Mogambo (1953)

Mogambo (1953), directed by John Ford.

Clark Gable is apparently content as a hunter, guide and animal collector in remote east Africa, when two women arrive the same week. One is wisecracking New York showgirl Ava Gardner who missed connections with her maharaja, the other is stiff and proper Grace Kelly, with her nice-guy-who-finishes-last scientist husband.

Gable must be drenched in alpha-male pheromes because both women fall for him instantly and he makes the most of both opportunities. We have minor Dark Continent adventures but it's mostly a talky love triangle that goes on too long. Some good locations (and some studio), but it's an unusually bland story and direction for Ford.

The women are fun to watch. My wife's judgment: Ava Gardner has a big wardrobe, tiny waist, and dimpled chin, but Grace Kelly was born to be a princess.

This is a remake of Red Dust (1932), with Gable in the same role. The DVD image is soft.

Safari and colonial outpost stories have three types of characters:

Women outsiders hardly ever "belong", although it happens now and then (eg: Born Free).

http://watershade.net/public/mogambo.jpg