MISTER MOSES
US, 1965, 117 minutes, Colour.
Robert Mitchum, Carroll Baker, Ian Bannen, Raymund St Jacques, Alexander Knox.
Directed by Ronald Neame.
Mr Moses is popular African adventure. Robert Mitchum, that most durable of heroes over many decades, is at home in the offbeat role of the adventurer in Africa having to lead a group of natives into a promised land like his namesake Moses. He does so with a mixture of good humour and seriousness and sentiment, often riding atop of a tame elephant. Carol Baker has a metallic charm as the missionary's daughter. Some have accused the film of taking a patronizing attitude towards the Africans, especially in the presentation of Christianity. There in a strange son of a witch doctor played by Raymond St Jacques. He is a mixture of American-educated, black nationalist and the two do not seem to mix very well on the African continent. However, there is much colourful adventure of the old-fashioned style.
1. How enjoyable an adventure, comic elements, for popular audiences?
2. The visual portrayal of Africa, the terrain, the people, customs, the animals? A series of adventures in colour and wide screen?
3. The use of the biblical parallels? How much a biblical fable? How much, as Robert said, a biblical charade? The missionary situation and the religious overtones of the Bible? The attempt at explaining the dam and flood situation in the Noah story and the Chief's reaction to this? The arrival of Joe Moses, his emerging as the Prophet and leader, the people as the chosen people, his leading them through desert, difficult terrain, need for food and water, crossing
the waters which seemed to part, having a rival, breaking down the idol, and Robert's ironic twist in letting him go tree by pointing out that Moses did not actually go into the Promised Land? How effective wore the parallels and the way that they were played out in this contemporary adventure?
4. The film was peopled with conventional characters. How well were they presented and integrated into this adventure: the lackadaisical hero, with criminal tendencies, self-centred turning into a sentimental hero (and looking down on his own weakness at times?) the nice heroine the daughter of the missionary engaged to another man and being attracted by the adventurer and helping him, the missionary father who sacrifices his daughter to the hero, the fiance who is rather priggish but who gallantly relinquishes his fiancee, the Chief as the leader of the people, the witch doctor's son with his mixture of American slang and old-fashioned African superstition, his gory death? Conventional presentation of good and evil, right and wrong, heroism and weakness?
5. Robert Mitchum's style as Joe Moses? The irony of his name? As a derelict in Africa especially with the opening, his involvement in diamond smuggling? His being rescued, attended by Julie and responding to her? His antipathy towards Robert and the police? His magic and being caught by it to load the people? The humorous encounter with Emily and the bond between the two and his using the elephant against Parkhurst, for finding the water? His qualities as leader of the group, a growing wisdom? His shrewdness in dealing with the inevitable clash and fight? The seeking of the water and remaining with the people despite his possible arrest? His coming to the rescue and then the happy ending? A strong hero with happy weaknesses? A man of sentiment? How well did he fulfil the Moses figure?
6. Julie as an attractive heroine? Her life and mission work, medical skills, hopes for marriage, love of Robert, involvement in the action, devotion to Joe and choosing him at the end?
7. Mr Anderson as a missionary, his attitude towards the Africans, saying that it was their land and not forcing conversion on them, persuading them about the building of the dam, participating in their move, staying with them? A credible missionary?
8. Robert as the priggish administrator? His attitude towards Julie and her father about the dam, his dialogue with the Chief? His capture and his change of attitude towards Joe Moses? His gallant action at the end?
9. The picture of the petty bureaucrat in Parkhurst, his intimidation and allowing the water to go out of the dam?
10. The portrait of the African people, as people of the land, the prospect of a new dam, the government and administration and moving them about, their wanting to take the animals, their participation on the trek, their fickleness in following Ubi, the happy ending? Did the film patronise them?
11. The portrait of the Chief, his leadership, victimized by Ubi, his shrewd biblical applications?
12. How credible was the character of Ubi? his American education, his smart remarks, summing up Joe, helping him in the raid on the dam headquarters? and his tendency to violence and almost murder, the violence against Joe and the Chief, his using of superstition for power, his outreaching himself and destroying himself? A credible villain?
13. How satisfying an entertainment, presenting traditional values for popular audiences?
