Out of Africa (1985)
Out of Africa is a good, old-fashioned romance and a feast for the eyes and ears. A quartette of Oscars (out of its seven) went to the sensory aspects of production: the stunning cinematography by David Watkin, the alluring art direction, the lush score by John Barry, and the discrete, detailed, audio design. All told, they pull me into this movie from the opening moments and sweep me off my feet for the duration. I marvel as the camera tracks along an uncharted road … or glides around the corner of a beautifully decorated room … or frames the characters in an exquisite composition. The droning crickets, exotic birds chirping, and lions growling in the distance make me feel as if I’m on safari while the lilting melodies and lavish orchestrations soar above the clouds. It’s all perfect.
The story itself is a good one, if a bit overlong. It’s based on true events surrounding the early years of Karen Blixen, known later in life as the renowned Danish author Isak Dinesen. Karen (Meryl Streep) is a wealthy woman, recently jilted by her aristocratic lover. On a whim, she accepts a marriage proposal of convenience from his brother, Baron Bror Blixen (Klaus Maria Brandauer). And as the future “Baroness Blixen,” she agrees to relocate from Denmark to a farm near Nairobi, Africa, where they will be married and raise cattle, funded by her money. The journey is a long one. En route, she encounters the dashing Denys Finch Hatton (Robert Redford), a big-game hunter who knows her fiancé. As a result, he trusts her with his ivory tusks to transport on the train, and he promises to retrieve them when she arrives at her destination.
Bror, her husband-to-be, isn’t anywhere to be found at the train station. Instead, she is greeted by Farah (Malick Bowens in a memorable performance), who is the Somali headman hired by Bror to help run the farm and household.
Before the day is out, Karen is wed to Bror and discovers he spent her money on establishing a farm for coffee, rather than cattle, without consulting her about the change of plans. He also has little interest in farming and leaves the responsibility in her hands while he focuses on hunting, both game and other women.
In his absence, Karen forms a relationship with Denys, who comes and goes as he pleases. A free spirit with an adventurous outlook, Denys ties himself to no one but isn’t interested romantically in anyone other than Karen. A spark ignites between them the night he dines with her and a friend when Karen improvises a fictional story for their mutual entertainment.
Several notable episodes occur during Karen’s stay in Africa, including the outbreak of World War I, the struggle to yield a profitable coffee crop in the high altitude, Karen’s compassionate care for the Kikuyu—an indigenous tribe living on her land—lasting friendships with Berkeley Cole (Michael Kitchen) and Felicity Spurway (Suzanna Hamilton), and Denys’s newfound obsession with aviation. She also has a near-fatal bout of syphilis, which she contracts from her philandering husband, forcing her to return to Denmark for a period until she has recovered.
At times, the story drags, but it manages to hold my attention due to the exceptional lead performances. Streep and Redford have great chemistry on screen. This is an atypical romance guided by their own rules. Friction often builds between them, but they remain connected on a basic, unspoken level, and it’s fascinating to watch.
Karen Blixen was a unique woman, and we witness the seeds of a future author planted in her beloved Africa. She faces obstacles head on, with refreshing honesty and strength. And because of her extraordinary circumstances, she develops into a smart businesswoman, a champion of human rights, an unconventional lover, and a consummate storyteller. Still, the end of this tale is a sad one. Spoiler alert: as with other Oscar-winning romances like Gone with the Wind, Casablanca, The English Patient, and Titanic, our main couple doesn’t end up together. Denys is killed unexpectedly when his plane goes down, and Karen returns to Denmark alone. She would never see her mysterious, untamed land again, but Africa would remain a part of her forever.
Out of Africa
Director | Sydney Pollack |
Primary Cast | Meryl Streep, Robert Redford, Klaus Maria Brandauer, Michael Kitchen, Malick Bowens, Michael Gough, Suzanna Hamilton, Rachel Kempson, Leslie Phillips, Iman |
Familiar Faces | Meryl Streep from The Deer Hunter and Kramer vs. Kramer, Robert Redford from The Sting, Rachel Kempson from Tom Jones |
Firsts | None to speak of |
Total Wins | 7 (Picture, Director, Screenplay: Adapted, Cinematography, Art Direction, Sound, Score: Original) |
Total Nominations | 11 (Picture, Director, Actress: Meryl Streep, Supporting Actor: Klaus Maria Brandauer, Screenplay: Adapted, Cinematography, Art Direction, Costume Design, Editing, Sound, Score: Original) |
Viewing Format | Blu-ray Disc |
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