WHERE NO VULTURES FLY

UK. 1951, 107 minutes, Colour.
Anthony Steel, Dinah Sheridan, Harold Warrender, Meredith Edwards.
Directed by Harry Watt.

Where No Vultures Fly was one of the most popular British films of 1951. It was the Royal Command Performance film.

Where No Vultures Fly was made on location in Africa. It was directed by Harry Watt. Watt had begun his film career with the classic GPO film, Night Mail, in 1936. He mad propaganda films during the war as well as the comedy with Tommy Trinder, Fiddlers Three.

After the war, he went to Australia where he made the classic The Overlanders as well as Eureka Stockade, both with Chips Rafferty. He then went to Africa to make this film as well as its sequel, West of Zanzibar. He returned to Australia in the late 50s to make The Siege of Pinchgut.

Anthony Steel was one of the most popular leads in British films at the time (The Wooden Horse, Albert RN). Dinah Sheridan was also a popular leading lady and was to appear in Genevieve.

The film shows the origins of the game reserves in East Africa – and has a rather spectacular with a rhinoceros attacking a truck.

The film is of its time, showing the aftermath of the British Empire and the presence of the British in Africa. It precedes the Mau Mau terrorism of the 1950s and the moves for independence.

1. How did the title sum up the theme of the film? In the US the title was changed to The Ivory Hunter. A good or bad substitute?

2. How successful was the narration style for the film? Did it seem more realistic? Or too obtrusive?

3. The points being made at the opening of the film about progress, animal-killing, nature and hunting, the natives, ivory poachers and exploiters? The setting was 1947. The film was made in 1951 – does it fit in with the contemporary outlooks on conservation?

4. How satirical was the sequence of the wife photographing the hunter, the contrast with the live calf and the dead mother?

5. Why was Bob Payton sick of killing? Why did he give up his job?

6. Mary’s violent reaction against this? Good reasons? How frightening for her to be living in the bush? What home did they have?

7. What did Payton’s failure to get the park and then his gaining of public opinion through the hoax mean for the family and for his working ambitions? Was he right to use the methods he did?

8. Mary’s solid support in this?

9. Was the villain obvious, audience suspecting him or not? Why?

10. What right had the ivory traders to poach, sell the ivory? How lucrative?

11. How did Payton dedicate himself to his new job? Why? Of what real value was it to Africa?

12. How exciting the presentation of life in the African bush? The climax, chase?

13. What good does a moralising film like this do about conservation? Besides entertainment? Information and motivation?