The first of Korda’s imperial epics, which has become something of a by-word for racist imperialist cinema (certainly in a way that The Drum or The Four Feathers didn’t). It’s certainly paternalistic: Sanders (as played by the uncharismatic Leslie Banks) is a smug civil servant working away in Nigeria. He’s called “Lord” by the much more charismatic Paul Robeson, whom Sanders rewards by making chief.
What makes the imperialism of this even worse is Banks’ Sanders is so dour, humourless and anal. He doesn’t have any spark or romance or humour. My favourite bit is when the natives revolt and Sanders’ boss asks him to help when he’s on leave in England, and he says “sorry I’m on leave – can’t do it. Not fair to my fiancée.” What a public servant. He only agrees to help when he finds out his fiancee’s brother’s life is in danger. And even then he promptly gets sick with malaria and lies on his back, only getting up out of bed to help Robeson rescue his kidnapped wife. And then when he does save the day he’s not that brave, he just rocks up with a boat that has a Maxim gun blazing away. He then appoints his puppet king (Robeson) to rule in his absence.
Paul Robeson was embarrassed by his involvement in this later, something not hard to understand. He says they changed the script on him – but I can’t imagine any version of this being non-insulting to black people. (At the end of the film Robeson says he’s learned the secret of ruling from Sanders to be loved rather than feared; Sanders says that’s the secret of the British. But he just did it with the maxim gun!) Utterly fascinating, with a strong performance from Robeson, some great art design and decent location footage incorporated. Lots of singing, not just from Robeson but also Nina Mae McKinney who plays his wife. Jomo Kenyatta is one of the extras.
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