Hatari! (1962) User Reviews (111)

One of a Kind

[glentom1 · 8/10 · 10 September 2004]

I am somewhat surprised at a few of the negative comments in this forum regarding the movie. Although I see 95% positive, the ones that dislike the movie because of the romance between Dallas and John are particularly distasteful.

They point out an age discrepancy, and call John "Grandpa Wayne", good grief! John Wayne was 59 yrs old at the making of this movie, and the actress that played Dallas was 27. In real life those kind of romances happen all the time, why would anyone be surprised when they happen in fiction?

The animal scenes are exquisite. I doubt there will ever be a movie like this made again. This is how animals get into the zoos, they just don't walk in there and say "sign me up!"

I like everything about this movie; it is a diversification for Wayne, who was already maybe the most diverse actor in Hollywood history. (consider The Conquerer vs. The Quiet man). It has love, comedy, drama, and animals!

Plus all the actors in the movie were given great character depth. I am sure many people have heard of the baby elephant walk, but did not know it came from this movie.

Its such a fun movie, I have to give it a 10, because there is no way to make it any better. What a great achievement of direction, producing, and animal filming!

Sensational and wonderfully filmed story about zoo-suppling animal hunters in Tanganyka

[ma-cortes · 8/10 · 9 December 2010]

¨Hatari¨ is an awesome mixture of moving action , sunny adventure and light comedy about some wild-animal trappers , and in Swahili language it means ¨Danger ¨. A team of professionals who holds each other to high standards in their job have a common objective , the animal trapping in Tanganyika . As it follows the travails of a group (Hardy Kruger , Red Buttoms, Michelle Girandon , Gerard Blain , Elsa Martinelli, Bruce Cabot among others) of safari hunters led , of course, by John Wayne , undergoing adventures , risks , and amusing situations . They form a lively community , preservationists working a game reserve and interwoven with friendship ,camaraderie, integration , professionalism , romance and self-respect .

Superb blend of adventures and comedy ; effortlessly switching between love story and humor . This is a fascinating flick upon a sympathetic group in that includes adventure ,crisp banter, romance, and noisy action . It contains Hawks' usual issues as a community decided to build their aim on a dangerous territory , friendship , conflict and attraction between men and women, importance of the group and comradeship among people and ample shots over prairies and African savanna . Though John Wayne acted his part in about a thousand ways for Hawks over decades , and he could not be more exciting as intrepid hunter . Impressive chase scenes through its riveting footage of the real capture of wildlife in that the risk of the hunt are stunningly evoked . This Howard Hawks's adventure-comedy is mainly the same, loosely plotted story Hawks made over and over again for years . As this could easily be seen as ¨Only Angels have wings¨ transferred from the Andes to the African savanna. Furthermore , ordinary improvisation , and free-screenplay for that reason many scenes were spontaneously realized by Hawks who was continuously telephonying to screen-writer Leight Bracket to America . It only Hawks had been able to do as he wished and stars Clark Gable and John Wayne , but the King passed away and stood Wayne at his best .

Colorful cinematography by Russell Harlan who won Academy Award nomination with dangerous shooting in which animals destroyed three cameras . As we are watching several African animals , without use of stock-shots, but they are actual Hyenas, Gnus, Elephants, Crocodiles, monkeys ,Buffalos and spectacular Rhino hunts . Marvelous score by Henry Mancini with notable and popular themes as ¨ Baby elephant walk¨ and song titled ¨Just for tonight¨ by Carmichael and Johnny Mercer . The picture has the usual Howard Hawks message¨: ¨Every time get real action , then you have danger¨ and all his habitual themes emerge naturally and gently. This phenomenal film results to be one of the best productions about Africa chase and is developed in relaxed pace and tone , constituting a real masterpiece.

"By the way, how you doing with the Big Bwana?"

[classicsoncall · 7/10 · 17 September 2005]

The first time I saw "Hatari" was on a Boy Scout excursion to New York City during it's original release year of 1962. I had no idea at the time who John Wayne was, let alone any of the supporting players in the movie, but I did like wild animals. What young kid doesn't? Since then of course, the Duke has moved on to that big rodeo in the sky, as his legacy survives in the many fine Westerns and war films in which he appeared. "Hatari" in some ways might be considered an African Western, replete with sidekicks, drinking and pretty women, with a fair share of action adventure as the Hatari gang captures wild game for America's zoos. As such, the film doesn't have a whole lot of story line going for it; it's more of a series of vignettes of Wayne's character Sean Mercer rallying his men on to collect giraffe, zebra, leopard, buffalo, rhino and a proverbial barrel of monkeys. Though in this case it's a tree full of monkeys thanks in large part to a clever design masterminded by Pockets (Red Buttons), complete with a red and white silver rocket and a huge fish net. The fact that it worked makes it worth the price of admission alone.

In between the animal chases, director Howard Hawks sprinkles his movie with comic interludes like the goat milking scene, the ostrich roundup, and the kissing demonstration that the pretty photographer Dallas (Elsa Martinelli) plants on Wayne. Of course, Red Buttons has his share of comic moments as well, though at times his timing seems forced, especially when he nags his partners to retell their versions of the monkey capture.

I must say, my admiration for the film's players rose a considerable notch when I learned that they did all their own work in capturing the large game. The rhino scene in particular left me wondering how the animal didn't severely injure itself, much less the occupants of the jeep chasing him down.

Some dozen years following the film's release, I had the pleasure of going on a photographic safari of my own to East Africa. The locales mentioned in the movie such as Arusha and Manyara were on my itinerary, though by that time Tanganyika no longer existed, having merged with Zanzibar to form the new country of Tanzania. Along with wild game locations in neighboring Kenya, that trip remains the highlight of my travel abroad.

As others have noted in their postings, I would highly recommend "Hatari" as solid family entertainment, although John Wayne does let loose with a 'hell' while wrestling the buffalo into the transport cage. It must have been one of his milder curses that survived the final cut.

so much fun

[MichaelM24 · 16 July 2001]

HATARI! is a film I could watch over and over for all eternity. I've loved it since I was a kid. John Wayne and a great ensemble cast are fun to watch as they have adventures in Africa capturing wild game for zoos around the world. Most of the laughs come from Red Buttons's comic relief Pockets, who does everything from make sly comments to building a giant rocket in order to capture monkeys. The capture sequences with the larger animals (especially the first and second rhino chases) are thrilling, with the actors themselves right in there with the animals. The almost three-hour running time flies by before you even know it. Throw in one of Henry Mancini's greatest scores and two pretty girls, and you've got a fun-filled adventure the whole family can enjoy for years and years.

Enjoyable but long John Wayne African Western with plenty of good wildlife scenes.

[Slim-4 · 6/10 · 26 December 1999]

John Wayne is in charge in this Howard Hawks directed African Western. His character reminds me of Sam McCord in "North To Alaska". This time around Elsa Martinelli is Wayne's romantic interest.

This is not your standard John Wayne movie. He doesn't get to use his fists once. The emphasis here is on comedy rather than violence. Veteran comedian Red Buttons is on hand for wise cracks and some very funny moments. His capture of hundreds of monkeys is one of the film's better moments.

Some of the action is almost slapstick in character. Elsa Martinelli's baby elephants steal the show. Martinelli's character seems to be a magnet for homeless elephants. Ultimately, they have a central role in the film's finale, a fast and very funny tour around a Kenyan town.

There is plenty of exciting wildlife photography in this film, perhaps too much. The film tells the story of one season on a game ranch that captures animals for zoos. There is little real plot. Much of the suspense revolves around the dangers of capturing rhinos. A rhino gores Bruce Cabot in one of the early scenes. Later, he cautions Wayne to avoid them. Wayne of course ignores him and ultimately they capture a rhino.

Although enjoyable, this film reminds me of a Disney real-life adventure. There is little character development, a slim plot and the whole thing takes far too long. Henry Mancini's score is very nice, particularly the cute "Baby Elephant Walk". There is also some great stunt work, including a jeep crash in which two lead characters are messed up. This film is exciting and worth watching, but don't expect any great moral message. It's not here.

Hawks' African 'Buddy' Film a Wayne Classic!

[cariart · 9/10 · 4 December 2003]

HATARI! may be the most enjoyable of the Howard Hawks/John Wayne collaborations (their other pairings produced the classics RED RIVER and RIO BRAVO, and the RIO BRAVO 'remakes' EL DORADO and RIO LOBO), and is exceptional in several ways; at 157 minutes (2 hours, 37 minutes), it may be one of the longest 'buddy' films ever made; nearly all of the animal 'chase and capture' sequences involved the actual cast members (professional handlers serving as stunt doubles were only rarely used); and the filming began with virtually no script (which was written based on the 'on location' footage in Africa, after the cast returned to California). At 65, director Hawks was still in top form, and the risks he took paid off...HATARI!, despite it's length, is never boring!

The story focuses on a season with a team of professional hunter/trappers, capturing animals for zoos and circuses. With a breathtaking opening scene of a rhino chase, costing them the use of veteran driver, 'Indian' (legendary actor Bruce Cabot), the 'family' dynamic is quickly established, with rugged Sean Mercer (Wayne) both boss and father-figure to the group. As he and the rest of the 'family' (Red Buttons, Hardy Krüger, Valentin de Vargas, and Michèle Girardon) meet 'Indian's' replacement, 'Chips' (Gérard Blain), Mercer has an even bigger headache to deal with; beautiful photographer Anna Maria 'Dallas' D'Allesandro (Elsa Martinelli) has arrived, to shoot a magazine spread. A 'traditional' Hawks leading lady, 'Dallas' is feisty, sultry, and attracted to Mercer, and the older man, uncomfortable with the ease by which she fits into the group, as well as his own stirrings, tries to make it clear that romance has no place on his agenda (in much the same manner as he did with Angie Dickinson in RIO BRAVO...and with the same results).

While some elements of the story are dated and politically incorrect (shooting a baby African elephant, even as a 'mercy killing', would be a major offense, today, as it is an endangered species), the combination of spectacular 'hunt' sequences, and the warmth and easy camaraderie of the cast in the subplots make HATARI! a rich, rewarding experience.

A major plus for the film is a very atypical Henry Mancini score, combining tense, African-influenced themes for the chases, and the very funny 'Elephant Walk' to punctuate 'Dallas's' relationship with her adopted pachyderm 'children'. The baby elephant scenes are film highlights, as is the rocket capture of a tree filled with monkeys, and both rhino chases (which clearly shows Wayne in some real danger!)

From the opening rhino sequence to the closing 'Honeymoon' scene, HATARI! is a grand entertainment, and escapism at it's best!

HATARI (Danger)- Totally 'safe' to watch with children

[fredberglyle · 7/10 · 11 August 2013]

Wow! was longing to see the lighter side of The Duke 'John Wayne' and here my wait is finally over. No more fighting the villains of the west but catching the wild animals in Africa. Another great movie brought by Hawks with Wayne in the main cast. One must appreciate the classical way the movie team brought the wildlife scenes. You may fail to appreciate these scenes as it is commonly shown in satellite channels these days, but must we remember the movie was shot in 1960s. The famous 'Baby Elephant walk' theme by Mancini was more than a feeling. BTW, I'd salute to the humor played by Red Buttons in this movie was such a fine icing on the cake.

Great film for the whole family

[lee188 · 10/10 · 16 February 2005]

Hatari is one of the best non cowboy films John Wayne ever made. And the supporting cast is superb. This one is a must see for the entire family. Red Buttons brings the humor, John Wayne the adventure and Else Martinelli the romance. All you need is the pop corn. The kids will get a big kick out of this movie as I did growing up. Many funny scenes in this movie. We have rockets going off, monkeys being trapped and a rhino that just wont give up. And don't forget the two baby elephants running thru the streets.

And yes, there is plenty of action for the adults too. This picture was made in Africa and has beautiful cinematography. And the actors preformed their on stunts in this movie. John Wayne can not only rope a horse, but a rhino too. I don't want to give the movie away if you haven't seen it. The movie is about three hours long, but it will fly bye. It is a fast pace movie. And by the way, Hatari means danger in Swahili.

Postcards From Paradise

[slokes · 6/10 · 20 July 2016]

John Wayne set against an azure African sky, with the gentle thrum of Henry Mancini's score for accompaniment in search of wild animals to capture in the veldt. What else do you need?

Not much, if you are director Henry Hawks. Which is what you get in this picturesque travelogue entertainment.

Wayne is Sean Mercer, whose business is collecting dangerous Tanzanian wildlife for zoos. Already behind schedule, he is thrown for a loop when a Swiss zoo which buys many of his animals sends a beautiful photographer, Anna Maria D'Alessandro, a. k. a. "Dallas" (Elsa Martinelli), to tag along.

"Rhino, elephants, buffalo, and a greenhorn," huffs Sean.

As other reviewers here rightly note, "Hatari!" is another in the Hawks mold featuring a group of adventure-ready characters coming together to handle adversity. Truth is, there's not much adversity here. Of course, the animal-catching is dangerous, something established right at the start when we see Sean's deputy Little Wolf (Bruce Cabot) get his leg gored by an angry rhino. But for the most part, this is a light entertainment with little story to interfere with the ambiance.

Wayne is in his Grand Old Man mode here, leading a game supporting cast that includes Hardy Krüger and Red Buttons, who amiably vie for the attentions of young Brandy (Michèle Girardon), the daughter of Sean's former boss.

Wayne gets off some choice one-liners. When a Frenchman nicknamed Chips (Gérard Blain) and Krüger's character come to blows, Sean tries to settle things peacefully. "You can't whip us all," he tells Chips.

"I can try!" Chips replies.

"Well, bring your lunch!"

Not sure what that means, but it is a fun scene. There are many fun scenes in "Hatari!" In fact, the whole film is a collection of fun scenes cobbled together with long interludes of Mancini music, wisecracks, smoking, and drinking. I wouldn't recommend this 150-minute- plus film to just anyone, even with the very real-looking capture scenes to keep your attention. It just ambles along in its unhurried way, as if Hawks thought "Rio Bravo" was too quick breaking up the chatter with shoot-outs. Wayne only once fires a weapon, and that is to warn off a mother elephant who gets too close to Dallas and three orphan elephant calves who have adopted her.

The cinematography by Russell Harlan got a deserved Oscar nomination; he was earning his keep even when Leigh Brackett's script devolves into an inane soap opera in the bush. Will Buttons' annoying Pockets character catch Brandy, or 500 monkeys in a tree? Will he know what to do with either if he does? The film doesn't seem to, and throws everything up in the air at the end with a merry chase involving a suddenly despondent Dallas that will please the ten-year-olds who like shots of elephants running through a hotel lobby.

But since I am a Wayne fan, and enjoy beautiful scenery and entrancing music, I'm not much for complaining. Just a warning that this is more a jaunt than anything meaty, and that both patience and a fast-forward button may well come in handy.

Funny, gem of a Wayne movie set in beautiful Africa

[SRMonecke · 10/10 · 22 January 2005]

I have loved this film since I was a child, and have found even more things to enjoy about it since I've grown up! Now, my 4 year old daughter is in love with all the animals (and she thinks Pockets is so funny). In fact, we have to play it at least once a day! If you haven't seen this film, it is definitely worth your time. The scenery is beautiful as are the animals they capture. This performance of John Wayne is one of his funniest, and the supporting cast are just as great. You have no problem believing these people truly do this for a living, and Red Buttons will keep you laughing.

This has something for all ages: exotic animals and Red Buttons' antics for the kids; adventure and romance for the adults. Give this one a try, especially if you are looking for a good family film you all can enjoy!

Typical John Wayne Movie

[garyldibert · 7/10 · 29 March 2005]

TITLE: HATARI release in theaters on June 19 1962 and the time on this movie is 157 minutes. Hatari! is a 1962 American film directed by Howard Hawks and starring John Wayne. The title means "danger" in Swahili, which was mentioned in the film as well. Portraying a group of hunters, the film presents an interesting if antiquated portrait of Africa still dominated by non-Africans. The film is extremely popular because of the dramatic wildlife chases and the magnificent backdrop scenery of Mount Meru, a dormant volcano. Hatari! was filmed on location in Tanganyika, (in what is now northern Tanzania). Many scenes were filmed near Arusha, Tanzania on a hunting ranch, Ngongongare Farm, owned from 1960 by actor Hardy Krüger. The film gathers its several characters from different parts of the world: Sean Mercer (John Wayne), Pockets (Red Buttons), Anna Maria 'Dallas' D'Allesandro (Elsa Martinelli), Kurt Müller (Hardy Krüger), Brandy De la Court (Michele Girardon), Charles 'Chips' Maurey (Gerard Blain), Luis Francisco Garcia Lopez (Valentin De Vargas) are, respectively, from USA, USA, Italy, Germany, France, France and Mexico.

SUMMARY: The picture opens with Shawn Mercer and his crew sitting in a hole as Shawn scans the countryside looking for a Rhino that standing in the mild of a herd of Wilder beast. As they take off for the Rhino Shawn decides to let the Rhino run for a while to tire him out. However, the Rhino is having nothing to do with it and is hitting everything in sight. The Rhino gores the jeep that Kurks driving when the Indians gets gored himself. After working on the Indian, Pockets tells Shawn that the Indian needs to get to the hospital. Kruk goes back to the compound to get Brandy to take her to the hospital to wait for word on the Indian. The Doctors tells Shawn that the Indian isn't going to make it because of his blood type. The Doctor throws Shawn and his crew out of the hospital so they go across the street and get drunk. When Shawn gets back to the compound and gets ready for bed, he finds a woman in his bed. The next day Shawn and his crew head out looking for a baby giraffe. After lassoing the baby giraffe, the crew now has to get him in a crate. Shawn gets a call from the hospital letting him know that he can have the Indian back in three to four days. A new guy comes walking into the compound looking for a job. Shawn nicknames the young man Chips and takes him down to the shooting gallery to see how good he really is. The next day the crew heads out looking for another animal. This time the crew finds a Zebra and Shawn takes off after him. With Shawn sitting in front of the truck, Pocket drives through a watering hole and Shawn gets cover with water. Shawn tells Pocket's that one of these days his' going to ring his neck.

QUESTIONS: Who was the woman in Shawn bed, Where did she come from? Who is the lady and what is she doing in Shawn's compound. Did the Indian live? If he lived who gave the Indian the blood he needed? Does Shawn get all the animals he's looking for? Does anyone else get hurt?

MY THOUGHTS: I loved this movie for several reasons. I loved the where the movie was shot and the scenery. This movie is filled with action and adventure and does keep you on the end of your sit. However, there's really no leading lady in this movie and that's the bad part of this film. I still like this movie because John Wayne makes any movie worth watching so I'm giving this movie 7 weasel stars. You can also buy this movie at Amazon.com

A must see for John Wayne fans.

[whatshamata · 10/10 · 23 April 2006]

A must for John Wayne fans. I can remember vividly, my Dad taking me to see this movie. The movie has everything from good looking guys to pretty women, baby elephants and pretty scenery. While John Wayne's character is not his usual macho guy, he is still wonderful. The animal catching scenes are exciting,more so when you know that the actors actually performed their own stunts. Red Buttons is his usual delightful self as the subtle comic relief. His invention to catch a tree full of monkeys will leave you laughing. While these days the idea of "hunters" going to Africa to round up animals to sell to zoos is very politically incorrect, it makes this movie no less enjoyable.

Great action scenes, but weak script

[ptone-93207 · 6/10 · 9 February 2022]

Critics have been too kind to this film, which doesn't age well. It's trying to be an action film, a romance, and a comedy all at once, and it fails on the last two. We are supposed to believe that the 25-year-old Dallas falls for the 52-year-old Sean (played by a much older-looking than that Wayne). She plays the helpless sort of female that might have been tolerated in the 40's but in the early 60's just merely insults women. And Elsa can't act. For some reason Hawks wants to throw in some screwball comedy humor, but the writing of this (and the romance) is terrible; in fact, cringeworthy. Much of the hoped for hilarity centers around Red Buttons and his drinking. Without the admittedly exciting action scenes of capturing the animals, the film is dreadful. But in 2021 the idea of locking up these magnificent creatures in zoos doesn't exactly please viewers these days.

Geography, blankets, and Swahili

[Tangman2005 · 12 December 2006]

Since I recently spent two weeks in Tanzania, I wanted to add some information to the reviews that have already been posted. These comments are mostly related to geography. The film credits state that it was shot in Tanganyika. Tanganyika joined with the island of Zanzibar in 1964, the year after Zanzibar gained independence, and adopted the name Tanzania. So, we can now say that "Hatari!" was filmed in Tanzania. In the opening rhino chase, the vast, stream intersected plain with the lush green hills in the back ground is most probably in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Ngorongoro Crater is the floor of a huge, collapsed volcano. The inside of the crater is approximately 10 by 16 kilometers and is surrounded by the remnants of the crater which are 600 meters high. After the accident John Wayne's character radios "Arusha Control". He mentions that it will take 5 hours to "get out of this crater" and drive to Arusha. Arusha is also in Tanzania. The Arusha Clock Tower is visible at least twice in the "chase scene" near the end of the film, confirming that filming was indeed done in Arusha. Snow capped Mount Kilmanjaro is visible in the distance at 41 minutes into the film as "the Frenchman" walks into the compound. The next time we see a shot in that direction, Kili is hidden by clouds. It is perhaps interesting to note that the Maisii in Northern Tanzania now wear "Maasai blankets" that are factory made. In "Hatari!" they are wearing ocher colored cloth. There is some Swahili spoken in the film. "Hatari!" is a great film to look at either before or after a trip to Northern Tanzania.

Would have been better without the silly love stories.

[mts43 · 7/10 · 2 August 2020]

Howard Hawks obviously had a lot of fun shooting this movie, and the plot was secondary to the action and the animals. This film is now over 60 years old, and it would be impossible to make now because of the primarily human caused changes. There are far less animals in the wild, and catching animals for zoos as a way of making of living is thankfully in the past. The Henry Mancini score is also a good fit. The cast is generally believable, even with Red Buttons hamming it up at every opportunity. Both of the so-called love stories are contrived, unconvincing, and unnecessary. . The film is over 2 1/2 hours long, and the love stories could have been cut or greatly curtailed, which would have resulted in a better film.

The most hilarious John Wayne movie

[lcover001 · 10/10 · 2 May 2003]

I first saw this movie in 1962. Today it is still as fresh and funny as it was forty years ago. And it is so politically incorrect! It should be put on a pedestal!!! Think about it cool and suave dudes out in the wilds of Africa capturing wild animals for zoos! It's great to see those these folks, rousting beasts during the day, dancing around the piano, while they hold a martini in one hand and a beautiful girl wrapped around the other. The Henry Mancini music is a pleasure to listen to. Just try to obtain a rare CD of the Hatari soundtrack. The humor in the movie is largely supplied by an adorable Red Buttons, playing a former New York cabbie who currently acts as manic truck driver for John Wayne on his daily quest to capture animals. And why is Buttons now driving in Africa? His explanation is that the animals are like New York drivers, so he feels right at home. So run, don't walk to your nearest video rental joint. Rent this baby and spend the next few hours laughing with a movie from a different time and world view.

To imprison animals in zoos

[koltci · 6/10 · 26 December 2020]

Quite original location of the story, few funny moments, one or two interesting characters, unfortunately they hunt animals to later imprison them in zoos.

Hatari

[lapt · 10/10 · 20 March 2005]

This, among others, is one of my favorite movies. I have the movie and my Granddaughter and I watch it often. She likes all the animals in it. Being an animal lover myself, this is the perfect movie with a perfect cast. John Wayne was remarkable in making this; he acted as if what he was doing was something he did everyday. Very natural.

Red Buttons was cute, funny and great in the role of "Pockets". The casting director couldn't have done a better job by putting him in this part. As far as that goes, all the actors were made for the parts they played.

The scenery is exceptional. Not sure if they were actually in Africa or not. Even if it wasn't made in Africa, you believed they were there. The music was what brought the whole thing together. Gave it feelings.

Reasonably interesting story with great scenery

[grantss · 7/10 · 27 November 2016]

Sean Mercer (played by John Wayne) runs a business in East Africa. He and his team capture wild animals for zoos. It is dangerous work - on of his men almost dies after being gored by a rhino. He accepts a request from a photographer to join his business and capture their experiences but is very surprised, and bit inconvenienced, when the photographer turns out to be a woman. However, over time he grows fond of her. Meanwhile, plans to capture certain animals lead to all sorts of plans and adventures.

Pretty much John Wayne on safari, with a romantic twist or two, and it works pretty well. Plot development is largely fairly conventional, though the setting is very original, and stunning. However, the movie is reasonably funny, the adventures are quite entertaining and there is a decent degree of engagement with the characters. Some cute moments with the animals too, especially the baby elephants.

On that note, the movie gave the world the famous "Baby Elephant Walk" by Henry Mancini.

The romantic side of the movie had the potential to weigh it down and turn it into a plodding, schmaltzy mess. Fortunately, however, the romance isn't overwrought and is kept to the minimum.

The best of the John Wayne movies

[oldaker · 10/10 · 9 April 2001]

This movie is fast paced but seems leisurely. It is filled with exciting animal chase sequences but is really a romance. It is my favorite Red Buttons movie as well as my favorite John Wayne. One of the things that I really like about this movie is that the supporting cast carry so many scenes without John Wayne overwhelming them. All of the characters get developed as if they actually have a life off-screen. This is a very entertaining comedy that never seems to lose its appeal to my whole family.

Overlong but enjoyable

[kenjha · 7/10 · 23 April 2006]

Wayne heads a good ensemble cast in this enjoyable if overlong adventure yarn about the exploits of a group of people in Africa which catches animals and sells to zoos. It's all very lighthearted with plenty of time for comedy, although some of it does seem forced. Given the three-decade difference in their ages, the romance between Wayne and Martinelli is rather embarrassing to watch. The animal capture scenes are exciting. The baby elephants are cute, as are the two women. The year this movie came out, Marilyn Monroe died of drug overdose at age 36. Girardon, who plays Brandy, would also die of drug overdose at age 36. Hawks is one of the great directors but he has handled these themes (the camaraderie among men in danger and romance between aggressive female and reluctant male) better before in films like Only Angels Have Wings and Rio Bravo.

Ignore the trolls, this is a great adventure film

[winner55 · 9/10 · 22 June 2009]

The political attack on this film is bewildering and annoying; it's such a parody of outraged liberalism that I can't help wondering if it's not the work of right-wing trolls pretending to be liberal to anger readers here.

At any rate let's knock down the most obvious fallacies of this attack: 1. In the "Trivia" section here, it is charged that the film was made under an apartheid regime because John Wayne supported it. Hatari was filmed in Tanganika, and there was no apartheid in effect in that country at the time. ("Apartheid" was a legalized caste system only ever in effect in South Africa.)

2. While the native African populations are kept largely in the background, there are no denigrating remarks made concerning them, but instead an insistence that their traditions be respected. The film's social structure is actually constructed to emphasize cultural pluralism - the focal group is made up of a German, several French descendants, a Swiss-Italian, a Spaniard, a Native American, an American Jew (Buttons as "Pockets") and of course Wayne - an Irish Catholic playing the only WASP in the group.

3. The "homophobia" charge directed against the film has to do with a single line, when Dallas asks Pockets why Wayne's character "doesn't like women," and Pockets says she suffers under a "misapprehension." I'm sorry, this is "homophobic?" I watched this movie several times over the past 40 odd years and I never noticed this until I read it on IMDb? Well, maybe it's not really there.

4. It is charged that the film has been "censored" for homophobia, sexism, racism and smoking (?!) in television broadcasts. Maybe in the troll's fantasy world. The film has occasionally been shortened due to it's length.

5. The film, it is charged, is sexist, using women as mere objects. Of what? Dallas, the female lead, is aggressive about her job, about her desires to experience Africa, about her sexuality. And she's hip and intelligent, intimidating the older (and old-fashioned) Wayne on a number of occasions. If this defined sexism, there would never have been any need for feminism.

6. Smoking - it should be pointed out that smoking is as much a right-wing issue as a liberal concern (it insults fundamentalist Protestant aesthetics). There's no denying that a lot of smoking takes place in this film. It was made when the preliminary studies on the dangers of smoking were just coming out and their veracity contested by the tobacco companies, and after a long tradition of heavy smoking in the cinema. The smoking behavior of the characters is just one of the things one tolerates if one wants to see a good film of the era.

7. It is suggested that the animals - especially the elephants - were mistreated during the film and killed off afterwards. There's no evidence to suggest this, reports that the actors themselves were involved in the capture of the animals are counterfactual evidence against this charge (what you see is largely what actually happened), and it is known that the baby elephants died four decades later of natural causes in zoos.

Now onto the film itself: The acting is largely insufficient (as plagued most Hawks films of the '60s). It is episodic. The plot, such as it is, meanders. The conclusion does feel somewhat artificial.

But it's largely a fantasy about a real way of life that most of us hardly knew existed before watching the film. And it's a fascinating way of life, fantasy or real.

The film is a kind of "Western" set in Africa, without a villain but with chases aplenty. It's an adventure film and a romantic comedy. Its canvass is wide, its strokes are broad. And it is character centered - if you like these people (and I do) you will have no problem liking this film.

Hugely Enjoyable, but shows it had no script

[prodosh_bhattacharya · 7/10 · 8 April 2009]

When I read a user's comment that the film had no script, I realized why the last episode of 'Dallas' suddenly walking out on Sean looked so contrived, serving as an excuse for the hilarious elephant chase which culminates in one of the best wedding-night bedroom scenes in cinema history. The film is salutary viewing in 2009, given the superb animal chase sequences done without CGI. In my 4 years in Britain, I never once saw the film telecast, although it was a runaway hit in Kolkata when it was first released in the early 1960s, kept coming back as Sunday morning screenings in various cinemas, and was re-released in the 1970s. I made my teenage daughter watch it on cable this year, and she loved it. My only gripe: Brandy is a lot better looking than Dallas! I should add that as a six-year old, this was my first encounter with John Wayne, and I became an instant devotee, which I remain to this day, although this is a film in which he has little to do except just be there. What a presence!

Danger!

[AaronCapenBanner · 5/10 · 7 October 2013]

Director Howard Hawks re-teams with John Wayne, who heads a cast that also includes Hardy Kruger, Red Buttons, and Bruce Cabot, who play animal wranglers in Africa who capture wild animals(like Elephants, Lions, and the elusive Rhinos) for various zoos who are willing to pay for their exclusive services, in order to display these magnificent creatures in captivity. These men, when they aren't hunting, are fighting, drinking, and gambling, as well as pursuing women, which now includes a Swiss photographer who has just arrived to take pictures of the men, and their hunting, when she isn't taking care of baby elephants...

Bloated film that was likely more fun to make than it is to watch, since animal lovers like myself will be less than enthralled by the capture of wild animals who should instead be protected in their environment! Though nicely filmed, even amiable to a point, it cannot overcome this inherent problem.

Hawks, the African King

[nachocorces · 30 October 2001]

When you read the way Henry Mancini reached the music for "Hatari!" you´re sure he really made it. And when you listen the score it´s the hearing of adventure´s landing. The thrill of it all. Wait and see! Once there was a time when the next step into fantasy was as real as wild life. The excitement you feel at the view of John Wayne running after the zebras and specially the rhinos, and the pleasure you get from the whole group at work and at leisure (days and nights of slender and beautiful Elsa Martinelli, funny fellow Red Buttons or the non-tense rivalry, basically "a cause d´une femme", between french Blain and german Kruger), well, this is more than you´re used to see in a movie. Howard Hawks made it, and he really knew how to put a script in a breath of eternity.