Sometimes Henry Watt really got it right - with The Overlanders and this. I take the point this has patrionising colonial attitudes but it's trying to modernise. The baddy is a white man and gives this speech about how the continent has gone to the dogs and how the people are useless which Anthony Steel nobly refutes - mind you there's no three dimensional black character in the film.
It's probably Steel's best role and performance. Not that the part is too demanding but he's ideal as a cheery, dogged game warden - third generation African he's careful to say at the opening. Steel is believable as an outdoorsy, honest warden - Stewart Granger lite. I mean who else could play it? At least Steel looks believable chasing after lions and shooting elephants.
Beautiful location work. Enjoyable white villains. Dinah Sheridan does well enough as the wife, exasperated but lovely. Female parts at Ealing were rarely any good. Cute shenanigans with a kid.
This is a real crowd pleaser. I mean, 1951 British crowds, but still... it's in colour, has lots of animals, has female and kid characters so it's inclusive, is Imperial but post-war Imperial. The sequel is far more racist and patronising.
