... James Rufus Agee (November 27, 1909 â€“ May 16, 1955) was a Pulitzer Prize-winning American novelist, screenwriter, journalist, poet, and film critic. ... This article concerns John Collier, writer and painter. ... Peter Viertel is an author and screenwriter. ... See also: 1934 in literature, other events of 1935, 1936 in literature, list of years in literature. ... The cover of the 1974 paperback edition of one of Foresters non-fiction titles: Hunting The Bismarck Cecil Scott Forester was the pen name of Cecil Louis Troughton Smith (August 27, 1899 â€“ April 2, 1966), an English novelist who rose to fame with tales of adventure with military themes. ... Logo celebrating Technicolors 90th Anniversary Technicolor is the trademark for a series of color film processes pioneered by Technicolor Motion Picture Corporation (a subsidiary of Technicolor, Inc. ... Jack Cardiff (born 18 September 1914) is a British cinematographer, director and photographer. ... Allan Gray (born 23 February 1902, Austria, died 10 September 1973, England, U.K.) was a composer, noted for his film scores. ...

The film stars Humphrey Bogart (who won the Academy Award for Best Actor - his only Oscar), and Katharine Hepburn with Robert Morley, Peter Bull, Walter Gotell, Richard Marner and Theodore Bikel. Humphrey DeForest Bogart (December 25, 1899 â€“ January 14, 1957) was an iconic American actor of legendary fame who retained his legacy after death. ... The Academy Award for Best Actor is one of the awards given to people working in the motion picture industry by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences; nominations are made by Academy members who are actors and actresses. ... Katharine Houghton Hepburn (May 12, 1907 â€“ June 29, 2003) was an iconic four-time Academy Award-winning American star of film, television and stage, widely recognized for her sharp wit, New England gentility and fierce independence. ... Robert Morley Robert Morley (May 26, 1908 - June 3, 1992) was a British actor who, often in supporting roles, was usually cast as a pompous English gentleman representing the Establishment. ... Peter Bull as the Russian Ambassador in Stanley Kubricks (1963) Peter Bull (21 March 1912 - 20 May 1984) was a British character actor. ... Walter Gotell (March 15, 1924 - May 5, 1997) was a German actor, best known for his role as General Gogol, head of the KGB, in the Bond films. ... Richard Marner (21 March 1922 - 18 March 2004) was an Russian-born English actor perhaps best remembered for his role as the Colonel in sitcom Allo Allo!. He was born Alexander Molchanoff-Sacha in Petrograd, Soviet Union and was fluent in Russian, English, French and German. ... Theodore Bikel. ...

Production notes

Scenes in which Bogart and Hepburn are seen in the water were all shot in studio tanks in England because of health concerns. Almost all of the other scenes were filmed in central Africa, causing considerable hardship for the cast and crew, but the result was a critical and commercial success. Motto: (French for God and my right) Anthem: God Save the King/Queen Capital London Largest city London Official language(s) English (de facto) Unification - by Athelstan AD 927 Area - Total 130,395 kmÂ² (1st in UK) 50,346 sq mi Population - 2006 est. ... A world map showing the continent of Africa. ...

Most of the action takes place aboard a boat - the African Queen of the title - and scenes on board the boat were filmed using a large raft with a mockup of the boat on top. Sections of the boat set could be removed to make room for the large Technicolor camera. This proved hazardous on one occasion when the boat's boiler - a heavy copper replica - almost fell over onto Hepburn. It was not bolted down since it also had to be moved to accommodate the camera. The small boat used in the film was made in a boatyard in Lytham St Annes England. Lytham St Annes is a town in the Fylde district of Lancashire, England. ... Motto: (French for God and my right) Anthem: God Save the King/Queen Capital London Largest city London Official language(s) English (de facto) Unification - by Athelstan AD 927 Area - Total 130,395 kmÂ² (1st in UK) 50,346 sq mi Population - 2006 est. ...

The film also features a German gunboat, the Empress Luisa, which is based on the former World War I vessel MV Liemba (known until 1924 as the Graf von Götzen), which sank in Lake Tanganyika in 1916, but was subsequently refloated by the British and continues to operate as a passenger ferry to this day. The MV Liemba, formerly the Graf von GÃ¶tzen, is a passenger ferry which runs along the eastern shore of Lake Tanganyika. ... Fishermen on Lake Tanganyika Lake Tanganyika is a large lake in central Africa (3Â° 20 to 8Â° 48 South and from 29Â° 5 to 31Â° 15 East). ...

Story

Morley and Hepburn play Samuel and Rose Sayer, brother and sister British missionaries in a village in German East Africa in 1914. Their mail and supplies are delivered by the rough-and-ready Canadian boat captain Charlie Allnut (Bogart) of the African Queen, whose coarse behavior they tolerate in a rather stiff manner. A missionary is traditionally defined as a propagator of religion who works to convert those outside that community; someone who proselytizes. ... German East Africa (German: Deutsch-Ostafrika) was Germanys colony in East Africa, including what is now Burundi, Rwanda, and Tanganyika, the mainland part of present Tanzania. ... Year 1914 (MCMXIV) was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ...

When Charlie warns them that German troops will soon invade, the Sayers choose to stay on, only to witness the Germans burning down the local village. When Samuel protests, he is beaten by a German soldier. After the Germans leave, Samuel becomes delirious and dies.

Soon afterward, Charlie returns, and after helping Rose bury her brother, they set off in the African Queen. Charlie tells Rose that the Germans have a gunboat, the Empress Luisa, which patrols a large lake downriver, effectively blocking any British counterattacks.

Rose comes up with a plan to convert the Queen into a torpedo boat and sink the Luisa. Charlie points out that navigating the river would be suicidal: to reach the lake they would have to pass a German fort and negotiate several dangerous rapids. But Rose is insistent and eventually persuades him to go along with the plan. Charlie is furious when the teetotaler Rose throws away all of his gin, but she insists that he needs to be sober for the task at hand. This is a screenshot of a copyrighted website, video game graphic, computer program graphic, television broadcast, or film. ... This is a screenshot of a copyrighted website, video game graphic, computer program graphic, television broadcast, or film. ... A modern torpedo, historically called a locomotive torpedo, is a self-propelled projectile that (after being launched above or below the water surface) operates underwater and is designed to detonate on contact or in proximity to a target. ... Fortifications (Latin fortis, strong, and facere, to make) are military constructions designed for defensive warfare. ... ... Teetotalism is the practice and promotion of complete (or T-total) abstinence from alcoholic beverages. ... This article concerns the beverage. ...

All appears lost when Charlie and Rose "lose the channel" and the African Queen becomes mired in the mud amid dense reeds. As they sleep, exhausted and beaten, heavy rains raise the river's level and float the Queen off of the mud and into the lake which, it turns out, is just a short distance from their location. Once on the lake, they narrowly avoid being spotted by the Luisa. That night, they set about converting some oxygen cylinders into torpedoes using gelatin explosives and improvised detonators that use nails as the firing pins for rifle cartridges. They then attach the torpedoes through the bow of the Queen. General Name, Symbol, Number oxygen, O, 8 Chemical series Nonmetals, chalcogens Group, Period, Block 16, 2, p Appearance colorless (gas) very pale blue (liquid) Atomic mass 15. ... Gelignite, also known as Blasting gelatin, is an explosive material consisting of collodion-cotton (a type of nitrocellulose or gun cotton) dissolved in nitroglycerine and mixed with wood pulp and sodium or potassium nitrate. ... A detonator is a device used to trigger bombs, shaped charges and other forms of explosive material and explosive devices. ... A pile of nails. ... The firing pin is a very hard steel rod with a one small, rounded end for striking the primer of a cartridge. ... For other uses, see Rifle (disambiguation). ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... The bow is the foremost point of the hull of a ship or boat: the point that is ahead when the vessel is underway. ...

At the height of a storm they push the Queen out onto the lake, intending to set it on a collision course with the Luisa. Unfortunately, a heavy swell capsizes and sinks the Queen, and Charlie and Rose are separated.

Both are captured and taken aboard the Luisa, where Charlie asks the German captain to marry them before executing them as spies. After a brief marriage ceremony, the Germans prepare to hang them, when there is a sudden explosion and the Luisa starts to sink. The Luisa has struck the submerged hull of the African Queen and detonated the torpedoes. Rose's plan has worked, if a little belatedly, and the newly-married couple swim to safety. This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Espionage is the practice of obtaining information about an organization or a society that is considered secret or confidential (spying) without the permission of the holder of the information. ... Suicide by hanging. ...

Premiere

The film opened on December 23, 1951 in Los Angeles and February 20, 1952 at Capitol Theatre in New York City. December 23 is the 357th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (358th in leap years). ... 1951 (MCMLI) was a common year starting on Monday; see its calendar. ... Flag Seal Nickname: City of Angels Location Location within Los Angeles County in the state of California Coordinates , Government State County California Los Angeles County Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa (D) Geographical characteristics Area City 1,290. ... February 20 is the 51st day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1952 (MCMLII) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ... Nickname: Big Apple, Gotham Location in the state of New York Coordinates: Country United States State New York Boroughs The Bronx Brooklyn Manhattan Queens Staten Island Settled 1613 Mayor Michael Bloomberg (R) Area - City 1,214. ...

Academy Awards

The Academy Award for Best Actor is one of the awards given to people working in the motion picture industry by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences; nominations are made by Academy members who are actors and actresses. ... Humphrey DeForest Bogart (December 25, 1899 â€“ January 14, 1957) was an iconic American actor of legendary fame who retained his legacy after death. ... The Academy Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role is one of the awards given to people working in the motion picture industry by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences; nominations are made by Academy members who are actors and actresses. ... Katharine Houghton Hepburn (May 12, 1907 â€“ June 29, 2003) was an iconic four-time Academy Award-winning American star of film, television and stage, widely recognized for her sharp wit, New England gentility and fierce independence. ... The Academy Award for Writing Adapted Screenplay is one of the Academy Awards, the most prominent film awards in the United States. ... James Rufus Agee (November 27, 1909 â€“ May 16, 1955) was a Pulitzer Prize-winning American novelist, screenwriter, journalist, poet, and film critic. ... Statue of John Huston, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico John Marcellus Huston (August 5, 1906 â€“ August 28, 1987) was an American film director and actor. ... The Academy Award for Directing is an accolade given to the person that the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences feels was best director of the past year. ... Statue of John Huston, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico John Marcellus Huston (August 5, 1906 â€“ August 28, 1987) was an American film director and actor. ...

Script changes

Although Bogart won an Academy Award for the performance, his entire part had to be rewritten after casting. The original screenplay depicted his character in thick Cockney dialect but Bogart was incapable of the accent. The term cockney refers to working-class inhabitants of London, particularly east London, and the slang used by these people. ...

Parallels

Critics have pointed out certain parallels between Bogart and Hepburn and the couple portrayed by Harrison Ford and Anne Heche in the 1998 movie Six Days Seven Nights. Harrison Ford (born July 13, 1942) is an Academy Award-nominated American actor. ... Heche as Vicky Hudson on Another World Anne Celeste Heche (born May 25, 1969) is an American actress, director and screenwriter. ... This is a list of film-related events in 1998. ... Six Days Seven Nights (1998) is a romantic comedy interspersed with elements of the adventure film. ...

The film has been selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry and multiple other countries around the world. The National Film Registry is the registry of films selected by the United States National Film Preservation Board for preservation in the Library of Congress. ...

Subsequent releases and rights issues

The British DVD includes a theatrical trailer and an audio commentary by cinematographer Cardiff in which he details many of the hardships and challenges involved in filming a movie in Africa. The picture quality is somewhat grainy and suffers from colour shifts; the sound lacks bass response and suffers from clicks and pops. Theatrical trailers are film advertisements for films that will be exhibited in the future at a cinema, on whose screen they are shown; they are commonly known as previews of coming attractions. ... A major selling point of DVD video is that its storage capacity allows for a wide variety of extra features in addition to the feature film itself. ...

The film has been released in the United States on VHS video, but not yet on DVD, pending current film restoration work now being done. While Granada International holds international rights, the underlying U.S. rights are held by CBS (whose Viacom predecessor acquired the rights from copyright holder Horizon Film Management in the 1970s, and for a time in the 1980s, 20th Century Fox had the U.S. rights until Viacom re-acquired the film in 1997); Paramount Pictures (acting on behalf of CBS) currently handles U.S. theatrical distribution rights. It can often be found on either Turner Classic Movies or Pay-per-view video on TV, causing low video sales at many retailers around the country. Granada Productions UK is one of Europe’s leading commercial television production and distribution companies. ... CBS (an abbreviation for Columbia Broadcasting System, its former legal name) is one of the largest television networks, and formerly one of the largest radio networks, in the United States. ... Fox Plaza, the company headquarters. ... Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American motion picture production and distribution company, based in Hollywood, California. ... Turner Classic Movies (TCM) is a cable television channel featuring commercial-free classic movies, mostly from the Turner Entertainment and Warner Bros. ...

Historical context

C.S. Forester's novel The African Queen provides a fairly accurate illustration of the fierce levels of tension and competition which existed between the rival British and German Empires' colonial interests in Central Africa prior to, and through, World War I. With the conclusion of World War I, in 1918, the previously existing colonial rivalry was resolved when former German African colonies were ceded to the victorious Allied Powers, Britain and France. As a result, the British Empire was able to fulfill a long-held aspiration to fill a gap between their Central and East African colonial holdings, with the result that British territory would form an uninterrupted belt from Egypt to South Africa. Motto: Gott mit Uns (German: God with usâ€) Anthem: Heil dir im Siegerkranz (unofficial) Territory of the German Empire in 1914, prior to World War I Capital Berlin Language(s) Official: German Unofficial minority languages: Polish (Posen, Lower Silesia,Upper Silesia, Masuria) French (Alsace-Lorraine) Government Constitutional monarchy Emperor - 1871... Pith helmet of the Second French Empire. ... Year 1918 (MCMXVIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. ...

That such was the case was a source of British national pride, which is to some extent reflected in the later 1935 publication of The African Queen. One purpose of the book, along with content and intent, was to serve as a veritable reminder of a situation when the British Empire overcame, at great cost, the German Empire during a time of national crisis in an obscure part of the world.

The novel is set in 1914 German East Africa, the current day nation of Tanzania, which was surrounded, in 1914, by the overseas possessions of other European powers—British East Africa, Uganda, the Congo, Northern Rhodesia, Nyasaland and Mozambique (Henderson 50). The colonial frontiers of German East Africa, especially the rivers, played an important role within the overall plot of the novel. The borders of German East Africa consisted of many rivers, the Umba and Ruvuma, and lakes, Victoria and Tanganyika (Henderson 50-51). Rivers and lakes located on the western, northern, and southern borders of German East Africa, were the quintessential points where German, British, and Belgian spheres of influence and colonial interest met and conflicted. The resulting implication of nations relying on natural features as boundaries meant that there was the potential for military conflicts to occur on, or near, rivers and lakes as was depicted within The African Queen. Year 1914 (MCMXIV) was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... German East Africa (German: Deutsch-Ostafrika) was Germanys colony in East Africa, including what is now Burundi, Rwanda, and Tanganyika, the mainland part of present Tanzania. ... Year 1914 (MCMXIV) was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... British East Africa was a British protectorate in East Africa, covering generally the area of present-day Kenya and lasting from 1890 to 1920, when it became the colony of Kenya. ... Flag of Northern Rhodesia. ... The title given to this article is incorrect due to technical limitations. ... The Umba River is located in the Umba Valley in the Lelatema Mountains in the Arusha Region of Tanzania. ... Ruvuma River, formerly also known as the Rovuma River, is a river in East Africa, forming during the greater part of its course the border between Tanzania and Mozambique. ... Lake Victoria or Victoria Nyanza (also known as Ukerewe and Nalubaale) is one of the Great Lakes of Africa. ... Fishermen on Lake Tanganyika Lake Tanganyika is a large lake in central Africa (3Â° 20 to 8Â° 48 South and from 29Â° 5 to 31Â° 15 East). ...

Consequently, the deployment of naval assets, such as gunboats and steamers, was entirely appropriate due to the need of colonial powers to maintain control over very remote and isolated areas of their colonies. This is particularly true where rivers and lakes are the only effective means of travel when conducting military patrols and commerce. Due to the conflict which these realities created, a colonial rivalry, the British aspiration to unite their African colonial holdings from Egypt to South Africa was effectively blocked. Thus once World War I broke out, the British would most certainly attempt to occupy this particular area very aggressively. Navy is also:- shorthand for Navy Blue the nickname of the United States Naval Academy A navy is the branch of the armed forces of a nation that operates primarily on water. ... A gunboat is literally a boat carrying one or more guns. ... Paddle steamers - Lucerne-Switzerland This article is about the water vessel. ... In military tactics, to patrol, or conduct a patrol, is to conduct reconnaissance of a designated area or route. ... This article is about the business concept. ...

Colonial rivalry in Central Africa began after the 1871 unification of German states that led to the creation of the German Empire, a rivalry intensified with the ascension of Wilhelm II, as Kaiser of Germany, in 1888. The rivalry was sustained by the situation of German East Africa, as it was at the center of their respective territorial, economic, and political interests in Central Africa. The book represents the British interests and aspirations through the occupations of the main characters. A British missionary presence, such as Rosie and Samuels, within German East Africa would certainly ruffle German pride, and would be skeptically viewed as an encroachment on German sovereignty. Charlie and his ship operating within the colonies' territorial waters, the lake and river, represent British economic interests and aspirations. Therefore, the main characters' occupations and British interests would both be viewed as a competing and conflicting foreign influence in Germany's most productive colony. 1871 (MDCCCLXXI) was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... German Emperor Wilhelm (born Friedrich Wilhelm Viktor Albrecht, Prince of Prussia 27 January 1859â€“4 June 1941), was the last German Emperor and King of Prussia (de: Deutscher Kaiser und KÃ¶nig von PreuÃŸen), ruling from 15 June 1888 to 9 November 1918. ... Kaiser is the German title meaning Emperor. ... 1888 (MDCCCLXXXVIII) is a leap year starting on Sunday (click on link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar or a leap year starting on Tuesday of the Julian calendar. ... Sovereignty is the exclusive right to exercise supreme political (e. ...

As World War I erupted in August and September of 1914, the Allied Powers set forth plans to occupy Germany's colonial possessions around the world. In Africa, the German colonies of Togoland, Cameroon, and German Southwest Africa were occupied quite easily due to naval blockades and logistical issues, both of which hindered the chances of German retention. However, the relative ease the Allied Powers enjoyed in the other three campaigns was not replicated in the campaign to seize German East Africa. This particular campaign was arduous for the British Army and Royal Navy, and therefore it is important to note their respective contributions during the real campaign against that which is detailed in the book. Year 1914 (MCMXIV) was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... In general, allies are people or groups that have joined an alliance and are working together to achieve some common purpose. ... Togoland was a German protectorate in West Africa. ... Flag of German South West Africa German South-West Africa (German: Deutsch-Südwestafrika or DSWA) was a colony of Germany from 1884 to 1915, when it was taken over by South Africa and administered as South-West Africa, later becoming Namibia. ... The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of the British armed services (and is therefore the Senior Service). ...

German Army assets in German East Africa, under the command of General Paul von Lettow-Vorbeck, exacted an unexpected defeat upon the British Army at the Battle of Tanga in November 1914 (Farwell). It was from this battle that General von Lettow-Vorbeck gained a reputation as an outstanding commander whose leadership was characterized by boldness, initiative, and ingenuity (Henderson 127). It might be speculated that personality characteristic parallels exist between Rosie and General von Lettow-Vorbeck. Her patriotic feelings and need for revenge, as portrayed in the book, are due to the humiliating British defeat at the Battle of Tanga. Also, the personality characteristics of boldness, initiative, and ingenuity that she consistently displays are also equated with General von Lettow-Vorbeck's own personality, and she attempts to utilize them in order to sink the Louisa. General Paul Erich von Lettow-Vorbeck (March 20, 1870 - March 9, 1964) was the commander of the German East Africa campaign in World War I, the only campaign of that war where Germany remained undefeated. ... The Battle of Tanga (sometimes nicknamed the Battle of the Bees) was the blundered attempt by the United Kingdom to capture Tanzania) during World War I. It was the first major event in the war in Africa. ... Boldness is an opposite of shyness. ... In political science, the initiative (also known as popular or citizens initiative) provides a means by which a petition signed by a certain minimum number of registered voters can force a public vote on a proposed statute, constitutional amendment, charter amendment or ordinance. ... The term ingenuity or applied ideas is used in the analysis of Thomas Homer-Dixon, building on that of Richard Romer, to refer to what is usually called instructional capital. ...

As for Charlie's role and personality characteristics, his early reluctance to participate in the revenge and patriotic aspects of the plot symbolizes Britain's initial reluctance to deploy satisfactory military assets and supplies to the East African campaign. Also, Charlie's yearning to avoid contact with superior German forces is similar to von Lettow-Vorbeck's tactic of wandering around German East Africa and Northern Rhodesia, in order to avoid contact with superior British military forces (Henderson 125).

Against all odds, the German Army in East Africa was able to hold out for the duration of the war, a total of four years. Obviously, in order to survive, General von Lettow-Vorbeck had to pilfer supplies from local sources, and also had to impress the native African population of males as supplementary soldiers. Both of these situations are presented early in the book, thus it is plausible to assume that C.S. Forester relied on accurate accounts and realistic personalities traits, in order to give The African Queen a basis rooted in fact, rather than one based upon pure speculation. An interesting side note is that General von Lettow-Vorbeck and the main characters both struggled to survive in the remote countryside of the colony.

The historical naval component of the campaign is featured quite prominently within the book, however, it comes in the form of an Allied and German role reversal. In both circumstances, gunboats and technological obsolescence assume important roles within the conclusion of a military operation. Historically, in 1914 the three German gunboats on Lake Tanganyika were faster and better armed than the vessels at the disposal of the Allies. To remedy this situation Britain sent two motor launches under Commander Geoffrey Spicer-Simson to the lake; (See Giles Foden and his novel Mimi and Toutou Go Forth. The Bizarre Battle for Lake Tanganyika for a brilliant description of what really happened in the battles) , which quickly disposed of the German ships (Henderson 127). In Psychodrama, Role Reversal is a procedure or method in which the Protagonist is asked, normally by the Psychodrama Director, to exchange places with another character on stage (an Auxiliary Ego) so that the former moves into the role of the latter and vice versa. ... Geoffrey Spicer-Simson was a Commander in the Royal Navy. ... The Last King of Scotland by author Giles Foden (Faber and Faber 1998) Giles Foden (born in Warwickshire, United Kingdom in 1967) is a British author best known for his award-winning novel The Last King of Scotland (1998). ... Mimi and Toutou Go Forth: The Bizarre Battle for Lake Tanganyika is the fourth and most recent book by author Giles Foden. ...

In an apparent role reversal, which is reflected towards the conclusion of the African Queen book, it was the Allies who possessed more advanced ships that dealt the final death blow to the Louisa. According to Henderson, there was also a British vessel, the Toutou, which sank due to storm. Charlie and Rosie's vessel, The African Queen, is subjected to a storm and, subsequently, sinks while on a mission to defeat German naval ships (Henderson 127). The ending in both cases is the same; the Allies gained control over an important lake and defeated the German menace, thus notions of military dominance were realized by the Allies.

The timeframe when The African Queen was published, in 1935, plays an important role within the meaning of the story and historical events which had already occurred. It can be maintained that the book is essentially preaching for a revival, or remembrance, of the time where the Empire successfully overcame the challenges presented by World War I. This revival is being advocated during a time when the condition of Britain's national pride, economy, military, and empire were all in a state of decline or stagnation. See also: 1934 in literature, other events of 1935, 1936 in literature, list of years in literature. ...

Great Britain in 1935 was facing economic decline because of the Great Depression and the burden of maintaining such as large empire. Colonies had been traditionally associated with economic growth and stability, and military victories in Central Africa during World War I led to such an acquisition. It was at this same time that Germany was initiating efforts to reclaim lost military power, international influence and prestige, and economic strength. The timing of the book's publication along with a resurgent Germany was a reminder that they were still capable of being a threat, and that war was possible even if it was an unexpected long shot. When considering these aspects together, it is plausible to believe that the author, C.S. Forester, was simply warning the nation about Germany, and advocated for a resurgent, and more powerful, British Empire. The Great Depression was an economic downturn which started in 1929 and lasted through most of the 1930s. ... Accumulated GDP growth for various countries. ...

In conclusion, the historical roles of both nations are mostly reversed during the course of The African Queen. Historically positive associations, events, and personality characteristics which Germany enjoyed during the German East African campaign are applied to British or other Allied interests and persons, such as the Belgians and Rosie, while most of the negative associations are applied to German interests and people. The book served a twofold purpose. It was another attempt to banish German-British tensions and conflicts which lingered on after the conclusion of World War I. And it reminded the British of a time where they were stronger, and that they had to always remain vigilant against any potential threat, unexpected or not.

In popular culture

-The movie is parodied in the Martin Short film "Jiminy Glick in Lalawood", when the title character goes to a screening of "The African Queens". Simpsons redirects here. ... Simpson Safari is the seventeenth episode of the twelfth season of The Simpsons. ... Homer Jay Simpson is a Grammy and Pulitzer Prize winning main character in the animated television series The Simpsons, voiced by Dan Castellaneta. ...

References

April 18 is the 108th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (109th in leap years). ... April 18 is the 108th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (109th in leap years). ...

External links

Categories: 1951 films | World War I films | British films | Films based on fiction books | Films featuring a Best Actor Academy Award winning performance | Films featuring a Best Actress Academy Award nominated performance | Films shot in Technicolor | United States National Film Registry | Films directed by John Huston | United Artists films | Horizon Pictures films | Films set in Africa | Films featuring a white protagonist in Africa Image File history File links Wikiquote-logo-en. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... The Internet Movie Database (IMDb) is an online database of information about actors, films, television shows, television stars, video games and production crew personnel. ... This article is being considered for deletion in accordance with Wikipedias deletion policy. ...

Encyclopedia > The African Queen

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