Hatari!

 

          Well, now I'm most certainly done with going to the movies for now. I decided since we're in the month of Saint Valentine, that I find some more romanticize movies for my taste, and no none of that lame Nicholas Sparks or Hallmark chick flicks crap. And since I haven't watched a whole lot of John Wayne movies as of late, I figured why not watch a John Wayne movie that I haven't seen. Hatari! in the English language means danger, is an action adventure/romantic comedy set in the jungles of Africa where all the hunters are tracking animals for our local Zoo's all over the world.   

          A Tanganyika-based group of hunters (Red Buttons, Hardy Kruger, Gerard Blain) led by Sean Mercer (John Wayne) trap wild African animals for zoos. A curvaceous photographer (Elsa Martinelli) documents their exploits while having epic clashes with the gruff Irishman. She is initially frozen out of testosterone-filled group until her strong-willed personality endears her to the men. 

          I have to say that this is hands down one of the most craziest adventure films I've ever seen mainly because all of the animal captures in the film look amazingly real, especially when they bring a huge rhino in the mix for which looked extremely real and terrifying moreover according to director Howard Hawks, all the animal captures were performed by actual actors; no stuntmen or animal handlers were substituted onscreen. And the Rhino in the third act escaped, and the actors really did have to recapture it - for which Hawks included the sequence for its realism. Moreover it's fantastic because all of the animals they capture in each of the scenes are really good in terms of the camera angles they used for each sequence is both great and real because again no stunt men were involved, and even John Wayne himself admitted to being terrified in being on that passenger side of the front of the truck or in the back because there was no seat belts so, he had to hold on for dear life which again majority of these sequences that Hawks shot were outstanding. Both Hawks and Wayne worked on another film together titled Rio Bravo which was Wayne and Rat Pack legend Dean Martin's first film together, moreover Hawks made more surprising classics as well as collaborated with a ton of great actors such as Humphrey Bogart in To Have and Have Not and The Big Sleep. Hell, Hawks even made the original Scarface movie the one that Oliver Stone copied and pasted for his script for Al Pacino's version I mean he even has more great films as well as been in Hollywood since the Silent film age. To all of those who haven't seen a ton of John Wayne's films like I have, hence my Dad raised me on loving John Wayne films, you actually be surprised that John Wayne is in fact a great charmer with the ladies and the guy has been in a ton of romantic comedies that are in fact great, but more importantly show's off is comedic side as an actor especially when he's charming actresses in their thirties? Either way I thought the chemistry between John Wayne and Italian actress Elsa Martinelli are great on screen despite the fact there were times where I felt like Elsa has a French accent, I mean I'm obviously wrong but just my aspects on what an Italian accent sounds and a French accent sounds became blur through the course of the film. In fact, French actress, Michele Girardon who plays the daughter of a deceased father in charge of the Zoo in Africa, spoke no English when being casted in the film, though through the course of filming and her performance as well as everyone else's is great to watch. I don't want to talk, so, much about how great this film is great and furthermore this is definitely one of those great John Wayne comedies as well as romantic comedies almost up there with The Quiet Man and McClintock though this doesn't have Maureen O'Hara, I really liked Elsa Martinelli performance as Wayne's love interest, she's great on screen and I personally wish I had a nickel any woman would ask me how I like to be kissed. Filled with a ton of action as well as comedy and more importantly a small love story this film has the best of both worlds that I truly believe both married couples and or any man or woman watching a movie with either their boyfriend or girlfriend to watch this upcoming Valentine's Day. And you can find this movie on your local Amazon Prime moreover you can watch the film for free on YouTube so, don't be afraid to try out a John Wayne movie you haven't seen yet.