Description

As new From the Golden Age of cinema The African Queen is a truly magnificent film adapted from a novel by C.S. Forester. Starring Humphrey Bogart in his Oscar-winning portrayal of Charlie Allnut, the slovenly, gin-swilling captain of a tramp steamer called the African Queen, which ships supplies to small East African villages during World War I. Katharine Hepburn plays Rose Sayer, the maiden-lady sister of a prim British missionary (Robert Morley).

When invading Germans kill the missionary and level the village, Allnut offers to take Rose back to civilisation. She can't tolerate his drinking or bad manners, he isn't crazy about her imperious, judgmental attitude. However it does not take long before their passionate dislike turns to love. Together the disparate duo work to ensure their survival on the treacherous waters and devise an ingenious way to destroy a German gunboat.

The African Queen may well be the perfect adventure film, its roller-coaster storyline complemented by the chemistry between its stars. Along with masterful direction from John Huston, the wonderful script makes this a rare treat indeed.

The film’s restoration in 2010:
ITV STUDIOS Global Entertainment has partnered with Paramount Pictures to save this great classic and restore it back to its former glory. The Original 35mm three strip camera negatives were scanned at high resolution and digitally recombined using restoration tools to repair tears and scratches, remove dirt and stabilise the picture. The soundtrack underwent full digital audio restoration removing clicks, hum, and other audio defects before creating a new Optical soundtrack negative. The Digital files have been output to a high resolution digital cinema File as well as creating a pristine new combined 35mm negative and an HD master. This is a fine example of how today’s technologies can protect and preserve film both digitally and photo-chemically for the next 100 years and beyond. The film is expected to be re-released in UK Cinemas in 2010 both on 35mm prints and digital projection and is available on DVD and Blu-ray to enjoy at home