Review of The African Queen (1952) by Jim H — 07 Apr 2012

A boat captain and a missionary must evade Nazis and nature on their way down an African river.

The highlight of this film is Humphrey Bogart's performance. In an industry in which actors too often get cast as and play themselves, Bogart's performance is a departure from his normal character. He laughs like a hyena, and imitates other animals; in a phrase, he's "not cool" - the definition of cool that he exemplified in Casablanca.

I've always found Katharine Hepburn annoying, and while her fans will find plenty to like about her work here, I continue to cringe every time I hear her voice. Her character is often a bitch, and she plays this part well.

Stuck on a boat, battling bugs and rapids, the film's characters must hold our attention, and by and large, they do so.

Overall, The African Queen is canonical for a reason, but for me that reason is solely Bogart, deservedly a screen legend.