Tonight's Movie: Mogambo (1953) - A Warner Archive Blu-ray Review

I tend to cast a wary eye on remakes, but MOGAMBO (1953), just released on Blu-ray by the Warner Archive, is certainly a worthy exception to that rule.

MOGAMBO is rather unique in that it loosely remakes RED DUST (1932) -- also just released on Blu-ray and reviewed by me here -- with the identical lead actor. Clark Gable may have aged a couple decades since RED DUST, but he's lost nary a step, showing why he was the King of Hollywood.

While RED DUST is a very fine pre-Code, I noted in my Blu-ray review that its theatrical origins are quite apparent. That's not the case whatsoever in MOGAMBO, despite having the very same screenwriter, John Lee Mahin, whose work was based on a play by Wilson Collison.

Mahin and director John Ford open up the story with extensive location shooting in Africa. Gable's business is changed from managing a rubber plantation to that of big game trapper, anticipating Howard Hawks' HATARI! (1962), which I reviewed almost exactly a year ago. (I'd also note that Elsa Martinelli wasn't the first to feed baby elephants, that honor went to Ava Gardner!)

As in RED DUST, Gable's Victor Marswell contends with two distinctively different women: The apparently "loose living" Eloise "Honey Bear" Kelly (Ava Gardner) and Linda Nordley, the prim young wife of an anthropologist (Donald Sinden) researching in Africa with Vic's assistance.

Eloise loves Vic, who's attracted to Linda until his conscience finally gets the better of him. Alls well that ends well at the end of the movie's 116 minutes -- surely that's not a spoiler -- but it's a grand time getting there.

As much as I love the delightfully pre-Code RED DUST, a film dripping with steam and sass, in the end MOGAMBO is the better film. It somewhat echoes another Africa-shot MGM film, KING SOLOMON'S MINES (1950), but the overall tone is Fordian, and needless to say it's all the better for it.

The spunky Eloise and her luggage, the helpful priest (a Ford staple!), and the friendly musical natives conjure strong overtones of Ford's later DONOVAN'S REEF (1963). We never worry too much about Vic destroying Linda's marriage, because it's clear he's better suited for the fiery Eloise, and their union will allow him to continue his congenial lifestyle in the great outdoors among people who care about him.

This isn't to give short shrift to Kelly's Linda, who isn't simply a simpering young woman in whom Vic awakens something new. Kelly, aided by the screenplay, gives Linda depth and a real sense of conflict; beyond that, while she may be somewhat out of place in Africa, she's also charmed and even thrilled by all the wildlife she sees.

As for Gardner, she's simply terrific as the brash Eloise, and a worthy successor to a Ford heroine such as played by Maureen O'Hara. Like Kelly's Linda, Gardner's character is allowed greater depth than her RED DUST predecessor; scenes where Eloise confesses her wild behavior was a reaction to losing the man she loved in the war, along with an actual confession scene, show the viewer different sides to her character.

I liked that the confessional scene, with the words between priest and penitent unheard by the viewer, is followed by Eloise attempting to befriend Linda and give her some wise advice. By the time Eloise reaches her happy ending, the audience knows she's a genuinely good woman and fully deserves it.

Under Ford's direction both actresses were nominated for Academy Awards, Gardner for Best Actress and Kelly for Best Supporting Actress, and the nominations were well deserved.

The supporting cast also includes Philip Stainton, Denis O'Dea, Laurence Naismith, and Eric Pohlmann.

The movie was shot in Technicolor by Robert Surtees and F.A. Young in Kenya and Tanzania. There are noticeable process and soundstage shots typical of the era, but the overall impressions of the African landscapes are stunning.

The Warner Archive Blu-ray print is from a new 1080p HD master from 4K scans of the original Technicolor negatives. While it's been quite a while since I looked at my DVD, I'm confident in saying the Blu-ray is far superior than the print I described in my 2009 review.  It was a joy to watch the movie looking and sounding so great.

The fairly minimal disc extras consist of the trailer, the Tom and Jerry cartoon JUST DUCKY (1953), and the Traveltalks short LAND OF THE UGLY DUCKLING (1953). As is standard on Warner Archive Blu-rays, optional English captions are included.

Recommended.

Thanks to the Warner Archive for providing a review copy of this Blu-ray. Warner Archive Blu-rays may be ordered from Movie Zyng, Amazon, and other online retailers.

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