Saturday 15 May 2021

Mogambo (1953 John Ford)

We decided to stay in Africa and hang out with Clark Gable, Ava Gardner and Grace Kelly. Peter B rates it for the performances (both Gardner and Kelly were Oscar nominated) and for the way Ford seems to side with the Gardner character, the underdog. The way Gable rips off Kelly's headscarf is quite a moment.

Also good is the supporting characters - particularly Philip Stainton (the P.C. in Passport to Pimlico) who's benignly trying to get to know Gardner; also Donald Sinden, Eric Pohlmann, Laurence Naismith (didn't recognise him as drunken skipper) and Denis O'Dea.

Photographed by Robert Surtees and Freddie Young, edited by Frank Clarke, written by John Lee Mahin from Wilson Collison's play. 


We both loved Ava's silent impromptu confession to priest.

No comments:

Post a Comment