Mogambo

Plot

Eloise "Honey Bear" Kelly (Ava Gardner) arrives at a remote African outpost, looking for a rich maharajah acquaintance, only to find he has cancelled his trip owing to unrest in his realm. While waiting for the next river boat out, she spars with hardworking big game hunter Victor Marswell (Clark Gable), who (initially) pegs her as a certain disreputable type. When the river boat returns, it brings Donald Nordley (Donald Sinden) and his wife Linda (Grace Kelly). The Nordleys wish to go on safari to film gorillas. Marswell declines to guide them. Honey Bear rejoins the group after the steamer runs aground. Tensions run high between the two women when Linda is also attracted to Marswell.

Marswell agrees to take the Nordleys into gorilla country, taking Honey Bear halfway to join the District Commissioner, who can then escort her back to civilization. However, they find the commissioner badly wounded by recently belligerent natives. With reinforcements days away, the small party narrowly escapes, taking the mortally wounded commissioner with them. Meanwhile, a serious romance is developing between Marswell and Linda. Only Donald is blind to the situation. Marswell plans to warn the husband, but then has second thoughts after realizing how much Donald loves her and perhaps how she would be better off remaining with Donald. The situation is aggravated when Marswell reluctantly shoots a gorilla to save Donald, blowing a chance to capture a baby gorilla. Marswell becomes depressed and begins drinking heavily in his tent. Honey Bear joins him, and one thing leads to another.

When Linda appears, she finds them cuddling. Marswell decides he can fix everything by making Linda hate him and makes a show of this cuddling followed by dismissive remarks about Linda's infatuation with "the White Hunter" to enrage her; she shoots him with his own pistol, wounding him in the arm. Honey Bear lies to the others, telling them that Marswell had been making advances to Linda for some time, finally forcing her to shoot him in his drunken state. The next day, the party breaks camp, leaving Marswell behind to try to capture young gorillas to pay for the safari. Marswell, acknowledging to himself his feelings for Honey Bear, proposes to her, but she rebuffs him. As a canoe takes her downriver, however, she suddenly jumps into the water and makes her way back to him. The two embrace.

Cast

Reception

The film was a massive hit — according to MGM records it made $4,576,000 in the US and Canada and $3,692,000 elsewhere, resulting in a profit of $2,026,000. It currently has an 82% rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 11 reviews.

Awards and honors

Grace Kelly won a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress while the film was nominated for two Oscars: Best Actress in a Leading Role (Gardner) and Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Kelly). The film was also nominated for a BAFTA Award for Best Film.

The film is recognized by American Film Institute in these lists: