EAST OF SUDAN
UK, 1964, minutes, Colour.
Anthony Quayle, Sylvia Sims, Jenny Agutter.
Directed by Nathan Juran.
East of Sudan is a colourful British matinee adventure. Surprisingly the cast is led by Anthony Quayle and Sylvia Sims with Derek Fowlds (Yes Minister) in an early role and Jenny Agutter as a young girl.
Produced by Charles Schneer (producer of many of the Ray Harryhausen fantasy adventures) and directed by action adventure director, Nathan Juran, the film seems to be patched together from a lot of previous British African and adventure movies. The effect is quite uneven. The characterisation is basic, the storyline fairly predictable (blend of African Queen and King Solomon's Mines). The film is set in the period of the fall of Khartoum, with echoes of General Gordon and the Mahdi.
Colourful by basic adventure.
1. British matinee material of the '60s?
2. Techniscope, African locations, period and spectacle? The editing in of many of the sections from other films? Musical score? Action adventure? and Rear projection?
3. The title and the focus, the 1880s, Africa, the presence of the siege of Khartoum, General Gordon, the Mahdi and his followers, the Arab slavers, the Nile?
4. The historical introduction and explanation? The British in Africa? The role of Khartoum? The uprising of the Mahdi? The difficulties of the Nile that year? The death of Gordon? The English escaping?
5. Baker and his involvement in the war, court martial, the encounter with Miss Woodville, the escape, on the boat, landing, his decisions and surliness, attraction towards Miss Woodville, with Murchison? The dangers of the river, on land? The Arab slavers? The African village? The decision to escape? The final battles? The court martial - and romance and escape?
with the little girl?
6. Miss Woodville and her short time in Africa, haughtiness, stubbornness? Her background story - and her relationship with the girl's father? Cantankerous, agreeable, participation in the adventures?
7. Murchison and his joining the group, reaction to Baker, attracted to Woodville, the adventures, being passed of as Gordon's son?
8. The little girl, the Emir's daughter, the escape, Miss Woodville, her lessons, attracted towards Baker, her falling from the cliff, the witch doctor?
9. The African and his background, of slavery, attacking the group, taking them prisoner, the village and their being the slave traders, the decision to help the British, the fight, reconciliation with the British? Their haughtiness in Africa?
10. Popular themes of the British Empire? The Africans and self-assertion? In regular themes of this kind of adventure - and the parallel to the American westerns?
