I thought some here might be interested in knowing about this.
Yeah the show time stinks but I'll set my VCR to record it.
-Bob F.
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Turner Classic Movies
Something of Value< !--color-->
Thursday Aug 05, 2004 06:00 AM ET (05:00 AM Central Time)
Based on Robert Ruark's bold book which became a number one best seller, childhood friends end up on opposite sides of a bloody African uprising in Something of Value (1957), directed by Richard Brooks and starring Rock Hudson and Sidney Poitier.
I have seen this movie when I was a young boy..It is a violent movie and about terrorism way back with the mau maus I was wondering if I would ever see it again and I could not remember the name....But I remember Sidney Poitier.. as a very young man in the movie... Bob thanks for the heads up....
Mike
Posts: 6768 | Location: Wyoming, Pa. USA | Registered: 17 April 2003
Robert Ruark's novel, "Something Of Value," is, in my opinion, much better than the movie. Also, if you read his novel, then make it a point to get his sequel novel, "Uhuru." Excellent followup... and portended what happened in much of Africa, after the mid-'50s.
I've read both of the books but I haven't seen the movie. Twice I caught the last few minutes of it on TMC and kicked myself for not having checked the TV schedule. Typical of Hollywood, I don't expect the movie to be as good as the book but I still want to see the movie. The Safari / Africa theme movies of that era (50s and 60s) just have a certain nostalgic appeal in and of themselves. I'm a big fan of Robert Ruark. "Horn of the Hunter" is one of my favorite books. It's a real shame that Ruark wasn't able to conquer his alcoholism and that he died relatively so young.
I may be mistaken but I don't think the movie is available for home video. I've looked and searched around on the Internet and I've never been able to find it "in print" available for sale. That's why I was excited about TCM airing it. At least I'll be able to set my VCR to record it.
Interesting. IMDB.com didn't show it available in either VHS or DVD from Amazon.com. I'll hit a few other places to see if I can find a copy, then. Thanks for letting me know, I appreciate it.
Take care.
Russ
Posts: 2982 | Location: Silvis, IL | Registered: 12 May 2001
I read the book in about 1953 I believe and I really liked it then, and I read it again last year, it was even better the second time as I had a better idea what it was all about...
The movie is a classic I suppose, but it didn't do much for me then or now....A movie never does justice to a book, that's probably an impossilbility.
Posts: 42209 | Location: Twin Falls, Idaho | Registered: 04 June 2000
I didn't even know there was a movie. I will be sure to set my VCR, I always enjoyed all of Ruark's work; has anyone seen the video "On Safari" about a Safari he took? I have been looking for a copy.
Posts: 11 | Location: Alaska/Colorado | Registered: 14 June 2004
The book was a perfect predictor of things to come. In the book, Peter's father, an original settler in Keyna, tells the young British official something like " You are absoutely wrong if you think you can dress them (the natives) in a suit and have them act like prefect British gentlemen in 50 years time." Right attitude but he missed the time frame by a million years.
There is a quote from Thomas Jefferson that says something like it takes 100 years to go from a monarchy (or dictatorship) to a republic. He was refering to the U.S., but it applies to Africa or Iraq as well.
But I suspect that sometimes it may take a thousand years, or more, to get it right.
Posts: 1372 | Location: USA | Registered: 18 June 2000
CAC, The Robert Ruark movie was titled "Africa Adventure". I taped it a couple of years ago when it was shown on the Turner Classic Movie channel in the middle of the night.It is a great documentary.
Posts: 9525 | Location: Chicago | Registered: 23 July 2003
Kathi, I'm not sure what "Africa Adventure" is, but I have a copy of "On Safari", which documents Robert Ruark's first African Safari. I purchased it last year, but I can't remember the name of the seller. I'm on their mailing list now, so the next time I get an advert from them I'll post it.
Jim, I went into the cabinet of no return. That place where once an item is put there is no hope of seeing it again. I found the tape and watched it last night. This movie has Ruark shooting an elephant, rhino, topi, leopard, and a tremendous 49 inch cape buffalo. His wife does some bird shooting. Is this the same movie, just a different title??? This was a three month safari.
Posts: 9525 | Location: Chicago | Registered: 23 July 2003
