Trader Horn

I caught this one on TCM the other night, never having seen it before. It was filmed in Africa in 1930, and it shows us Kenya as it will never be again. It holds up more as a travelogue than as an adventure movie, I think. Though there are still some stirring scenes, the middle sags when Trader Horn (Harry Carey) starts pointing out all the wildlife to Peru (Duncan Reynaldo), who at that point is still lugging his guitar along with him. and who's wearing a pith helmet the size of a washtub.

Horn and Peru are on their way to find the White Queen (Edwina Booth) and bring her out of the jungle. As you can see in the photo at the left, they do find her. They have considerable trouble getting her out of the jungle, however.

I imagine some people will find fault with a lot of things in this movie. Booth seems to think, at least part of the time, that she's in a silent. Racism is evident through out, though Horn's attitude toward Rencharo (Mutia Omoolu) is clearly not racist through and through. Lots of bare breasts in the National Geographic style, though Ms. Booth's remain covered. Must have been tough gluing that covering on with spirit gum.

The good news is that there are crocs. Lots and lots of crocs.

I'm glad I watched this, though I do wish that TCM had found a better print. The one they used needed a lot of work done on it.