''The Last Safari'' is a 1967 British

adventure film An adventure film is a form of adventure fiction, and is a genre of film. Subgenres of adventure films include swashbuckler films, pirate films, and survival films. Adventure films may also be combined with other film genres such as action, an ...

directed by

Henry Hathaway Henry Hathaway (March 13, 1898 – February 11, 1985) was an American film director and producer. He is best known as a director of Westerns, especially starring Randolph Scott and John Wayne. He directed Gary Cooper in seven films. Backgro ...

. It stars

Kaz Garas Kaz Garas (born 4 March 1940) is a Lithuanian-American retired actor, best known for his starring role in the TV-series ''Strange Report'', and for his numerous portrayals of sheriffs in low-budget thrillers. Early life Garas was born in Kaunas ...

and

Stewart Granger Stewart Granger (born James Lablache Stewart; 6 May 1913 – 16 August 1993) was a British film actor, mainly associated with heroic and romantic leading roles. He was a popular leading man from the 1940s to the early 1960s, rising to fame thr ...

. It was based on the 1962 novel, '' Gilligan's Last Elephant'' by

Gerald Hanley Gerald Hanley (17 February 1916 – 7 September 1992) was an Irish novelist and travel writer and was born in Liverpool of Irish parents. Hanley's novels reflect his experiences of living in Africa, Burma and the Indian sub-continent, as well a ...

Plot

Miles Gilchrist (

) is a big game hunter in Africa. He goes on a safari to shoot an elephant who killed his friend. He is accompanied by Casey (

), an American millionaire intrigued by Gilchrist's story, and Grant ( Gabriella Licudi), Casey's half-caste girlfriend. Miles feels he is to blame for his friend's death, and has to redeem himself. He sees hunter Alec Beaumont (

Liam Redmond Liam Redmond (27 July 1913 – 28 October 1989) was an Irish character actor known for his stage, film and television roles. Early life Redmond was one of four children born to cabinet-maker Thomas and Eileen Redmond. Educated at the Christi ...

) refusing to eat with Grant, an indication of how life is different in Africa. Casey and Miles help to save a group of white hunters ambushed in a Masai village. Later, Miles and Casey are nearly killed by a herd of charging elephants, led by a rogue elephant. Casey refuses to fire knowing Miles also won't shoot, but is not afraid. Casey bids Miles farewell and leaves Africa and Grant, who stays behind in the hopes of finding a new benefactor.

Cast

as Casey *

as Miles Gilchrist * Gabriella Licudi as Grant *

Johnny Sekka Johnny is an English language personal name. It is usually an affectionate diminutive of the masculine given name John, but from the 16th century it has sometimes been a given name in its own right for males and, less commonly, females. Variant ...

as Jama *

as Alex Beaumont *

Eugene Deckers Eugene Francis Deckers (22 October 1917, in Antwerp – 1977, in Paris, France) was a Belgian actor. Career After establishing himself on the British stage, Deckers made his first English language film appearance in 1946. Formerly a romantic le ...

as Refugee leader * David Munya as Chongu * John De Villiers as Rich * Wilfred Moore as Game warden * Jean Parnell as Mrs. Beaumont * Bill Grant as Commissioner * John Sutton as Harry * Kipkoske as Gavai * Labina as Village chief

Production

''The Last Safari'' was the first of a four-picture deal between Hathaway and Paramount. Kaz Garas was an actor under contract to

Hal Wallis Harold Brent Wallis (born Aaron Blum Wolowicz; October 19, 1898 – October 5, 1986) was an American film producer. He is best known for producing '' Casablanca'' (1942), ''The Adventures of Robin Hood'' (1938), and ''True Grit'' (1969), along w ...

. The film involved five weeks location shooting in Kenya. The corporate jet used in the film was a

Learjet 23 The Learjet 23 (originally Lear Jet 23) is an American six-to-eight-seat (two crew and four to six passengers) twinjet, high-speed business jet manufactured by Learjet. Introduced in 1964, it was Learjet's first model and created a new market f ...

leased from

Busy Bee Busy Bee was an airline which operated in Norway between 1966 and 1992. Entirely based around wet lease, it conducted a mix of regional services for larger airlines and the military, as well as corporate, ''ad hoc'' and inclusive tour charters. ...

. It was painted in zebra stripes for use in the film.

Reception

The ''Los Angeles Times'' called ''The Last Safari'', "... a most satisfying film of its kind".Thomas, K. "'The Last Safari' in multiple screenings." ''Los Angeles Times'', 10 November 1967. Stewart Granger later called this "my last real film... the worst film ever made in Africa!"MacFarlane 1997, p. 230.

References

Notes

Bibliography

* MacFarlane, Brian. ''An Autobiography of British Cinema''. London: Methuen, 1997. .

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Last Safari 1967 films 1967 adventure films British adventure films 1960s English-language films Films based on British novels Films directed by Henry Hathaway Films about hunters Films set in Africa Films shot in Kenya Paramount Pictures films Films with screenplays by John Gay (screenwriter) Films scored by John Dankworth 1960s British films