WATUSI

US, 1959, 85 minutes, Colour.
George Montgomery, Taina Elg, David Farrar, Rex Ingram.
Directed by Kurt Newmann.

Watusi is a pleasing, if B-budget supporting feature, treatment of H. Rider Haggard's King Solomon's Mines. The film of this title had been made by M.G.M. with Stewart Granger and Deborah Kerr on location in Africa. A lot of the footage of animals and African scenery have been incorporated into this remake - quite effectively. One thinks of the animal stampedes of the original and the tall warriors' dance. They are woven into this film effectively. However, the material seems fairly conventional, has a post-World War One setting with antagonisms between Scots and Germans. George Montgomery is only a moderate hero. Taina Elg effective as the heroine. David Farrar as the hard-boiled hunter and friend of the original Allan Quartermain resembles Stewart Granger. There are the usual African adventures, the struggle with the environment, animals, the quest for treasure. The climax is quite effective in the discovery of King Solomon's Mines. The breaking down of prejudice and the blossoming of romance and the experience of heroism are the expected material. The film raises, however moderately, the same issues as the original adventure of King Solomon's Mines.