Ealing's first Technicolor tour of the Dark Continent has a sharper script - which extends to the title - and more interesting wildlife photography than it's follow-up 'West of Zanzibar' (including a truly hair-raising encounter with a lioness and her cub) and an indignation at rich foreigners with itchy trigger fingers laying waste to the local wildlife just for kicks that still resonates today.
Ivory Hunter
1951
Action / Adventure / Drama
Ivory Hunter
1951
Action / Adventure / Drama
Plot summary
A true story about an Englishman working as a game warden in Kenya who is disgusted by the ongoing destruction of African wildlife, and decides to create a national park to protect them. He acquires more than 1000 square miles of land, but he finds himself up against ivory poachers and local tribesmen in their employ.
Uploaded by: FREEMAN
Director
Top cast
Tech specs
720p.BLU 1080p.BLUMovie Reviews
Beating About the Bush
A gem
Tight story well told. Features one of the first rhino versus truck on film. Unglamorous presentation of foundation of early game reserves in Africa.
Identity of the villain will be no surprise.
Man's instinct to kill
The tagline, presented here on this site is a dated and threatening ' come on '. Only the rich could go animal hunting in Africa, and Anthony Steel, at perhaps his limited best, as a man who wants to find a reserve where the animals are safe. This is a well intentioned film, and it begins by clearly showing men ( and women ) just see animals as sport or trophy. I am not sure if animals were killed, and it looked realistic to me. Dinah Sheridan shows before ' Genevieve ' what a good actor she could be, and I regret that she gave up acting so soon. The film is made in colour and by the lack of reviews I can see few have bothered to watch it. It is available on DVD and Ealing Studios clearly thought animal lovers would want to see it. The intentions of killing off animals is clearly portrayed as an evil, and I hope viewers in 1951 did not just see it as entertainment. Given the nature of the human race to kill at any opportunity this maybe a too hopeful thought. Simply made on location it is action packed and no spoilers on what happens. A heart felt film which has dated but still sends out an important message. Quite simply do not kill animals for a spurious prestige or blood lust. Well directed.