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Rating:  - Great Family Movie
This is my 8 year old son's favorite movie and has inspired him to watch and buy many old classics. If only more kids were given access to really good movies then maybe the tide of mindless crap that flows into our theatres and homes would be stemmed and kids demanded better story lines cleaner plots and better acting...I pray that he goes on to love the old movies and works to restore tham...and keep them alive..
Rating: - Hatari!
One of John Wayne's best non-western movies. The movie takes place in Africa following a band of exotic animal "hunters" who capture animals for zoos. There's plenty of action & an international cast that's pretty good. Red Buttons co-stars & all but steals the movie. Hardy Krueger (Flight of the Phoenix) is here also as a more than credible assistant. Elsa Martinelli is the female lead but is weak in her portrayal.
This is about where Wayne began his dabbling with international casts, male & female. In general these casts were weak which only served to make the Duke look better. The film director is Howard Hawks, whom Wayne had worked with before on numerous occasions, so the film is in very capable hands. In this movie we get actilon, comedy & drama. The scenery is great. We also get a song that was a classic "Baby Elephant Walk". I dare you not to hum along while this is playing. This is a very good movie & stands as one of John Wayne's best films, no matter which genre.
Rating:  - afventure
great mix of comedy and adventure, although a little long but well worth the watch
Rating: - John Wayne movies
this is one of my favorites, with an African safari too... Those rhinos can be dangerous...
Rating: - John Wayne's best film!
Well, a LOT of people would argue with my heading on this one and they'd probably be right -- but it's MY favorite John Wayne film. *.*
Here, a (non-cowboy) John Wayne earns his living in Africa rounding up wild critters (often at the risk of human life) for zoos. The film is all about the close-knit team who carries out this now-dubious endeavor. A beautiful lady photographer throws a monkey wrench into the works when Wayne is forced to take her along during his expeditions.
What do I love about the film?
The cinematography is simply incredible... none of the wild animal footage looks at all hokey like it does in so many other African-adventure films. The color saturation is just great and the scenery is spectacular.
The movie is bulging with cool old vehicles and other nostalgic impedimenta that one loves to see in this genre.
My favorite aspect of this flick is the filmscore, composed and rendered by whom? Henry Mancini, the old Master. Most of the background music is contemporary to the early 60s themes that one might hear from Alex North ("Cleopatra") or from Les Baxter ("Voodoo Island"). Wonderful stuff!
The casting is near-perfect and I suppose they had to include Red Buttons in this one, who plays a character named "Pockets" -- to me, he's the one hokey facet of the production although I cannot argue that many folks love him in this, and many other movies as well.
In any event, Hatari is one of my top films (see my listmania lists for movies) and it gets my highest recommendation.
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