Admittedly, I was excited to see this movie because it was starring big name actors from the 50s. It turned out that I wasn't ready for a big ol'dose of colonialism and a lack of chemistry between the two big players, Katherine Hepburn and Humphrey Bogart. I found Katharine Hepburn completely unlikeable, and not at all interested in doing anything but boss around a man she saw to be her economic and moral inferior for most of the film. She may have been dependent on him for her own well being, but she was quick to show that she did not like him, would actively and maliciously work against him, and that, at the end of the day, would prefer to die than to listen to his advice about the inadvisability of their adventure. The way she referred to him dismissively by his last name made my skin crawl.
On the other side of the boat, we have Humphrey Bogart. Equally unlikeable, as both an overly submissive and drunken buffoon. He is completely bewitched by the power Hepburn is producing, and figures that it is his place to do as she says to protect himself (and his rum).
The blossoming love story I didn't buy. Nor did I buy their death-defying journey. It was hard to create a sense of urgency when each of the shots was... more of them on the boat.
I did appreciate Bogart's highly unlikely ingenuity. His ability to come through on every unrealistic demand that Hepburn placed on him was astounding. I don't know why he bothered.
It has taken me over a week to review this film, because I frankly have been avoiding it. I am not sure what to say, except that I really didn't like this.
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