Fun version of Conan Doyle’s classic tale of exploration, led by Wallace Beery’s fine old barnstorming performance as Professor Challenger, foul of temper and fond of throttling journalist. He heads off to the Amazon with an interesting group of characters (heartthrob journo, rival professor, pretty daughter of missing prior explorer, gentleman shooter, an unfortunate black face servant), all of whom offer interesting subplot potential, none of which is really taken up except a blah romance involving journalist and the daughter.
There are some good sequences arriving at the Lost World and fleeing from dinosaurs and escaping from the ape men, but most of the time our heroes stand around being passive while dinosaurs slug it out and volcanoes. There is a last act where a poor old brontosaurus gets stuck in mud and falls off the plateau; they ship him back to London where he escapes and goes on a rampage. The poor thing is quite entitled, and you’re glad that he swims away at the end. (None of the expedition seem too concerned about the damage they’ve indirectly caused to London.) The best performance comes unexpectedly from Lewis Stone who plays the middle aged hunter who loves the girl only to lose him to his young friend – he gets the last close up.
No comments:
Post a Comment