The African Queen

SPOILER ALERT! The plot will be discussed.

The African Queen (1951), directed by John Huston, is a story that deals with how people who have withdrawn from adversity can subsequently tap into their heroic nature when a crisis occurs. It also shows that people who are so different and would not meet under average circumstances are able to bond when extreme circumstances bring them together. Each person is capable of bringing out hidden aspects that were submerged before meeting adversity.

The story takes place in German East Africa in September, 1914. Missionaries are trying to bring their version of civilization to the inhabitants. The opening upward shot creates a view of the all-encompassing jungle and its majesty. The animal sounds immediately tell us how far this place is from so-called civilized cultures. But the real bestiality does not come from the land. The impending war points to how humans inflict their destruction and barbarity onto the continent. 

Rose (is she a flower ready to blossom?) Sayer (Katharine Hepburn) plays the organ and helps her brother, the Rev. Samuel Sayer (Robert Morley), try to lead the natives in a Christian hymn. The result is a cacophony of noise, stressing the lack of harmony between the two cultures. Another sound intervenes, which is that of the whistle on the decrepit-looking boat, the African Queen, belonging to Charlie Allnut (Humphrey Bogart, in a Best Actor Oscar winning performance). Bogart here is very different compared to the tough man-of-few-words but mostly moral types in other films he acted in. He is overly talkative in this movie. But he initially does not try to stick his neck out and put himself in danger, similar to Rick in Casablanca. His last name may suggest that he is crazy, a tough nut to crack, or he has the “nuts” (balls) that show he, potentially, can be a brave man. Here the sound of his boat easily distracts the African congregation who look baffled by what the white missionaries are trying to foster on them. 

Charlie, dirty, unshaven and smiling, seems at home in the wilderness of the jungle. The natives are familiar with him as he hands one a cigar. The Sayers are dressed as if they are in an urban setting, wearing fancy clothing that is unsuitable for the hot climate and which shows them to be out of place. Charlie has brought them their mail. The differences between these people continue when they sit down for tea, which the Sayers act like they are drinking in a British garden. Charlie’s stomach is growling since it is taking a long time for Rose to properly serve the bread and butter with the tea. He comments on the strange sounds a man’s stomach can make, but the uppity Sayers do not want common bodily functions discussed in front of them. Samuel reads that an acquaintance is now a bishop, and he seems envious. He dismisses the man’s abilities, implying he married well and that is how he was promoted. Samuel’s behavior is not that of an unselfish religious man devoted to loving others. The Sayers do not fit in with their new surroundings, but also are out of touch with what is happening elsewhere. Charlie tells them of the coming war between many European countries, and that each nation blames the other for starting the conflict. Samuel wonders if they will be considered hostile visitors in a German occupied territory, but Charlie tries to reassure them that nobody cares about “this God forsaken place.” This remark riles Rose who says her brother's presence points to God not abandoning this area on earth. Note that she gives all credit to her sibling as she allows herself to be subordinate to his leadership.

After Charlie leaves, Samuel again shows his disdain by calling Charlie a “wretched” man because he is Canadian and doesn’t seem to care about allegiance to their matriarchal country, Britain. Samuel says he can’t leave his “flock,” so he rejects Rose’s suggestion to depart. But he can do little when the Germans arrive and burn the huts of the natives and the wooden church, taking the men to use them as soldiers. Samuel seems to be broken mentally after this brutality, as he doesn’t even seem to realize he is in Africa. He becomes delirious and then collapses.

Charlie comes back because the Africans who were working for him at the Belgium mines heard about the German raids. The mine was abandoned and Charlie’s men ran off. Rose tells Charlie that Samuel died. Charlie says they must bury him and leave, because the Germans will be after his boat because of the supplies it is carrying. Thus, it is just the two of them now who must learn to survive together.

Rose is out of her depth at first when Charlie has her steer the boat so he can tie it up to the shore. She is starting on a new journey, physically and psychologically, and she must adapt without relying on her brother. Charlie says they have food and plenty of cigarettes and booze, the latter two drawing a look of disdain from the upright Rose. She wants to get out of there, but Charlie points out the difficulty of escaping the Germans. He seems to not want to put himself in any danger and wishes to sit it out until the war blows over. Charlie points out that the Germans have a large ship called the Louisa with a huge gun that prevents the Allies from getting across the lake to rescue people like Rose and Charlie. He also informs her that it will be difficult going down the river since the Germans are stationed where it flows into the lake. 

But Rose is seeking a new mission, and her inner strength begins to appear. She finds out that they have blasting equipment, but no detonators. There are also oxygen tanks on board. Since Charlie is sort of a mechanic, Rose says he can make a torpedo out of a tank, hang it over the side of the boat, and cause it to ignite and destroy the Louisa by scraping against its hull while they jump off. Charlie’s easygoing, joking manner turns to one of alarm at the suggestion. She calls into question his patriotism, and pushes him into leaving immediately as she has found an earthly crusade to embark upon. He now feels resentful of the pushy Rose, and mocks her demanding voice. Circumstances have allowed Rose to emerge from under the shadow of her brother’s spiritual crusade. Despite Charlie's reticence, he, as well as Rose, have not stayed in their comfort zones, having come to a place where there are many challenges. Their presence in Africa shows that they have the potential to be courageous and unselfish. 

As they go down the river, Rose is very inquisitive and learns more about the boat and how to “read” the waterway so as to navigate away from dangers. Charlie has to kick the boiler to let the steam out to reduce pressure because a screwdriver fell into it. He hasn’t removed the tool because he likes kicking the engine, which is a way for him to let off steam himself. She is becoming more worldly, so in that sense Charlie is her mentor. However, she does not want to learn about his drinking gin, and is relieved that he is considerate enough to make her tea. He now tries to duplicate the hospitality she showed him at the village. He likes to put a positive spin with a smile and a laugh even when things are negative, such as when he says the tea may taste rusty, but they “can’t have everything, now can we?” This overly courteous behavior seems forced, like he doesn’t want to reveal his own anxiety, or he can possibly be trying to cover up his roughness with a veneer of civility so as to be accepted by Rose. 

She says that she left England and has been in Africa for ten years. She does get nostalgic for her homeland’s peace and quiet on Sunday afternoons. Her genteel memory contrasts with his remark about “sleeping one off” on a Sunday as he recovered from a drinking binge on Saturday night. He says he came to Africa to get employment working on building a bridge. He misses the fun he had on the weekends, but during the week he had to take “orders” from others. He is his own boss in Africa, which shows his independent nature. They both need to wash up, and he says that they can go to opposite ends of the boat and avoid exposing themselves to each other. They both keep on their undergarments, however (this is 1951), and when Rose can’t climb back on board, Charlie must close his eyes as he helps her get on the boat. After falling asleep, it begins to pour. Charlie is drenched and reluctantly tries to get under the overhead covering where Rose is. She kicks him out, but realizes he just wants to avoid the downpour. She then invites him to get out of the rain. She kindly opens her umbrella to protect him from the rain coming in on the side where he sleeps. The scene adds a bit of sexual tension between the characters.

As he navigates through the rapids, there is a smile on his face while she looks alarmed. What he hopes is that she will become frightened and will call off her dangerous mission. But she surprises him by saying how excited she was, almost acting like it was a sensual experience. He is disappointed she isn’t willing to give up. He warns that their trip will get much worse, but she wants to do more steering and looks forward to the thrill. Ruth’s taking over most of the navigation shows her learning to take control of her life. Rose is no longer a wallflower and is becoming the wildflower she really is. 

After Charlie gets drunk, Rose sees that he is no longer polite and upbeat. He drops the pretense of being agreeable and says that her idea to sink the Louisa will not happen. He mocks her civilized speech. She keeps saying they will continue with her campaign, but he refuses. She says that he promised and is a liar and a coward. He reacts angrily, saying it’s his boat, and only invited her onboard out of pity for losing her brother. But her unrealistic demands are met with Charlie nastily saying, “I ain’t sorry for you no more, ya crazy, psalm-singing, skinny old maid!” He then goes off to drink more gin.

Charlie wakes to find Rose pouring all of his gin overboard, and there is a river of bottles floating along the waterway, as he bemoans his loss. Charlie does clean himself up by shaving, which he attributes to being around a woman with “clean habits.” He compliments her countering his procrastination about cleaning up the boat's engine, as he now performs that task. He seems to want to try to get back into her good graces. But she silently ignores him as she reads, and will not even respond when he says he will make her some tea. He appears dejected since she is not reacting to his attempts at being friendly. When she will not read from the bible for him, he becomes angry, questioning her Christian charity. He says it’s only natural for a man to drink a bit, but she counters by saying, “Nature, Mr. Allnut, is what we are put in this world to rise above.” She is espousing the denial of physical temptations which exist as tests to overcome. He apologizes for what he said when he was drunk, but she says that what is really bothering her is going back on his promise to go down the river and attack the Louisa. He says it is just too dangerous, but he can’t stand her silence, so he gives in. But, he sarcastically says he will eat his breakfast, which will be his last one. 

As they get on their way, Charlie sees many crocodiles entering the river and says they’re waiting for their dinner, which he implies will consist of him and Rose. He acts ironically cheerful and says that’s because he “gave myself up for dead back where we started.” They pass by a German fortress and they stay down in the boat for protection. The Germans use the Africans they abducted to help fire on the African Queen. They damage it, but Charlie reconnects a hose to get the boat going again as bullets fly around them, just missing igniting the explosives. But Rose was right that the sun would get in the eyes of the shooters, who can’t finish them off. But they must next confront the rocks they are rushing toward. The boat is slammed by the waves as Charlie keeps trying to keep the engine functioning and Rose holds onto the rudder. They somehow get through, and they are ecstatic, shouting how they survived. They hug each other and the scene ends in a kiss, which surprises them both. Charlie goes to the front of the boat and symbolically feeds the steam engine, its fire mirroring the passion he now feels. 

There follows a suggestive scene where Rose helps with pumping water out of the boat, and Charlie is close behind her, almost hugging her, holding her hand as he shows her how to accomplish the task. As she vigorously pumps the handle, the dreamy look in her eyes implies a desire for intimacy that she longs for. She removes a thorn in his foot following the collection of firewood, and when he touches her shoulder and says some of the local flowers, “sure are pretty,” she knows he is talking about her. They then kiss.

The next day she calls him “Dear,” and wakes him with coffee. He now acts gung ho about blowing up the German ship to please her. She, trying to reciprocate, notes some ‘misgivings,” about the quest. But then she says she is strengthened by his resolve. The look on his face shows he realizes he may have blown the chance to halt the precarious journey they are on. Later, they momentarily laugh together as Charlie imitates hippos and monkeys, showing they can enjoy the jungle they are traveling through, but then the dangers quickly resurface as they approach some treacherous rushing through waterfalls. 

They get through the dangerous stretch but must bail out the boat. He dives under the craft and sees there was damage to the shaft and propeller. Despite the adversity, Rose stays positive and suggests different ways to make repairs, encouraging Charlie to push himself to realize his potential to solve problems. She joins him under the boat to help with the work. They must take off their outer garments which symbolizes their shedding of inhibitions and differences that would keep them apart under usual circumstances, and are able to make the repairs as a team. They are painting themselves as heroes now, like “Antony and Cleopatra,” as they have bolstered each other’s self-esteem.

But things do not remain “Rosie,” as Charlie now calls his companion. They are swarmed by mosquitoes, but they can’t jump into the river because there are crocodiles entering the water. He covers her so she will not get bitten, and he braves the onslaught by pushing the boat away. Charlie suggests that they will be committed to each other as he says they will have stories “to tell our grandchildren.” And there are more stories to tell as they have a difficult time steering the boat through the marshy reeds to stay on track. Even when he becomes frustrated and angry, Rose encourages him. He has to go into the river and pull the boat, so heavy is the burden he has taken on. He comes out covered in leeches, but Rose is smart enough to pour salt on the creatures to get them off. She shows her strength of character by clearing the way with a machete as Charlie continues to pull the craft. But they can’t get the African Queen off the mud, and Charlie is exhausted and shaking. But he says he doesn’t regret one moment of being with her, showing how love has given him his purpose in life. As he sleeps, she resorts to her faith, which has not been shaken, and prays that God welcomes them if it is their time.

 As if her prayers were heard, a storm occurs and the rain unleashes rushing water that frees the boat from the reeds and pushes them into the lake which is their destination. But they see the Louisa heading towards them. They hide in some reeds, this time for protection, and are safe. They then prepare the air tanks by adding the explosives, and Charlie rigs up some bullets to fire and ignite the makeshift torpedo when it rams into the Louisa through a hole in the African Queen’s hull. 

Charlie has Rosie on his shoulders as she raises the British flag on his boat as Charlie has, like Bogart’s Rick, decided that there is something worth fighting for other than one’s own interests. Love means self-sacrifice, so each says they will attack the Louisa alone, trying to protect the other. But, Rose realizes they must remain a team to get the job done. She admits that she doesn’t want to go on without him, now that she has found a rich life here on earth. They decide to attack at night, a dangerous time because of visibility, but the most efficient if they don’t want to be spotted. However, a storm adds to the problem because the boat takes on too much water and it sinks. Charlie loses track of Rose.

The Germans capture Charlie. On the Louisa, under interrogation, Charlie says he was just fishing, but is accused by the First Officer (Theodore Bikel) of spying, and he is sentenced to be hanged. Charlie is despondent since he believes Rose has drowned. But he rejoices when German sailors arrive in a rowboat and bring Rose aboard. She tells the German that they were prepared to sink the Louisa to show their resolve against their captors. She and Charlie tell the Germans proudly that they overcame impossible odds to come down the river which shows what a tough fight the enemy is in for.

There is a shot of the almost submerged African Queen, but part of it is still above water, suggesting that the plan to sink the Louisa is not dead yet. Just before they are to be hanged, Charlie asks The Captain (Peter Bull) to marry them. Rose sees it as a wonderful way to go out. The Captain delivers darkly humorous contrasting lines by saying, “I pronounce you man and wife. Proceed with the execution.” But the ship runs over the African Queen, igniting the torpedo, sinking the Louisa. Rose and Charlie jump off and are thrilled that they have completed their mission. Rose no longer needs to be subservient to anyone and Charlie requires the African Queen as his substitute companion. They sing, and their harmony as equal partners replaces the noisy voices at the beginning of the film, as they swim off together in married bliss.

The next film is Inside Llewyn Davis.