Tonight's Movie: King Solomon's Mines (1950) - A Warner Archive Blu-ray Review
One of the truly great adventure films, KING SOLOMON'S MINES (1950), has just been released on Blu-ray by the Warner Archive.It had been a number of years since I last saw it, and I felt a real thrill at the incredible color when MGM's Leo the Lion roared at the beginning. As the title rolled across the screen right to left, in the style of GONE WITH THE WIND (1939), my jaw dropped with delight. I didn't remember my DVD looking anything like this Blu-ray!
I popped my DVD into the player when the movie ended to confirm my memory of the relative DVD quality, and the difference was night and day. The DVD has speckles and scratches from those opening moments with Leo. Fast-forwarding to spot-check a few DVD scenes revealed a terribly faded print. Watching Deborah Kerr's first scene with Stewart Granger is almost like watching a different movie, the visual quality between DVD and Blu-ray is so different.
The story, for those unfamiliar with any of its incarnations, is the tale of Allan Quatermain (Granger), an experienced jungle guide hired to guide Elizabeth Curtis (Kerr) and her brother John Goode (Richard Carlson) into unexplored African territories in 1897.
Their quest is to find Elizabeth's missing husband Henry, who in turn was searching for a fortune which might or might not have existed in the titular mines.
The film was impressively shot on location in Africa, with many indigenous tribesman appearing on camera. There are some special effects shots, but on the whole this is straightforward location filming, which really gives the film something special. The disc includes a 10-minute short on the location work titled JUNGLE SAFARI (1950).
This was the first of three early '50s films teaming Granger and Kerr, who have excellent chemistry. I'm aware some actors didn't care for Granger off the screen but he's absolutely wonderful in a charismatic, commanding performance as the assured explorer. I'm a fan.
I remember the first time I saw the movie I was a bit baffled that a star of Carlson's caliber was along to play the brother, and I worried he'd turn out to be insincere or die. Nope, he's just a really nice, level-headed brother there to help his sister. As a Carlson fan I like him in this.
Those who are sensitive to such things should be aware an elephant is shot in the opening minutes; I have no idea if it was genuine or not. Over the course of the film numerous other animals meet their fates, but the elephant's death is most notable.
In addition to the vintage short, the disc includes the trailer.
Highly recommended.
Thanks to the Warner Archive for providing a review copy of this Blu-ray. Warner Archive Blu-rays may be ordered from the Amazon Warner Archive Collection Store, Movie Zyng, or from any online retailers were Blu-rays are sold.
posted by Laura @ 9:05 PM
4 Comments:
I knew Stewart Granger, not well, but I can say without a moment's hesitation he was fun to be with. And enormous, not jsut tall but his head and hands. I had written a screenplay of Victor Hugo's novel The Man Who Laughs and the lead part, not Gwynplaine but Ursus his adoptive father, was for Jimmy Granger. We did not get it done. A happening. While we were seated at a small table in the bar of the Sutton Place Hotel, a woman over my shoulder said soemthing to Jim, and he, sensitive to everything, looked over and said:
'Youw ant to kiss ame? I'll kiss you." And he went over and was warm and sweet. A real souvenir. A few years later I offered him the lead in The Pleasure of His Company, which did get on, but he thought, at the time, it was too much as he had not been onstage since 1938. Four years later he did go on with Rex Harrison, and Glynis Johns in Maugham's, The Circle.
Harrison and Granger did not get on. Granger threatened to break his leg, and that solved the problem. My father's best friend ws Milo O'Shea, who had toured with Harrison in My Fair Lady. When we brought his name up, Milo exploded. What a bastard, so sometimes the bad guy is not so bad, but justified.
While Jimmy Granger was probably not the most handsome man in the world, he sparkled so brilliantly, you thought, at least while you were with him, that he was.
Thank you, Barry, for that great insight into an actor who had terrific screen charisma. He always put himself and the films he made down, which is probably typical of the man as he never seemed to take himself too seriously. I'm definitely a fan.
Barry, a really neat memory to share with us and it made my morning. I've always been a fan of Stewart Granger. Have you written these memories down anywhere?
Laura, I enjoyed your good write-up of this Classic Movie KING SOLOMON'S MINES(filmed 1949-50, released 1950). This movie is so magnificently filmed, with plenty of action, intrigue, romance, adventure, and wonderful performances by Deborah Kerr, Stewart Granger, Richard Carlson, and Hugo Haas. The movie also features several different African tribes including the Watusi. This is a memorable movie for me, because I've always enjoyed movies set in Africa. Your review makes me want to see it on this Blu-ray presentation. I first recall viewing this movie on THE ABC SUNDAY NIGHT MOVIE in 1967 on a black and white RCA tv.
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