Customer Reviews

King Solomon's Mines

5 star:		(37)
4 star:		(19)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

I first saw this movie as a little girl and watched it on TV a couple more times over the years. It's absolutely the most thrilling, wonderful movie ever made. But WHAT HAPPENED??? There is at least one tribal dance that has just disappeared -- nowhere to be found in this video. There is one dance still left in the movie, near the end, that is also exciting, but the one I remember the most is where the natives do these incredible jumps and the most wonderful, amazing movements that were all synchronized and fascinating to watch. You could tell they were working themselves into a frenzy to attack the whites, and they were very hostile and truly frightening, so maybe that's not acceptable by today's standards. Did the PC police get to this tape? The VHS running time is 103 minutes. I wonder what the running time of the original film was. I would have given this 5 stars except for my awful disappointment about the omitting of the dancing. Does anyone know where I can get an uncut version? Also, why isn't there a DVD? Maybe there would be an explanation or even out-takes of the dancing.

King Solomon's Mines features breathtaking photography of African wild life with the main stars in the actual locales. The stampede scene with Kerr and Granger left to their own devices along with the directors, is unbelievable in every sense.Nothing like it until the Buffalo stampede in the otherwise dismal How The West Was Won."
Kerr and Granger are great actors;they invest their roles with great faith in what they are doing,entirely missing in current films of the same genre.

The gorgeous Technicolor, the Watusi dances, later inspiring Bob Fosse, and the great Andrew Marton at the healm, directing with flair and wit and uncommon daring. No computer driven action scenes here.

I love the cynicism of the film, Quatermain's idea of life summed up for him in the games the natives play. And Deborah Kerr, stepping into every dangerous hole and crevice where terrible creatures lurk..excellent in every way.

Buy this and be amazed.

Even fifty years after its original release, King Solomon's Mines is still one of the best adventure movies ever. Featuring a talented cast and beautiful outdoor camerawork this movie is an often copied, but never surpassed forerunner of the Indiana Jones' style stories. Granger and Kerr make the most of their respective roles creating real live human beings instead of the usual cardboard action figures that the audience has come to expect in this sort of movie and the animal stampede scene, often replayed in later movies' makes for one of the greatest motionpicture events ever.

This film is not to be confused with others by the same title. This is the only KING SOLOMON'S MINES that is worth watching, and it is amazing. It is Stewart Granger's first American film. Warner Bros. was looking for an English actor to replace Errol Flynn as their swashbuckling hero, and man did they hit pay dirt. Between this film and SCARAMOUCHE, Granger established himself as just that: lady's man, man's man, action hero par excellence in both contemporary and costume roles. My only complaint is the gray above his temples, which was added by the make-up and hair department. I never did like that feature because I thought it made him look too old - but he certainly doesn't act that way.

Deborah Kerr is also excellent as the woman-out-of-her-element. She provides the over-reactions to everything from giant centipedes to natives spearing each other. She and Granger start out at odds with one another, as he leads her into the jungle to look for her father, who went in search of the famed King Solomon's Mines. But they end up in each other's arms - big surprise. But the journey along the way is more than entertaining, with several scenes that are downright amazing.

First of all, there is a native village like nothing ever seen before, and authentic in every detail. The "architecture" is like something out of a designer's dream, as are the costumes and hairdos. No costume or hair designer could have come up with anything this exquisite. Since most of the film was shot on location in Africa, I believe the village and natives were real. Nevertheless, they're unbelievably wonderful, and show the people as anything but primitive, unless it's Primitive Modern.

Second, there is a stampeding scene that, even though I've seen it, I still can't believe. Not only are there tens of thousands of animals participating in a real stampede (wonder what their union rates were); there are also quite a few shots of the animals leaping over Granger and party, who are hunkered down behind some low-lying rocks. I cannot for the life of me figure out how they filmed this, because these are real African animals and they are really leaping over Granger and his party. Because of the primitive nature of many of the special effects from this period, you can usually tell when something is being faked. But not this: these animals really are leaping in front of and over the party - or it sure seems that way. At any rate, it's impressive, as is most of the film.

They don't make movies like this anymore, and you're not going to see this kind of African footage in any other film past, present or future. So enjoy this well-made classic.

Waitsel Smith

Don't let some of the sillier reviews put you off. This is a superb
movie. I've read the original Haggard novel and this is a real
improvement. And unlike so many African films, the animal action
footage matches the rest of the movie perfectly, apparently because
it was all filmed in Africa and not in some backlot in Hollywood.

Granger is fine as the white hunter, and Kerr and Carlson are
perfectly cast. Real Africans portray the roles of the natives, and
several have significant parts. Granger's portrayal of his feelings
for his loyal native helpers when they are killed is handled
believably, and unusually for the period.

I found the balance between "trek" scenes and action scenes well
done, and you really feel that the characters have gone
somewhere. The strange and beautiful scenes in Watusi-land at the
climax are striking and memorable, even today.

This should be on every true film lovers top 10 adventure list What
is sad is that this is the only version still not avalible on disc.

The story is that of legendary hunter Allen Quatermain and his trip
into the deep, heart of Africa where he himself has never even been
Along with him are sister/brother Deborah Kerr & Richard Carlson
who hire him to find not only her lost husband and fabled treasure
of the title but perhaps Quatermain's lost soul as well.

Filmed on location this '50's jungle adventure is nothing less than
magnificent in it's techincolor glory and should have been one of
the first films to be released on dvd. I wish mgm would get their
pace together and release this gem. The vhs tape in the meantime
tries it's best to capture all the films splendor such as jungle
stampede by over 1000 animals and the native tribe ritual dances
to name a few. Come on mgm get the lead out!

The combination of authentic locales, stalwart heroes, beautiful heroine, and a search for a mythical treasure yield adventure in every sense of the word. You would follow Granger's Allan Quartermain anywhere! The locations are beautiful and treated with respect. Although the plot departs greatly from Haggard's original story, the spirit of adventure and self-sacrifice remain. This film is what going to the movies use to be all about. I'd love to see this in a theatre again! Its incredible that the earlier version of the film was given the DVD treatment and not this one. I'm not sure how many of the principals involved in the making of this film are still alive, but the potential production notes and "making of" trivia would be fascinating. If you like adventure and old-fashioned entertainment, this is your movie.

Allan Quatermain is well dressed, is polite, is not at all violent nor a murderer of 'innocent animals', respects the game he hunts, takes no unnecessary risks, protects his clients above all. When was the last time you saw in a movie what a white hunter really was and still is? Contrast this with Michael Douglas' outrageous character in "The Ghost and the Darkness."

Learn more about animals, beyond what you heard in fables or in nature channels. Allan Quatermain explains to his clients why the lion is NOT the king of the jungle. Why elephants should be treated with respect and given wide berth. This movie is a must-watch especially for kids raised in Disney cartoons and for Walt Disney executives, filmmakers and storytellers who continue to view and portray wild animals through the my-world-is-perfect, animals-are-warm-and-fuzzy eyes of their late founder.

Forget Out of Africa, forget Lion King. Forget any images of the white hunter you have in your memory as a result of watching Michael Douglas in "The Ghost and the Darkness." This is the real deal.

Normally I'm not fond of adventure films, especially modern one's which seem to depend more on gratuitous blood and violence than on plot and acting. But this classic version of King Solomon's Mines from the Golden Age of Hollywood is a true classic. Yes there's violence -- consistent with the harsh conditions of the unexplored portions of 19th century Africa -- but there's also splendid writing, plot, and acting. If you want to see how good an adventure movie can be when it's done right, get this DVD of the classic version of King Solomon's Mines. By the way, Stewart Grainger is outstanding as the virile but somewhat world weary safari guide and Deborah Kerr is both convincing and especially beautiful as the stalwart heroine.

This is the tale of a safari through unexplored Africa around the turn (19th->20th) of the century. The quarry though is not big game, but a man. Mrs. Elizabeth Curtis (played by the beautiful Deborah Kerr) and her brother have arrived in Africa in search of her husband who disappeared there several years. He was searching for the legendary King Solomon's Mines and vanished after sending a cryptic letter to his wife back in England. Stewart Granger plays the role of the hunter and guide Allan Quatermain. He agrees to take the pair into unexplored Africa on safari to help track down her husband. Along the way they encounter danger from natives, hostile hunters, animals, and the elements. It is also a tale of romance. This film is by far the best of several adaptations of H. Rider Haggard's novel (which I highly recommend as well if you like adventure novels) of the same name. The role of Allan Quatermain has been played by many other actors, including Patrick Swayze and Richard Chamberlain, none of whom can hold a candle to Stewart Granger's performance (probably the best of his career) in this film. There are some significant differences between the film and the novel, particularly the addition of the love interest (Deborah Kerr) in the film. The cinematography of this film is wonderful, in many ways this film is simply a vehicle to show video of the flora, fauna, and natives of Africa. It probably does not merit a 5-star rating, but I gave it one anyhow simply because I love it and can watch it over and over. The acting is a bit stiff in places, and the story drags in certain places but then (too) suddenly wraps up neatly in the end (the screenplay could probably have used one more round of editing), but these are minor quibbles. If you are looking for a classic and timeless adventure/romance tale before Hollywood became too PC, I would highly recommend this film to you.