The Lion (1962): Starring William Holden, Capucine, Trevor Howard, Pamela Franklin, Christopher Agunda, Samuel Obiero Romboh, Paul Oduor, Makara Kwaiha Ramdhani, Zakee....Director Jack Cardiff, Screenplay Irene Kamp, Louis Kamp, Joseph Kessel.
Various films of the 50's and early 60's enjoyed bold new cinematic presentation such as Cinemascope and Panavision, providing better picture quality that dazzled audiences. Director Jack Cardiff's "The Lion", released in 1962, was shot in beautiful Cinemascope. This is a lovely film and unfortunately yet another underrated, little-known jewel in Hollywood cinema, possibly because it's a very unassuming film with a story that was not exactly mainstream Hollywood at the time. An older William Holden (Sunset Boulevard, Sabrina, Picnic, The Country Girl, Bridge On The River Kwai, ) portrays Robert Hayward, an American anthropologist who comes to Africa, reunites with his former love Christine (the beautiful and talented Capucine) but who is herself now in a relationship with a British anthropologist John Bullit (Trevor Howard). Her feisty, precocious daughter Tina, performed by child actress Pamela Franklin, has grown up in the African wilderness and tamed as well as befriended a mighty lion. The movie never feels excessively long but it does appear sentimental by today's standards, almost like a long, expensive production of a "Lassie" episode with a lion instead of a dog. The cast is only a small group of about nine to ten people, but this does not take away from the greatness of the film, which comes alive through the chemistry between everyone involved. It was filmed on location in Uganda and Kenya. The grand views of nature, shot with sophisticated cameras so that we are seeing the great plains and mountains from an eagle's eye view as well as from a ground view, are perhaps the strongest part of the film, for the natural surroundings are as much a part of the story as the drama of people versus people.The intimate moments between former lovers Christine and Robert, as well as her hubby John (Trevor Howard) are wonderfully executed, the stuff of solid drama, especially because these actors - William Holden, Trevor Howard and Capucine - each had enough dramatic training and experience behind them to bring their otherwise dull, dangerously underdeveloped characters to life. Never overacting, they portray characters that seem very real and therefore very moving. And thank heavens, it doesn't play out like a soap opera in the African bush!! The enemy in the film, far from the pettiness of the rivalry between Robert and Jon, are the greedy poachers who kill lions for the selling and marketing of their valuable skin. The noble lion in the film seems to be a metaphor for the potential greatness of people if they set aside their ego or their differences as well as the benefits of harmonious living with nature. The superb cinematography is by Edward Scaife, and the mellow, atmospheric music is by Malcolm Arnold. This is a lovely film with a strong message concerning love between people and between people and animals. P.E.T.A. would eat this film up as well as any lovers of animals, our earthly companions.
Various films of the 50's and early 60's enjoyed bold new cinematic presentation such as Cinemascope and Panavision, providing better picture quality that dazzled audiences. Director Jack Cardiff's "The Lion", released in 1962, was shot in beautiful Cinemascope. This is a lovely film and unfortunately yet another underrated, little-known jewel in Hollywood cinema, possibly because it's a very unassuming film with a story that was not exactly mainstream Hollywood at the time. An older William Holden (Sunset Boulevard, Sabrina, Picnic, The Country Girl, Bridge On The River Kwai, ) portrays Robert Hayward, an American anthropologist who comes to Africa, reunites with his former love Christine (the beautiful and talented Capucine) but who is herself now in a relationship with a British anthropologist John Bullit (Trevor Howard). Her feisty, precocious daughter Tina, performed by child actress Pamela Franklin, has grown up in the African wilderness and tamed as well as befriended a mighty lion. The movie never feels excessively long but it does appear sentimental by today's standards, almost like a long, expensive production of a "Lassie" episode with a lion instead of a dog. The cast is only a small group of about nine to ten people, but this does not take away from the greatness of the film, which comes alive through the chemistry between everyone involved. It was filmed on location in Uganda and Kenya. The grand views of nature, shot with sophisticated cameras so that we are seeing the great plains and mountains from an eagle's eye view as well as from a ground view, are perhaps the strongest part of the film, for the natural surroundings are as much a part of the story as the drama of people versus people.The intimate moments between former lovers Christine and Robert, as well as her hubby John (Trevor Howard) are wonderfully executed, the stuff of solid drama, especially because these actors - William Holden, Trevor Howard and Capucine - each had enough dramatic training and experience behind them to bring their otherwise dull, dangerously underdeveloped characters to life. Never overacting, they portray characters that seem very real and therefore very moving. And thank heavens, it doesn't play out like a soap opera in the African bush!! The enemy in the film, far from the pettiness of the rivalry between Robert and Jon, are the greedy poachers who kill lions for the selling and marketing of their valuable skin. The noble lion in the film seems to be a metaphor for the potential greatness of people if they set aside their ego or their differences as well as the benefits of harmonious living with nature. The superb cinematography is by Edward Scaife, and the mellow, atmospheric music is by Malcolm Arnold. This is a lovely film with a strong message concerning love between people and between people and animals. P.E.T.A. would eat this film up as well as any lovers of animals, our earthly companions.