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The African Queen

PG Released Feb 20, 1952 1h 45m Adventure TRAILER for The African Queen: Trailer 1 List
96% Tomatometer 52 Reviews 86% Audience Score 25,000+ Ratings
After religious spinster's (Katharine Hepburn) missionary brother is killed in WWI Africa, dissolute steamer captain (Humphrey Bogart) offers her safe passage. She's not satisfied so she persuades him to destroy a German gunboat. The two spend most of their time fighting with each other rather than the Germans. Time alone on the river leads to love. Read More Read Less
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The African Queen

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The African Queen

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Critics Consensus

Perfectly cast, smartly written, and beautifully filmed, The African Queen remains thrilling, funny, and effortlessly absorbing even after more than half a century's worth of adventure movies borrowing liberally from its creative DNA.

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Critics Reviews

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Pauline Kael New Yorker This is a comedy, a love story, and a tale of adventure, and it is one of the most charming and entertaining movies ever made. Jul 6, 2022 Full Review Kevin Maher Times (UK) The action scenes are expertly handled, the film was a hit and Hollywood liked it so much that it remade it in 1975 as Rooster Cogburn, with John Wayne opposite Hepburn. Rated: 5/5 Nov 25, 2019 Full Review THR Staff Hollywood Reporter The African Queen is top flight entertainment, delightful, different, always interesting. Feb 20, 2017 Full Review Jet Staff Jet Magazine The intense drama, humor, romance and authenticity which African Queen packs make it solid film fare. Jan 16, 2024 Full Review Zita Short InSession Film The African Queen serves as a fantastic display of the virtues of old-fashioned craftsmanship. It’s a solid film and it has the sort of broad appeal that great blockbusters need to possess. Feb 1, 2023 Full Review Danielle Solzman Solzy at the Movies The African Queen is one of the greatest films ever made and remains a one of the gold standards for the adventure genre. Rated: 4.5/5 Sep 1, 2022 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Aender S A film carried by the great chemistry between Humphrey Bogart and Katharine Hepburn. I also appreciate the Germans are played by real German speakers, so no funny accents or weird grammar mistakes in German language as some other American flicks have. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 04/11/24 Full Review JJJJJJ J Maybe in its time it was good but by modern standards it just falls flat. The plot seems cliche and predictable and there really seems to be nothing special about it. This film is by no means terrible it just has nothing really good about it. Unfortunately not worth its time. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 12/31/23 Full Review Michael C I wonder why it took me so long to see this excellent movie. I have heard a great deal about "The African Queen" and am very familiar with its legendary stars. So I decided it's about time. A very smart decision. What is there to say about this excellent film that has not been said already? The late Humphrey Bogart and the late Katherine Hepburn are nothing short of phenomenal (When have either one of them not been?). The story is plausible and very well written. There is not a single dull moment in the film from start to finish. Don't wait too long like I did. See "The African Queen" as soon as you can. You will not be disappointed. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 07/03/23 Full Review David F This odd-couple film about two expatriates who end up fighting the Germans in WWI with their little boat didn't do much for me. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 05/12/23 Full Review Jaksa P Acting is fine, the story is very poor Rated 2 out of 5 stars 05/09/23 Full Review Farah R Not one of my favorites for Catherine Hepburn but still a good film, The African Queen combines comedy and drama superbly owing to its well-written script and superb actors. It wouldn't be so dull if only it had more action sequences. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 05/02/23 Full Review Read all reviews
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The African Queen

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Movie Info

Synopsis After religious spinster's (Katharine Hepburn) missionary brother is killed in WWI Africa, dissolute steamer captain (Humphrey Bogart) offers her safe passage. She's not satisfied so she persuades him to destroy a German gunboat. The two spend most of their time fighting with each other rather than the Germans. Time alone on the river leads to love.
Director
John Huston
Producer
S.P. Spiegel
Screenwriter
C.S. Forester, James Agee, John Huston, John Collier
Distributor
United Artists
Production Co
Horizon Films, Romulus Productions
Rating
PG (Some Violence|Smoking|Thematic Elements)
Genre
Adventure
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Feb 20, 1952, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Nov 1, 2016
Runtime
1h 45m
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