King Solomon's Mines
by Robert Stevenson
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DVD details
Actor: Anna Lee, Cedric Hardwicke, John Loder, Paul Robeson, Roland YoungDirector: Robert Stevenson
Brand: Sony
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown), Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono; Spanish (Subtitled); French (Subtitled); English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono
Format: Black & White, Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, Full Screen, NTSC, Subtitled
Picture Format: 1.33:1
Running Time: 80 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2001-09-18
Audience Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)
DVD Reviews of King Solomon's Mines
DVD Review: First film of Haggard's novel might be the best, thanks to a commanding Paul Robeson
Summary: 4 Stars
The first of five (to date) adaptations of H. Rider Haggard's 1885 novel, the 1937 King Solomon's Mines hews closest to the source (apparently - I haven't read it) and is in many respects more impressive than the two later versions that I've seen (1950 with Stewart Granger as Quatermain, and 1985 with Richard Chamberlain). Sure the 1950 film has a marquee cast that looks better at first glance, and it's in color, but it doesn't on the whole have any better production values - and it doesn't have Paul Robeson as Umbopa.
The basic storyline is that Alan Quatermain, a rather cynical and world-weary big-game hunter (Cedric Hardwicke) in the southern part of Africa reluctantly gives a lift to a couple of treasure hunters, father and daughter Patsy and Kathy O'Brien (Arthur Sinclair and Anna Lee) as he takes his wagon towards the coast, and along the way they meet two men, Silvestra - who is seriously wounded and dies almost immediately - and Umbopa. Silvestra has a treasure map to the fabled King Solomon's mines, and Patsy sneaks off with Silvestra's wagon to find the mines on his own. Quatermain won't go after him despite his daughter's pleading; Umbopa is mysterious and seems to have his own angle to work but won't divulge it.
Soon Quatermain meets up with his clients, a couple of big-game hunters, Sir Henry Curtis and Cmdr Good (John Loder and Roland Young), but all get sucked into going after O'Brien and the mines and making a trek across a near-impassable desert. There is a tribe in the mountains on the other side of the wasteland who live just outside of the mines, and it turns out that Umbopa is the son of a former chief who was killed years before, and the rulership of the tribe is rightfully his; he makes a pact to help Quatermain and his group if they will help him get rid of the usurper, Twala. There's a nicely-done large-scale tribal battle, a hoary old trick that the white men have to use to impress the superstitious natives (I won't spoil it for you, but if you've seen this kind of film, you won't be surprised) and an exciting dash through an mountain cave that's falling apart before it all ends. Whew!
Directed with flair but also at a sometimes too-rapid pace (it's just 80 minutes long) by Robert Stevenson, near the beginning of a long career that included many fantasies and adventures - most notably Mary Poppins in 1964, and as I said, full of nice production values with a more seamless than usual mixing of studio and on-location work, this is in the end most notable for its acting. I've always liked Young, who brings just the right amount of comic relief to an otherwise relatively serious adventure story, and Lee is a more resourceful and competent female character than one finds in most of these films from this era - heck, even from much later eras; though it must be noted that the attitude towards the Irish here is on the hole more racist and stereotypical than that shown towards the Africans. Hardwicke is as I said a rather cynical Quatermain, more a shrewd businessman than man of action here, which suits the film well, as it is really in the end Robeson's performance that stands out and makes the film. Robeson got top billing - at least in English engagements, the American first-release poster would lead you to believe he's just a supporting actor - and his dynamic presence and booming voice help immensely in lifting this film to a deserved status as one of the better adventure films of the 1930s. Yes, the songs he sings are anachronistic and really just there to help market the film, but at least the lyrics make sense in the context of the story, and who doesn't want to hear Paul Robeson sing anyway? And he manages the mixture of wiliness, mystery and royal bearing beautifully - this is one of the very few films from this period that is nearly devoid of racism, and no doubt Robeson's presence and stardom helped matters in this regard.
The DVD is bare-bones; the quality is decent enough though nothing special - it'd be nice to see a really restored and cleaned-up edition of this film with some background materials on Haggard and Robeson, but I wouldn't hold my breath. Very much worth watching for classic adventure enthusiasts as is, in any case.
Description of King Solomon's Mines
Based on H. Rider Haggard's celebrated novel, this "fast-moving" (Screen International) action safari is "a very wicked jungle brew" (Chicago Tribune)! Starring Richard Chamberlain ("The Thorn Birds") and OscarĀ(r) nominee* Sharon Stone (Casino), King Solomon's Mines is truly "stirring entertainment" (Variety)!Commissioned by the stunning Jessie Huston (Stone) to find her explorer father in Africa, rugged adventurer Allan Quatermain (Chamberlain) must contend with Nazis, cannibals, a jungle full of dangerous animals and the wiles of the woman who hired him! But as Allan and Jessie near the spot where her father was last seenthe legendary King Solomon's Minesthey encounter more danger and breathtaking excitement'than even they hadbargained for!*1995: Actress, CasinoBestsellers in DVD
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