The Rainy Day Choice: Out of Africa
Pamela Scott Shelton
April 05, 2008
As spring rains turned to flooding and a late winter cold set in, it was difficult to remember that global warming is the ideological soup de jour. Refusing to give in to the winter that refused to turn to spring, I retreated to the comfort of my down quilt and memory foam pillows to dig in for a warm snuggle with a good movie. The endless sound of rain beating down on my roof, and the winds blowing against the windows, I needed a good distraction – a love story. Searching through my archive of "haven´t watched in a long time," I selected one of the most cinematically beautiful love stories of all time: Out of Africa (1985). I´ll call this "vintage" Sydney Pollack (director), starring one of the most beautiful and gifted actresses of all time; Meryl Streep, alongside the equally gifted actors, Robert Redford; Klaus Maria Brandauer; and Michael Kitchen. - and a brief but intersting appearance by the modeling superstar Iman, David Bowie's wife. Sigh - this is the kind of rainy day snuggle a woman wants.
The cinematography in this film is clear and captivating and since it is a period piece, it is timeless. Long pan shots of the African landscape and wildlife are unique because they were shot on location at the Shaba National Game Reserve in Kenya. Two decades earlier, the country, thus the reserve, was not in the midst of the tense economic and political problems that Kenya is regrettably struggling with today. This film was made at time when Kenyans seemed to be making good choices in recognizing the long term ecological and financial value in preserving their wildlife and landscape. The landscape is changing and, today, the wildlife are more endangered than ever before. There is no easy solution to these problems, but it means that Pollack captured Kenya and the wildlife at a stage in Kenya's history that can never be gone back to - but for this film experience.
Kenya is also a country that has a mixed landscape and climate, with multiple natural resources, which, like South Africa and the former Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe), made it desirable to the colonizing European powers. The era of British colonialism provides the cultural contrast that helps to convey the sense that the Kikuyu, Kimba and the Maasai indigenous peoples are an endangered human species. While time has perhaps proven that they are not endangered as tribal groups, certainly it has proven that, indeed, they were culturally endangered peoples whose lives and traditions and future were irreversibly changed with British Imperialism. Politics aside, Out of Africa is perhaps the most aesthetically captivating films of all time – and a wonderful love story.
In this film adaptation of the book by the same name, Meryl Streep is Baroness Kerrin Dinesen Blixen, who was the author of the book she penned under the name Isak Dinesen. Who knows whether or not the character Streep brought to life in the film was a replica of the living Baroness (titles were important to Blixen), but the character Streep creates is one any woman would be pleased with when reflecting upon an image of herself. The Countess is strong willed, strong minded, and physically strong; but she is gentle and equally physically susceptible when her body betrays her mind giving in to the desire for the Baron Bror Blixen, played by Brandauer who renders an outstanding performance as the ultimate European bad boy. Having entered into a marriage based on an agreement of financial convenience for Bror, and personal freedom for Dinesen, the couple find that friendship is indeed a good bed upon which to grow flowers; or, in their case, coffee.
The Baron brings his new wife to their farm, away from civilization but close enough to remain sociable in the British colony. On the farm, they begin their wedding night and new life with a good healthy less than lovers fight. After which, of course, they discover they are sexually compatible as well as good friends. Yet when the Baroness awakens in the morning, her husband has gone into the bush to hunt and will come back with the rains she is advised by Farar, her Muslim house assistant. Farar is played by Malick Bowens who brings such stature and dignity to the character that as Farar becomes important to Dinesen and to the film audience, it is a natural evolution. The Baron´s inability to commit to his home or to his wife begins a pattern that flows through most of the Dinesen's life and relationships. When the marriage disintegrates, the Baroness is wooed on the African plains by Denys Finch Hatton, played by Redford.
The real Finch Hatton was a British ex-patriot, however Redford does the role without a British accent and the viewer becomes so involved in the character that the fact that he does it without the British accent is not an issue. The viewer is more absorbed by Redford´s command of the character´s personality; unapologetic, non-committing,and a free spirit exploiting the abundant African wildlife for profit. It would have created a great inconsistency in history and film if an effort had been made to be repentant about exploiting the African wildlife for profit. Pollack did not burden this film with those political messages, perhaps giving the viewer more credit for being intelligent than some filmmakers seem to do today. While these issues come to mind as you watch the film, the plain and simple truth, that it was a different era in time when the abundance of big game dominated the African landscape and very little worry was given to "shooting ivory". As the film progressses, it goes with the storyline that pre and post World War II change is on the breeze, and that the British government is putting the brakes on the ivory exporting business. Finch Hatton, the big game hunter is forced to go into the safari business - still shooting big game for profit, but in a different venue.
Streep, as Dinesen, works with the accent of the Danish elite of the era; and she is the only actress that comes to my mind who is capable of doing flawless accents, just as she did in Sophie´s Choice (1982, Alan J. Pakula director). The accent is no distraction nor does it reduce the character to a comic book performance. Rather, and certainly supported with with Streep´s elegance and grace, it develops the character the actress has created on screen.
When Pollack brought together Streep and Redford in this film he ensured the film´s box office success. However, as an incredibly talented artist himself, Pollack recognized in Streep and Redford the chemistry that could be created between the two talents in the storyline. The dialogue is even and flowing and completely free of awkward moments. In a scene where Finch Hatton washes the Baroness's hair, he recites a somewhat silly poem. The moment captured on film is no less sensual for the silliness of the poem. In fact, it is the silliness of the verse that prevents the sensuality from lapsing into awkwardness. Finch Hatton is a man who enjoys the sensuality of washing a woman´s hair; but he´s not the woman´s girlfriend. Rather, he is the great hunter of wild game who has taken the object of his affection into the wildness with which his masculinity connects with in order to seduce her and make that ultimate connection between a man and a woman.
A chick-flick? Maybe, but it won an astounding seven academy awards and there is enough action, or politics if you prefer (and many do these days) to sustain a mixed audience for ninety minutes. For a rainy day snuggle Out of Africa is the perfect film. Rainy days are not always predictable, so this is one to add to the personal DVD collection. The great thing about these timeless period pieces is that they are often available at very affordable prices, so you might want to consider Sophie's Choice too.
The cinematography in this film is clear and captivating and since it is a period piece, it is timeless. Long pan shots of the African landscape and wildlife are unique because they were shot on location at the Shaba National Game Reserve in Kenya. Two decades earlier, the country, thus the reserve, was not in the midst of the tense economic and political problems that Kenya is regrettably struggling with today. This film was made at time when Kenyans seemed to be making good choices in recognizing the long term ecological and financial value in preserving their wildlife and landscape. The landscape is changing and, today, the wildlife are more endangered than ever before. There is no easy solution to these problems, but it means that Pollack captured Kenya and the wildlife at a stage in Kenya's history that can never be gone back to - but for this film experience.
Kenya is also a country that has a mixed landscape and climate, with multiple natural resources, which, like South Africa and the former Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe), made it desirable to the colonizing European powers. The era of British colonialism provides the cultural contrast that helps to convey the sense that the Kikuyu, Kimba and the Maasai indigenous peoples are an endangered human species. While time has perhaps proven that they are not endangered as tribal groups, certainly it has proven that, indeed, they were culturally endangered peoples whose lives and traditions and future were irreversibly changed with British Imperialism. Politics aside, Out of Africa is perhaps the most aesthetically captivating films of all time – and a wonderful love story.
In this film adaptation of the book by the same name, Meryl Streep is Baroness Kerrin Dinesen Blixen, who was the author of the book she penned under the name Isak Dinesen. Who knows whether or not the character Streep brought to life in the film was a replica of the living Baroness (titles were important to Blixen), but the character Streep creates is one any woman would be pleased with when reflecting upon an image of herself. The Countess is strong willed, strong minded, and physically strong; but she is gentle and equally physically susceptible when her body betrays her mind giving in to the desire for the Baron Bror Blixen, played by Brandauer who renders an outstanding performance as the ultimate European bad boy. Having entered into a marriage based on an agreement of financial convenience for Bror, and personal freedom for Dinesen, the couple find that friendship is indeed a good bed upon which to grow flowers; or, in their case, coffee.
The Baron brings his new wife to their farm, away from civilization but close enough to remain sociable in the British colony. On the farm, they begin their wedding night and new life with a good healthy less than lovers fight. After which, of course, they discover they are sexually compatible as well as good friends. Yet when the Baroness awakens in the morning, her husband has gone into the bush to hunt and will come back with the rains she is advised by Farar, her Muslim house assistant. Farar is played by Malick Bowens who brings such stature and dignity to the character that as Farar becomes important to Dinesen and to the film audience, it is a natural evolution. The Baron´s inability to commit to his home or to his wife begins a pattern that flows through most of the Dinesen's life and relationships. When the marriage disintegrates, the Baroness is wooed on the African plains by Denys Finch Hatton, played by Redford.
The real Finch Hatton was a British ex-patriot, however Redford does the role without a British accent and the viewer becomes so involved in the character that the fact that he does it without the British accent is not an issue. The viewer is more absorbed by Redford´s command of the character´s personality; unapologetic, non-committing,and a free spirit exploiting the abundant African wildlife for profit. It would have created a great inconsistency in history and film if an effort had been made to be repentant about exploiting the African wildlife for profit. Pollack did not burden this film with those political messages, perhaps giving the viewer more credit for being intelligent than some filmmakers seem to do today. While these issues come to mind as you watch the film, the plain and simple truth, that it was a different era in time when the abundance of big game dominated the African landscape and very little worry was given to "shooting ivory". As the film progressses, it goes with the storyline that pre and post World War II change is on the breeze, and that the British government is putting the brakes on the ivory exporting business. Finch Hatton, the big game hunter is forced to go into the safari business - still shooting big game for profit, but in a different venue.
Streep, as Dinesen, works with the accent of the Danish elite of the era; and she is the only actress that comes to my mind who is capable of doing flawless accents, just as she did in Sophie´s Choice (1982, Alan J. Pakula director). The accent is no distraction nor does it reduce the character to a comic book performance. Rather, and certainly supported with with Streep´s elegance and grace, it develops the character the actress has created on screen.
When Pollack brought together Streep and Redford in this film he ensured the film´s box office success. However, as an incredibly talented artist himself, Pollack recognized in Streep and Redford the chemistry that could be created between the two talents in the storyline. The dialogue is even and flowing and completely free of awkward moments. In a scene where Finch Hatton washes the Baroness's hair, he recites a somewhat silly poem. The moment captured on film is no less sensual for the silliness of the poem. In fact, it is the silliness of the verse that prevents the sensuality from lapsing into awkwardness. Finch Hatton is a man who enjoys the sensuality of washing a woman´s hair; but he´s not the woman´s girlfriend. Rather, he is the great hunter of wild game who has taken the object of his affection into the wildness with which his masculinity connects with in order to seduce her and make that ultimate connection between a man and a woman.
A chick-flick? Maybe, but it won an astounding seven academy awards and there is enough action, or politics if you prefer (and many do these days) to sustain a mixed audience for ninety minutes. For a rainy day snuggle Out of Africa is the perfect film. Rainy days are not always predictable, so this is one to add to the personal DVD collection. The great thing about these timeless period pieces is that they are often available at very affordable prices, so you might want to consider Sophie's Choice too.
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