Status
Available
Publication
New York : Knopf : Distributed by Random House, 1987.
Description
At the start of World War I, German imperial troops burn down a mission in Africa. The mission's reverend was so overtaken with disappointment that he passes away. Shortly after his well-educated, snooty sister Rose buries her brother, she must leave on the only available transport, the 'African Queen' steamboat. The boat is manned by the ill-mannered bachelor, Charlie. Together they embark on a long difficult journey, without any comfort. Rose grows determined to assist in the British war effort and presses Charlie until he finally agrees and together they steam up the Ulana encountering an enemy fort, raging rapids, bloodthirsty parasites and endlessly branching steam which always seem to lead them to what appear to be impenetrable swamps. Despite their opposing personalities, the two grow closer to each other and ultimately carry out their plan to take out a German warship.… (more)
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Media reviews
The New Yorker
The Making of “The African Queen” is about Hepburn’s intense involvement with Huston, and the “and almost lost my mind,” in the title, is her pointing up that she knew he was impossible, but was smitten anyway. (He was forty-four and well known to be a charmer monster; she was
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forty-three). During a break in the filming, Huston decides to go hunting for elephants...
I don’t know that I would read this sort of gush by anyone else. But this is Katharine Hepburn writing about herself and John Huston; it’s an icon showing herself in a new light, and it has an element of giddy surprise. So do a couple of the photographs and the captions she has written. Show Less
User reviews
LibraryThing member skrishna
I enjoyed this book, but it seemed very stream of consciousness. Kate seemed to gloss over a lot and focused on very random things. I also didn't get as much insight into Bogie/Bacall as I would have liked. Lots of great pictures though. It's a fun book, overall.
LibraryThing member gmillar
This was interesting for two reasons: it was a friendly memoir of some of the events and experiences encountered during the making of an iconic movie and, it gave a good insight into the mind and demeanor of an iconic actress.
LibraryThing member countrylife
A fun and quick read about the making of the Bogie/Hepburn movie. Lots of pictures, and rich descriptions of the setting, weather, hazards, and people, movie people and locals, both.
LibraryThing member TheOtherJunkMonkey
Chatty little memoir, that reads like it was dictated, about the making of a film I haven't watched in far too long. Not very informative but entertaining enough.
LibraryThing member liz.mabry
An interesting read. I haven't actually seen the African Queen, but now I want to. Very stream of consciousness.
LibraryThing member briandrewz
Really a conversational piece about Katharine Hepburn's experiences during the making of "The African Queen". This really would have benefited, I believe, from not being so chatty. Sometimes it was hard to follow. Hepburn would run from one topic to the next mid-paragraph, then retrace her steps to
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go back to her original thought. This should still appeal to any fan of the film. Show Less
LibraryThing member Rascalstar
This lovely book doesn't take long to read and it's easy to hear Katharine Hepburn talking in her own unique style throughout the book. It's written the way she speaks and thinks and reveals many fascinating details about her, the cast, and the general setting and problems making the movie in the
I'm reading some books so I can pass them on to someone else, and this is one of those. It's available if you're willing to pay media mail postage to get it.
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jungle on location. A very nice read and comical in some spots, too. Lots of black and white pictures, many full page. I'm glad I read it, as I've long liked the movie and will still watch the occasional rerun of it on TV. The next time, I'll see it with new eyes. I'm reading some books so I can pass them on to someone else, and this is one of those. It's available if you're willing to pay media mail postage to get it.
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LibraryThing member ChrisWeir
Not really a making of book more of a memoir of her time spent in Africa and the making of the film. Starts with the contract negotiations and the lack of a script. Her travels to get to Africa and then Africa itself. She talks about having to have the best hut in her viewpoint even going so far as
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to kick some others in the production crew out of their motel room. Her helping hand man who was a native. Very fun read and you can easily hear her voicing this book aloud and her very forthright attitude. Show Less
LibraryThing member kslade
Fun little book on her experience in Africa making the movie with Bogart and with director John Huston. Very candid.
LibraryThing member hardlyhardy
More than 35 years after making “The African Queen” with Humphrey Bogart, Katherine Hepburn wrote about the experience in “The Making of The African Queen” (1987).
The short book, full of photographs (not movie stills), is loaded with charm. In a few, well-chosen words, Hepburn captures the
About Bogart she says, "To put it simply: There was no bunk about Bogie. He was a man." As for Lauren Bacall, who does not appear in the film, Hepburn describes how effective she is working behind the scenes. She regards Huston as a genius despite what often seemed to her a lackadaisical attitude about the movie.
The adventure of making the movie in Africa almost rivals the adventure in the movie itself. At one point the African Queen sinks. Army ants stream through the middle of Hepburn's hut. She gets very sick, as do many others who drink the bottled water. Those who stick with alcohol do fine.
"Technical problems galore and no chairs — no dressings rooms — no toilet — hot ginger ale and fruit juice and beer — the problem of sending out lunch for forty people," she writes. Complete sentences are not a high priority for Hepburn.
Anyone who loves this movie would love this book.
The short book, full of photographs (not movie stills), is loaded with charm. In a few, well-chosen words, Hepburn captures the
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personalities of those involved in making the movie, including director John Huston and producer Sam Spiegel. Her descriptions are often blunt, but never more so than when writing about herself. She calls herself an "old fusspot" at one point and says she "looked like a very freckled female impersonator."About Bogart she says, "To put it simply: There was no bunk about Bogie. He was a man." As for Lauren Bacall, who does not appear in the film, Hepburn describes how effective she is working behind the scenes. She regards Huston as a genius despite what often seemed to her a lackadaisical attitude about the movie.
The adventure of making the movie in Africa almost rivals the adventure in the movie itself. At one point the African Queen sinks. Army ants stream through the middle of Hepburn's hut. She gets very sick, as do many others who drink the bottled water. Those who stick with alcohol do fine.
"Technical problems galore and no chairs — no dressings rooms — no toilet — hot ginger ale and fruit juice and beer — the problem of sending out lunch for forty people," she writes. Complete sentences are not a high priority for Hepburn.
Anyone who loves this movie would love this book.
Show Less
Subjects
Language
Original publication date
1987
Physical description
129 p.; 24 cm
ISBN
0394562720 / 9780394562728