Review of Out of Africa (1985) by Jonathan B — 30 Dec 2010

"I had a farm in Africa, at the foot of the Ngong Hills...' This is simply one of the best movies of the 1980s. A glorious and expansive story of love between two people and love of a country.

Meryl Streep inhabits the role of Karen Blixen who wrote her stories of life in Kenya under the pseudonym Isak Dinesen. This extraordinary woman became a farm owner in colonial days thanks to a marriage of convenience to a philandering but titled playboy. Whilst there she meets and falls in love with big-game hunter Denys Finch Hatton and between the two of them, a complex and ultimately doomed affair unfolds.

Blixen was a consummate story teller and quite incredible and determinedly modern woman and this movie combines some of the episodes she wrote about in her collection "Out of Africa" together with a couple of biographies of her life and times.

It is beautifully directed by Sydney Pollack who deservedly picked up the Oscar for direction, the film earning 6 others including best movie in 1985.

Meryl Streep gives one of her best performances here as does Robert Redford with Klaus Maria Brandauer and Michael Kitchen putting in strong supporting performances. There are also good performances from a whole host of jobbing British actors such as Michael Gough, Graham Crowden, Shane Rimmer and Leslie Philips.

A lovely score by John Barry provides a memorable accompaniment to the visual splendour of this film that really feels as broad and exotic as Africa itself.

There are a few rather ropey CSO scenes where the blue screen looks like it belongs in a 1970s TV serial but these minor glitches do not spoil the overall effect as the vistas and plains of Kenya wash over you and carry you away.

I defy even the most hard hearted viewer not to be moved to tears by this brilliant film. Sensitive and never sentimental this is one every film lover must see.