The Lion (film): Difference between revisions
| Line 38: | Line 38: | ||
The proud son and heir of a local tribal chief has become enamored of Tina, having observed the almost magical connection between Tina and King. Hunting lions with only a spear and shield is the primary way young men prove their valor, and this young man has not yet killed one. The chief is very old and becomes sick from a wound he received years before in a lion hunt. As local custom dictates, the old man is left in the bush to die, a fate which he accepts without complaint. But Hayward is horrified by his abandonment and even more shocked when Tina and Christine support leaving the chief where he is. Hayward insists against everyone's protests that the chief should be brought to their camp for treatment, though the camp's workers beg him not to, as their tribes are enemies. |
The proud son and heir of a local tribal chief has become enamored of Tina, having observed the almost magical connection between Tina and King. Hunting lions with only a spear and shield is the primary way young men prove their valor, and this young man has not yet killed one. The chief is very old and becomes sick from a wound he received years before in a lion hunt. As local custom dictates, the old man is left in the bush to die, a fate which he accepts without complaint. But Hayward is horrified by his abandonment and even more shocked when Tina and Christine support leaving the chief where he is. Hayward insists against everyone's protests that the chief should be brought to their camp for treatment, though the camp's workers beg him not to, as their tribes are enemies. |
||
The tribe believes the old chief is dead and proceeds with the ceremony to elevate the new chief. At the ceremony, all the young people dance hypnotically in a courtship ritual and Hayward sees that Tina wants to join in, becoming as frantic as the other youths. The young chief formally requests Tina's hand in marriage in front of the entire tribe. Just at this moment, the old chief rushes back into the village, having murdered one of Bullitt's workers, denouncing his son and driving him from the village. |
The tribe believes the old chief is dead and proceeds with the ceremony to elevate his son as the new chief. At the ceremony, all the young people dance hypnotically in a courtship ritual and Hayward sees that Tina wants to join in, becoming as frantic as the other youths. The young chief formally requests Tina's hand in marriage in front of the entire tribe. Just at this moment, the old chief rushes back into the village, having murdered one of Bullitt's workers, denouncing his son and driving him from the village. |
||
In order to prove his worthiness, the young man stalks King and their ferocious fight is interrupted by Tina. Bullitt is forced to shoot King, but the young warrior cannot be saved. Finally even Bullitt can see that this is not a fit environment to raise Tina, and he accepts that he has lost Christine as well. Hayward's reunited family flies home to America to start a new life together. |
In order to prove his worthiness, the young man stalks King and their ferocious fight is interrupted by Tina. Bullitt is forced to shoot King, but the young warrior cannot be saved. Finally even Bullitt can see that this is not a fit environment to raise Tina, and he accepts that he has lost Christine as well. Hayward's reunited family flies home to America to start a new life together. |
||
Revision as of 03:07, 12 February 2019
| The Lion | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | Jack Cardiff |
| Written by | Irene Kamp Louis Kamp |
| Produced by | Samuel G. Engel |
| Starring | William Holden Trevor Howard Capucine |
| Cinematography | Ted Scaife |
| Edited by | Russell Lloyd |
| Music by | Malcolm Arnold |
| Distributed by | Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation |
Release dates | 26 July 1962 (World Premiere, London) |
Running time | 96 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
The Lion is a DeLuxe Color 1962 drama film in CinemaScope directed by Jack Cardiff, starring William Holden and Trevor Howard. Filmed on location in Kenya and Uganda and on a co-owned property of Holden in Kenya, the Mount Kenya Safari Club.[1]
The film had its World Premiere at the Leicester Square Theatre in London's West End on 26 July 1962.[2]
Plot summary
Successful American lawyer Robert Hayward (William Holden) is in Kenya because his ex-wife Christine (Capucine) is having problems with their eleven-year-old daughter Tina (Pamela Franklin), with whom he has had no contact for many years. Tina, who has a great affinity with Africa, its customs and its wildlife, initially resents her father, feeling he had abandoned her.
Christine has remarried and her new husband John Bullit (Trevor Howard), a former big-game hunter, now manages a large Kenyan animal preserve.[3] Tina considers Bullitt her father and Hayward merely her mother's ex-husband. There is tension between the adults because Christine left Hayward for Bullitt, having become "bewitched" by the beauty of Kenya and the wild, free lifestyle of the African bush. Christine is alarmed that Tina is likewise "bewitched" by the wild lifestyle Bullitt encourages, and fears her daughter's development is endangered by having no contact with modern society.
Tina spends much of her time in the company of King, a full-grown male lion she raised from a cub. Tina believes she has a psychic bond with the lion, even to the point of challenging King's mate, a wild lioness. Hayward earns Tina's respect when he witnesses this encounter without panicking but she fails to realize that her father now shares her mother's alarm over her dangerous lifestyle.
Hayward and Bullit compete for the romantic affection of Christine and for the daughterly affection of Tina. Bullitt further emphasises the danger of the African bush by taking Hayward with him, Christine and Tina on a reckless jeep trip, needlessly harassing enraged wild elephants, from which they narrowly escape. Bullitt realizes afterwards that his macho display has backfired when it is revealed that Hayward has the legal right to claim custody of Tina.
The proud son and heir of a local tribal chief has become enamored of Tina, having observed the almost magical connection between Tina and King. Hunting lions with only a spear and shield is the primary way young men prove their valor, and this young man has not yet killed one. The chief is very old and becomes sick from a wound he received years before in a lion hunt. As local custom dictates, the old man is left in the bush to die, a fate which he accepts without complaint. But Hayward is horrified by his abandonment and even more shocked when Tina and Christine support leaving the chief where he is. Hayward insists against everyone's protests that the chief should be brought to their camp for treatment, though the camp's workers beg him not to, as their tribes are enemies.
The tribe believes the old chief is dead and proceeds with the ceremony to elevate his son as the new chief. At the ceremony, all the young people dance hypnotically in a courtship ritual and Hayward sees that Tina wants to join in, becoming as frantic as the other youths. The young chief formally requests Tina's hand in marriage in front of the entire tribe. Just at this moment, the old chief rushes back into the village, having murdered one of Bullitt's workers, denouncing his son and driving him from the village.
In order to prove his worthiness, the young man stalks King and their ferocious fight is interrupted by Tina. Bullitt is forced to shoot King, but the young warrior cannot be saved. Finally even Bullitt can see that this is not a fit environment to raise Tina, and he accepts that he has lost Christine as well. Hayward's reunited family flies home to America to start a new life together.
Cast
- William Holden as Robert Hayward
- Trevor Howard as John Bullit
- Capucine as Christine
- Pamela Franklin as Tina
- Christopher Agunda as Elder of Masai (uncredited)
- Ralph Helfer as Masai Warrior (uncredited)
- Paul Oduor as Orlunga (uncredited)
- Makara Kwaiha Ramadhani as Bogo (uncredited)
- Samuel Obiero Romboh as Kihero (uncredited)
- Zakee as Ol' Kalu (uncredited)
- and the lion Zamba as King / The Lion
Comic book adaption
See also
References
- ^ http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/81461/The-Lion/articles.html
- ^ The Times online archive 26/7/1962 page 2
- ^ http://www.allmovie.com/movie/the-lion-v99711
- ^ "Gold Key: The Lion". Grand Comics Database.
External links
- The Lion at IMDb
- The Lion at AllMovie
- The Lion at the TCM Movie Database
- The Lion at the AFI Catalog of Feature Films
 | This 1960s drama film–related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
- 1962 films
- 1960s drama films
- American drama films
- American films
- 20th Century Fox films
- English-language films
- Films about animals
- Films based on French novels
- Films directed by Jack Cardiff
- Films shot in Kenya
- Films shot in Uganda
- Films about interracial romance
- Films scored by Malcolm Arnold
- Films adapted into comics
- 1960s drama film stubs