The African Queen (1951 John Huston & co-scr)

C.S. Forester novel adapted by Huston and well known film critic James Agee. It's a marvellous script, from the opening. British white missionaries struggling to make native Africans sing a hymn, then a whistle blows and Bogie and the African Queen turn up - a battered, ugly looking boat that has a character of its own. And Bogart - winning Oscar - whose stomach grumbles awkwardly through tea, but who's quite at home battling rapids and kicking his engine. Huston showed him how he wanted him to play it, and there's moments where you can see Bogie is Huston...

Q made me laugh in the gruelling reeds scene as Bogie drags the boat through the water - "I thought there'd be a tow path!" Then as the two lie exhausted and the camera moves up to show just how near the open lake they are. And Kate's face of delight when she learns his name is Charlie (she's great as well, of course). And "May the heavens open for Charlie and me..."

Music by Allan Gray, photography by Jack Cardiff, edited by Ralph Kemplen.

I wondered whether it had been popular and turned to Huston's 'An Open Book'. "The African Queen was one of the most successful pictures I ever made - and Sam [Spiegel] got all the money.. I got out of my contract with Horizon..."

Dodginess of our print evidenced by this screen shot. Fortunately it's been restored and out on Blu-Ray

I know it was harder to do back projection well in early colour days, but I've got to say the rapids scenes are nowhere near as exciting and well done as P&P's IKWIG Corryvrecken scene...