''Duma'' is a 2005 American
family drama adventure film about a young South African boy's friendship with an orphaned
cheetah
The cheetah (''Acinonyx jubatus'') is a large cat native to Africa and central Iran. It is the fastest land animal, estimated to be capable of running at with the fastest reliably recorded speeds being , and as such has evolved specialized ...
, based on ''
How It Was with Dooms
''How It Was with Dooms'' is a children's book dictated to Carol Cawthra Hopcraft by her young son Xan Hopcraft. It tells the true story of the young boy's friendship with an orphaned cheetah on the family's game ranch in Kenya. Carol Hopcraft, a W ...
'' by Carol Cawthra Hopcraft and Xan Hopcraft. It was directed by
Carroll Ballard and stars
Alexander Michaletos in his only film role,
Eamonn Walker
Eamonn Roderique Walker (born 12 June 1962) is an English film, television, and theatre actor. In the United States he is known for playing Kareem Saïd in the HBO television series '' Oz'', for which he won a CableACE Award, and (since 2012) ...
,
Campbell Scott
Campbell Scott (born July 19, 1961) is an American actor, producer and director. His roles include Steve Dunne in '' Singles'', Mark Usher in '' House of Cards'', Joseph Tobin in ''Damages'', and Richard Parker in '' The Amazing Spider-Man'' an ...
and
Hope Davis
Hope Davis is an American actress. She is known for her performances on stage and screen earning various awards and nominations including a Tony Award nomination, as well two Primetime Emmy Awards, and two Golden Globe Award nominations.
She m ...
. It was Carroll Ballard's final film before his retirement.
The film was theatrically released on April 22, 2005, by
Warner Bros. Pictures
Warner Bros. Pictures is an American film production and distribution company of the Warner Bros. Pictures Group division of Warner Bros. Entertainment (both ultimately owned by Warner Bros. Discovery). The studio is the flagship producer of ...
, Gaylord Films and
C.O.R.E. The film received mostly positive reviews from critics, but Warner Bros only gave the film a small release around the world (including a limited theatrical release in the US), resulting in earning $994,790 in worldwide box office. The film won the Family Feature Film at the
Genesis Awards
The Genesis Awards are awarded annually by the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) to individuals in the major news and entertainment media for producing outstanding works which raise public awareness of animal issues. Presented by the HSUS ...
in 2006.
Plot
Set in the country of South Africa, the story begins with a
cheetah
The cheetah (''Acinonyx jubatus'') is a large cat native to Africa and central Iran. It is the fastest land animal, estimated to be capable of running at with the fastest reliably recorded speeds being , and as such has evolved specialized ...
cub being orphaned after his mother was killed by lions. The cub is found on the side of the road by a young boy named Xan (
Alexander Michaeletos) and his father Peter (
Campbell Scott
Campbell Scott (born July 19, 1961) is an American actor, producer and director. His roles include Steve Dunne in '' Singles'', Mark Usher in '' House of Cards'', Joseph Tobin in ''Damages'', and Richard Parker in '' The Amazing Spider-Man'' an ...
). Initially reluctant to take in a wild animal, Peter agrees to let Xan take care of the cub. They name him "Duma", the
Swahili name for cheetah. Over the years, Duma becomes a part of the family, being closely raised by Xan. As he nears adulthood, Peter and Xan decide to teach Duma how to run by having him chase alongside Peter's motorcycle, which can barely keep up with him. But with Duma almost fully grown, to Xan's dismay, his father tells him that it is time to take his friend to his real home before he grows too old to survive in his native habitat. His father says to Xan, "Duma has to live the life he was born to—or he'll never be fully alive."
Xan reluctantly agrees, but their plans must be put on hold when his father suddenly falls ill and dies and Xan and his mother (
Hope Davis
Hope Davis is an American actress. She is known for her performances on stage and screen earning various awards and nominations including a Tony Award nomination, as well two Primetime Emmy Awards, and two Golden Globe Award nominations.
She m ...
) must move to Johannesburg. Duma comes with them, which wreaks havoc on their life in the city. Xan's aunt is terrified of Duma, who likes to sneak up and surprise her, and when Duma escapes and pays a disastrous visit to Xan's school, the two of them must flee the city to keep Duma from being put into captivity. Not knowing where to go, Xan gets an idea—he'll carry out the plan his dad had outlined, taking Duma home in the neighboring country of Botswana, over the scorching
Makgadikgadi Salt Pans, through the
Okavango Delta
The Okavango Delta (or Okavango Grassland; formerly spelled "Okovango" or "Okovanggo") in Botswana is a swampy inland delta formed where the Okavango River reaches a tectonic trough at an altitude of 930–1,000 m in the central part of the en ...
and into the Erongo Mountains.
Xan begins to drive to his destination in his father's old motorcycle, with Duma in the
sidecar
A sidecar is a one-wheeled device attached to the side of a motorcycle, scooter, or bicycle, making the whole a three-wheeled vehicle. A motorcycle with a sidecar is sometimes called a ''combination'', an ''outfit'', a ''rig'' or a ''hack''.
...
. After running out of fuel and water in the grasslands, they find some shade underneath a crashed airplane. There, they are confronted by Ripkuna (
Eamonn Walker
Eamonn Roderique Walker (born 12 June 1962) is an English film, television, and theatre actor. In the United States he is known for playing Kareem Saïd in the HBO television series '' Oz'', for which he won a CableACE Award, and (since 2012) ...
), a mysterious drifter on a journey of his own. While Xan isn't at all that sure he can trust Rip, he agrees to go with him. Xan manages to turn the immobile motorcycle into a
desert sailboat out of a parachute from the plane wreck. The trio make their way until they encounter the untraversable
scrub brush of the
Kalahari Desert
The Kalahari Desert is a large semi-arid sandy savanna in Southern Africa extending for , covering much of Botswana, and parts of Namibia and South Africa.
It is not to be confused with the Angolan, Namibian, and South African Namib coastal d ...
and must abandon the motorcycle. While trying to find shelter, Rip is trapped in an abandoned diamond mine by a cave in, and Xan decides to leave him, as he suspects that he has been leading him to town instead of the jungle to sell Duma and collect a reward for finding him. However, when Duma is caught in a trap and Xan is knocked unconscious by a boar, Rip rescues both of them, having escaped the mine through a ventilation shaft.
Soon, they reach the
Okavango Delta
The Okavango Delta (or Okavango Grassland; formerly spelled "Okovango" or "Okovanggo") in Botswana is a swampy inland delta formed where the Okavango River reaches a tectonic trough at an altitude of 930–1,000 m in the central part of the en ...
, where Xan is attacked by the deadly wildlife and the churning rapids of the
Thamalakane River
The Thamalakane River is a river located in Botswana, Africa, at the southern end of the Okavango Delta. It has no well defined beginning ( spring) and no clear end ( delta). It is the result of the Thamalakane fault - which began to form about ...
, but it's too late for him to turn back now. Xan, Rip and Duma press through the
Okavango, and finally the Erongo Mountains, on the border of Botswana and Namibia are in sight. However, once they get there, Xan is suddenly set upon by a swarm of
tsetse flies
Tsetse ( , or ) (sometimes spelled tzetze; also known as tik-tik flies), are large, biting flies that inhabit much of tropical Africa. Tsetse flies include all the species in the genus ''Glossina'', which are placed in their own family, Glos ...
. To protect him from their lethal bite, Rip huddles over Xan and is bitten by hundreds of flies. He soon develops
sleeping sickness
African trypanosomiasis, also known as African sleeping sickness or simply sleeping sickness, is an insect-borne parasitic infection of humans and other animals. It is caused by the species ''Trypanosoma brucei''. Humans are infected by two typ ...
, and Xan takes him to a nearby village where he can be cared for; it is soon revealed that those taking care of him are actually his own family. Later that night, outside the village, Duma is out on his own and starts calling out into the mountains. Duma finds another cheetah calling to him, and they bond rather quickly. It is never explained whether this is another male cheetah, or is in fact one of Duma's siblings. Xan hears this activity, and realizes that this is where he and Duma must part. Xan says goodbye to Duma, and Duma comes to Xan and says a final goodbye, and goes back to play with his new friend. Xan returns to Rip in the village. Before the credits, it shows Xan being reunited with his mother.
Cast
Production
Development, casting and filming
On August 5, 2002, it was announced that
Carroll Ballard was hired and set to direct ''Duma'' based on ''
How It Was with Dooms
''How It Was with Dooms'' is a children's book dictated to Carol Cawthra Hopcraft by her young son Xan Hopcraft. It tells the true story of the young boy's friendship with an orphaned cheetah on the family's game ranch in Kenya. Carol Hopcraft, a W ...
'' by Carol Cawthra Hopcraft and Xan Hopcraft. Karen Janszen and
Mark St. Germain
Mark St. Germain is an American playwright, author, and film and television writer.
Career Plays
St. Germain has written ''Camping With Henry And Tom'' (Outer Critics Circle and Lucille Lortel Awards), ''Out of Gas On Lover's Leap'', ''Forgiving ...
wrote the script for the film. Stacy Cohen, E.K. Gaylord II, Kristin Harms, Hunt Lowry and
John Wells produced the film with the budget of $12 million for release in 2005. On September 7, 2003, it was announced that
Alexander Michaletos,
Eamonn Walker
Eamonn Roderique Walker (born 12 June 1962) is an English film, television, and theatre actor. In the United States he is known for playing Kareem Saïd in the HBO television series '' Oz'', for which he won a CableACE Award, and (since 2012) ...
,
Campbell Scott
Campbell Scott (born July 19, 1961) is an American actor, producer and director. His roles include Steve Dunne in '' Singles'', Mark Usher in '' House of Cards'', Joseph Tobin in ''Damages'', and Richard Parker in '' The Amazing Spider-Man'' an ...
and
Hope Davis
Hope Davis is an American actress. She is known for her performances on stage and screen earning various awards and nominations including a Tony Award nomination, as well two Primetime Emmy Awards, and two Golden Globe Award nominations.
She m ...
joined the film. On January 2, 2004, it was announced that
John Debney
John Cardon Debney (born August 18, 1956) is an American composer and conductor of film, television, and video game scores. His work encompasses a variety of mediums and genres including comedy, horror, thriller, and action-adventure. He is a l ...
would compose the music for the film. The final score was co-composed by John Debney and George Acogny.
Filming of the film was completed in Botswana and South Africa. On 11 January,
Warner Bros. Pictures
Warner Bros. Pictures is an American film production and distribution company of the Warner Bros. Pictures Group division of Warner Bros. Entertainment (both ultimately owned by Warner Bros. Discovery). The studio is the flagship producer of ...
, Gaylord Films and
C.O.R.E. acquired distribution rights to the film. The film was shot mostly in
South Africa
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the Atlantic Ocean, South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the ...
, though some of the film is set in neighbouring Botswana.
One of the five cheetahs that stars in the film resided in
Kragga Kamma Game Park in Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape, South Africa until its death in November 2011. There were five adult cheetahs: Anthony, Azaro, Nikita, Sasha, and Savannah, along with one Cheetah cub: Sheba. Duma is played by six different cheetahs. All orphaned or poached cheetahs themselves, they were hand-raised in different parts of Africa.
Music
George Acogny and
John Debney
John Cardon Debney (born August 18, 1956) is an American composer and conductor of film, television, and video game scores. His work encompasses a variety of mediums and genres including comedy, horror, thriller, and action-adventure. He is a l ...
scored the music for the film. The film's soundtrack also contains “Rhaliweni (Railway)” performed by Sun Glen, “Share It With Me” written and performed by
Ayub Ogada
Job Seda (1956 – 1 February 2019), better known as Ayub Ogada, was a Kenyan singer. He was a singer favoring the nyatiti (an eight-stringed lyre with its origins credited to the Luo, a tribe in Nyanza Kenya) as his characteristic instrument. ...
and Ishmael Pamphille, “
A Cup of Coffee, a Sandwich and You
"A Cup of Coffee, a Sandwich and You" is a 1925 song written by Joseph Meyer, with lyrics by Al Dubin and Billy Rose. The title was inspired by the famous line "A Jug of Wine, a Loaf of Bread--and Thou" from the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam. Arnold ...
” written by
Joseph Meyer,
Billy Rose and
Al Dubin, “Breakfast” written by
Carl Stalling, “Kaboyi, Kaboyi (Woodpecker)” performed by Nana, “Just Having a Party” performed by the Fabulous Fantoms, “Umlolozelo A Lullaby” performed by Neo Muyanga and Brother Clement Sithole, “
When You're Falling” performed by
Afro Celt Sound System (as The Afro Celt Sound System) with
Peter Gabriel and “Into the Light” performed by the World Beaters and
Ayub Ogada
Job Seda (1956 – 1 February 2019), better known as Ayub Ogada, was a Kenyan singer. He was a singer favoring the nyatiti (an eight-stringed lyre with its origins credited to the Luo, a tribe in Nyanza Kenya) as his characteristic instrument. ...
.
Soundtrack
''Duma (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)'' is the film's soundtrack album and film score made by Various artists, George Acogny and
John Debney
John Cardon Debney (born August 18, 1956) is an American composer and conductor of film, television, and video game scores. His work encompasses a variety of mediums and genres including comedy, horror, thriller, and action-adventure. He is a l ...
and it was released on November 8, 2005, by
Varèse Sarabande
Varèse Sarabande is an American record label, owned by Concord Music Group and distributed by Universal Music Group, which specializes in film scores and original cast recordings. It aims to reissue rare or unavailable albums, as well as newer r ...
. None of the first 9 songs below are on the Varese Sarabande release.
Soundtrack list
* Rhaliweni (Railway) - Performed by Sun Glen
* Share It With Me - Written and Performed by
Ayub Ogada
Job Seda (1956 – 1 February 2019), better known as Ayub Ogada, was a Kenyan singer. He was a singer favoring the nyatiti (an eight-stringed lyre with its origins credited to the Luo, a tribe in Nyanza Kenya) as his characteristic instrument. ...
and Ishmael Pamphille
*
A Cup of Coffee, a Sandwich and You
"A Cup of Coffee, a Sandwich and You" is a 1925 song written by Joseph Meyer, with lyrics by Al Dubin and Billy Rose. The title was inspired by the famous line "A Jug of Wine, a Loaf of Bread--and Thou" from the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam. Arnold ...
- Written by
Joseph Meyer,
Billy Rose and
Al Dubin
* Breakfast - Written by
Carl Stalling
* Kaboyi, Kaboyi (Woodpecker) - Performed by Nana
* Just Having a Party - Performed by the Fabulous Fantoms
* Umlolozelo a Lullaby - Performed by Neo Muyanga and Brother Clement Sithole
*
When You're Falling - Performed by
Afro Celt Sound System (as The Afro Celt Sound System) with
Peter Gabriel
* Into The Light - Performed by the World Beaters and
Ayub Ogada
Job Seda (1956 – 1 February 2019), better known as Ayub Ogada, was a Kenyan singer. He was a singer favoring the nyatiti (an eight-stringed lyre with its origins credited to the Luo, a tribe in Nyanza Kenya) as his characteristic instrument. ...
* Phiry - The Bird Songs
* Duma Orphaned
* Cute Kitten Montage
* Dad Sick
* Move to City
* At School
* Coming Home
* Pushing Motorcycle
* Land Yacht
* Leaving Rip
* Duma Sees Crocs
* Land Yacht Remix
* Croc River
* Change
* Freedom
* Goodnight
* Run to Village
* Xan and Duma Say *Goodbye
* Issa Lullaby
Release
Theatrical
''Duma'' had tested badly and
Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (commonly known as Warner Bros. or abbreviated as WB) is an American film and entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California, and a subsidiary of Warner Bros. D ...
planned to not release this film in the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
theatrically, but Scott Foundas wrote a rave review for the film in ''
Variety
Variety may refer to:
Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats
* Variety (radio)
* Variety show, in theater and television
Films
* ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont
* ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...
'' and it led Warner Bros to reconsider.
Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (commonly known as Warner Bros. or abbreviated as WB) is an American film and entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California, and a subsidiary of Warner Bros. D ...
finally gave ''Duma'' a
limited theatrical release in the US.
Reception
Critical response
''Duma'' went on receiving very positive reviews from critics; the
review aggregator
A review aggregator is a system that collects reviews of products and services (such as films, books, video games, software, hardware, and cars). This system stores the reviews and uses them for purposes such as supporting a website where users ...
Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is an American review-aggregation website for film and television. The company was launched in August 1998 by three undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley: Senh Duong, Patrick Y. Lee, and Stephen Wang ...
reported that 93% of critics gave the film positive reviews, based on 61 reviews;
Metacritic
Metacritic is a website that aggregates reviews of films, TV shows, music albums, video games and formerly, books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted average). Metacritic was created by Jason Dietz, Marc ...
reported the film had an average score of 82 out of 100, based on 21 reviews.
Box office
The film made $870,067 at the North American box office and $124,723 in other territories, making its worldwide box office total $994,790, making it a failure at the box office.
Awards
Home media
''Duma'' was released on DVD on May 16, 2006, by
Warner Bros. Entertainment
Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (commonly known as Warner Bros. or abbreviated as WB) is an American Film studio, film and entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios, Burbank, Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, Califo ...
.
References
External links
*
*
*
{{Carroll Ballard
2005 films
2000s adventure drama films
American adventure drama films
American children's adventure films
American children's drama films
Films about animals
Films based on children's books
Films about cheetahs
Films about orphans
Films about friendship
Films directed by Carroll Ballard
Films scored by John Debney
Films set in South Africa
Films shot in South Africa
Warner Bros. films
2005 drama films
2000s English-language films
2000s American films