Film Notes
     "The 1951 John Huston classic, set in Africa during World War I, garnered Humphrey Bogart an Oscar for his role as a hard-drinking riverboat captain in Africa, who provides passage for a Christian missionary spinster (Katharine Hepburn). Taking an instant, mutual dislike to one another, the two endure rough waters, the presence of German soldiers, and their own bickering to finally fall into one another's arms. This is classic Huston material, part adventure, part quest, but this time with a pair of characters who'd all but given up on happiness. Bogart (a longtime collaborator with Huston on such classics as The Maltese Falcon and Key Largo) and Hepburn have never been better, and support from frequent Huston crony Robert Morley (Beat the Devil, also featuring Bogart) adds some extra dimension and color." (Tom Keogh, Amazon.com)
     Much of the action was filmed on location in Africa, under grueling circumstances. Katharine Hepburn wrote a book about the adventure, entitled The Making of the African Queen: Or How I Went to Africa with Bogart, Bacall and Huston and Almost Lost My Mind. Screenwriter Peter Viertel also wrote a book on the making of African Queen. His effort, White Hunter, Black Heart, was made into a 1990 film by Clint Eastwood. FoxVideo laserdisc 8129-80 features the restored and remastered version of The African Queen. It is the same version that was prepared for the film's 50th anniversary, but this laserdisc lacks the extras that came with the Commemorative Edition.