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Out of Africa
(1985)
Based on a true story.
Director: Sydney Pollack, rated PG
  Starring:
Robert Redford, Meryl Streep, Klaus Maria Brandauer, Michael
Kitchen, Shane Rimmer, Malick Bowens, Joseph Thiaka, Stephen
Kinyanjul, Michael Gough, Suzanna Hamilton
DML Rating:
★★★★★★★☆☆☆
- good
"I had a compass from Denys.
To steer by, he said. But later it came to me that we navigated
differently. Perhaps he knew, as I did not, that the Earth was
made round so that we would not see too far down the road." –
Karen Blixen
Why watch this?
The sweeping landscapes and incredible musical score, for
starters.
Plot Summary:
This epic follows a wealthy Danish aristocrat who moves to
British East Africa to establish a coffee plantation with her
husband, only to find herself trapped in a marriage of
convenience. As she struggles against the hardships of managing
the estate and navigating colonial society, she develops a deep
and passionate bond with a free-spirited big-game hunter.
Ultimately, the film chronicles her journey of self-discovery,
resilience, and profound love against the backdrop of a changing
African landscape.
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Dad's Preview:
My college girlfriend begged me and her father to
accompany her to this epic romantic drama. That was in
1985. I re-watched it this week and feel the same way I
did then. True it features two incredible actors in
Meryl Streep and Robert Redford. It is set in 1913
Africa, a time when the British thought they had a right
to own every country in the world. The scenery is
breath-taking without CGI enhancement. So, why don't I
rank this film higher? It's simply too long and
slow-moving. A cracker-jack film editor could have made
this a much better film. Yet, the Academy loved it,
awarding the drama seven Oscars! I will say the
bodacious musical score, by the great John Barry, fits
perfectly. He would later bring the same vibes to one of
my favorite movies,
Dances With Wolves (1990). |
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Mirage Enterprises;
Universal Pictures
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