Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. didn't think much of Safari as a film, describing it as a routine action programmer in his memoir Salad Days. He did however like the Hollywood karma of getting Madeline Carroll finally after losing her to Ronald Colman in The Prisoner Of Zenda.Safari is one of those pale imitation films of some better jungle films and Fairbanks himself is a cut rate Hemingwayesque action figure who coincidentally fought in the Spanish Civil War. Carroll in fact lost her fiancé in the same war, but now she's accompanying titled no account count Tullio Carminati on Safari. Carminati is looking to make her his trophy countess and he's a man to the manor born and used to getting his way.Mentioning the politics her makes me wonder why that aspect of Safari was not further developed. Had it been Safari would have been a better film.Also the natives weren't exactly treated with any respect. Fairbanks refers to the native bearers by the names of Snow White's 7 Dwarfs I guess so he and the other whites don't have to remember their given African names. It certainly doesn't play well today.And even in all that tropic heat Madeline Carroll's porcelain blond beauty shines.I'd skip Safari unless you're a big fan of the stars.

Beryl Markham, a prolific lady bush pilot of the 1930's was invited to be in this movie playing herself, flying the sorties used. Her father trained horses in Africa, where she learned the adventurous life. Beryl soloed in a Gypsy Moth aircraft in 1931. She became an intrepid pilot, loved flying in the African bush, and hence a natural to participate in "Safari", doing what she did in real life. In the 1930's she developed her own method of flying her aircraft over game lands, spotting the location of elephants and other game, then over the safari hunters to direct them to the game. Around 1936, she flew the Atlantic solo from England to Nova Scotia. This feat likely put her in the limelight that led her to Safari. Her Atlantic fight is a later chapter in her autobiography "West With The Night" (1942). A later critical biography on Beryl Markham, "Straight on Till Morning" was written by Mary Lovell (1987)."Safari" was Beryl's only movie.I wish I knew where I could get to see this 'Safari', or obtain a copy VHS or CD.

It opens with Baron de Courtland (Tullio Carminati, best known for THE BAT & ONE NIGHT OF LOVE) on board his luxury yacht phoning (from the game room) his lovely fiancée Linda Stewart (Madeleine Carroll) that they have arrived off the coast of Africa. Linda, recovering from the loss of her last boyfriend a flyer who died in the Spanish war discusses her need for security with her best friend Fay Thorne (Muriel Angelus, whose next and final film was as the secretary/wife of THE GREAT McGINTY.) Courtland has hired colorful Scotsman Jock McPhail (Lynne Overman, frequent Paramount sidekick/best friend in 49 of his 51 films) to arrange for "the best hunter and best guide in West Africa." McPhail recommends Jim Logan (Douglas Fairbanks, Jr.) who he plans to introduce later that evening at McPhail's birthday party. Next we see Jim Logan (the New York Times called him "bold and dashing") entering the village tavern to persuade bar-keep Billy Gilbert to creatively recreate a formal dinner for his best friend McPhail. We learn Logan is a great lover of liberty having fought for the underdogs in China he now has plans to join the efforts in Europe. But when the Baron's evening arrival interrupts the social balance in a very telling scene Logan resents the aristocrat's demands and turns down the job. But sophisticated arm candy Linda dares to entice the hunter with a toss of dice, he loses and acquiesces to take the party up river. We later learn that Linda, having hooked the Baron wants to land him using the macho hunter to make the Baron jealous. The Baron resents Linda's attentions toward Logan and stupidly endangers the innocent. Now the table is set and the traditional love triangle seems predictable but this is where movie star quality shines. Our leads exude charm and charisma as they traverse exotic locations and challenging events that will test character, but not without loss of life. The director Edward H. Griffith having started with Edison in 1915 went on to become Carroll's favorite working with her on six feature films. Screenwriter Delmer Daves (PETRIFIED FOREST, LOVE AFFAIR) later became a well respected director of action films, DESTINATION TOKYO & 3:10 TO YUMA. Photographed by Ted Tetzlaff (NOTORIOUS, MY MAN GODFREY) and costumes by Edith Head. Fans of Extras be sure to spot Darby Jones as native Admiral better known as the zombie in IWALKED WITH A ZOMBIE, and Disney fans will get a kick out of Dopey, Sleepy, Bashful, Doc, Sneezy, Happy & Grumpy!

This has to be one of my favourite movies. Madeleine Carroll put in an great part as Linda Stewart, and I think it is one of the best she has ever delivered. Plus with Douglas Fairbanks Jr. as Jim Logan along side Tullio Carminati, this movie can't go wrong. A great movie and a great cast!