The Snows of Kilimanjaro (1952)

The Snows of Kilimanjaro (1952)

„The Snows of Kilimanjaro“ is a 1952 romantic adventure film directed by Henry King from a screenplay by Casey Robinson, based on the 1936 short story of the same name by Ernest Hemingway.

The film opens with the words from Hemingway’s story: „Kilimanjaro is a snow-covered mountain 19,710 feet high, and is said to be the highest mountain in Africa. Its western summit is called the Masai ‚Ngje Ngi,‘ the House of God. Close to the western summit there is the dried and frozen carcass of a leopard. No one has explained what the leopard was seeking at that altitude.“

The story centers on the memories of a disillusioned writer, Harry Street, who is on safari in Africa. He has a severely infected wound, and lies outside his tent awaiting a slow death. His female companion, Helen, nurses Harry and hunts game for the larder.

The loss of mobility brings self-reflection. In an often delirious state he remembers his past relationship with Cynthia Green, whom he met in Paris as members of the „Lost Generation.“ Upon the sale of Harry’s first novel, rather than rent a nicer home, Harry wishes to go on safari to Africa. There he has his happiest moments, including bagging a rhino. Cynthia is pregnant, but worries about sharing this news with Harry, who is passionate about his travels and work as a journalist and author. Harry only learns about the pregnancy after her miscarriage. Suffering depression and sinking into alcoholism, she eventually leaves Harry for a flamenco dancer when she believes Harry is off for a job as a war correspondent.

Harry later becomes engaged to the wealthy and socially connected Countess Elizabeth, whom he meets on the Cote d’Azur. However, Harry remains loyal to the memory of Cynthia. On the eve of their wedding, a jealous Elizabeth confronts Harry with a letter to Harry sent from Cynthia, who is now in Madrid. Elizabeth destroys the letter in front of Harry who stalks off to go to Spain. Unable to find Cynthia at the Madrid address on the envelope, he enlists to fight in the Spanish Civil War. During a battle he meets Cynthia, who is now an ambulance driver. Cynthia is mortally wounded, and Harry is shot and wounded when he deserts the battle to try to bring the dying Cynthia to a doctor.

Harry returns to Paris. While he is standing on a bridge watching the River Seine, he meets Helen, who reminds him of Cynthia. After the death of his beloved mentor Uncle Bill, Harry receives as a bequest a letter from his uncle that gives him the riddle of the leopard. Harry’s bartender suggests that the leopard ended up there as he was on a false scent and became lost, but Harry takes Helen on a safari to Kenya to learn the answer of the riddle. He is injured and develops an infection. As Harry nears death, the protective Helen fights off a witch doctor. Following the directions in an emergency first aid manual, she opens Harry’s wound to release the infection. At the dawn a medical party arrives by airplane. The vultures and hyena who have been awaiting Harry’s death leave and never return. Harry realizes his love for Helen.

A 1952 American Technicolor romantic adventure film directed by Henry King, produced by Darryl F. Zanuck, screenplay by Casey Robinson, based on Ernest Hemingway’s 1936 short story of the same name, cinematography by Leon Shamroy, starring Gregory Peck, Susan Hayward, Ava Gardner, Leo G. Carroll, Torin Thatcher, Ava Norring, Helene Stanley, Vicente Gómez, and Richard Allan. Final screen appearance of Constance Purdy. Music by Bernard Herrmann.

Roy Ward Baker directed the location footage; Henry King directed all the studio footage.

Cinematographer Joseph MacDonald filled in for a period after Leon Shamroy fell ill. The second-unit scenes filmed in Africa were photographed by Charles G. Clarke.

Ava Gardner married Frank Sinatra shortly before production began. He wanted her by his side in New York and to placate him, the schedule was rearranged so that all her scenes could be shot in ten days, to which Sinatra agreed. On the last day of shooting, things didn’t go as planned and Gardner was forced to spend an extra day on the set. In her autobiography, Gardner says „I knew Frank would give me holy hell about that, and he did.“

Considered by Hemingway to be one of his finest stories, this was first published in Esquire magazine in 1936, and then republished in The Fifth Column and the First Forty-Nine Stories (1938). The film’s ending does not mirror that of the short story.

Harry’s mentor is loosely based on Ernest Hemingway’s mentor, Sherwood Anderson.

This was both a critical and commercial success and became the third highest-grossing film of 1952. It was nominated for two Oscars at the 25th Academy Awards, for Best Cinematography, Color and Best Art Direction, Color.

Soundtrack music:
„You Do Something to Me“ – Written by Cole Porter, Sung by Hildegard Knef
„Just One Of Those Things“ – Written by Cole Porter, Sung by Hildegard Knef
„Blue Mountain“ – Music by Alfred Newman, Played by Benny Carter
„Ain’t we got Fun“ – Music by Richard A. Whiting, Lyrics by...

Cast:

• Gregory Peck – Harry Street
• Susan Hayward – Helen
• Ava Gardner – Cynthia Green
• Hildegard Knef – Countess Liz
• Leo G. Carroll – Uncle Bill
• Torin Thatcher – Johnson
• Ava Norring – Beatrice
• Helene Stanley – Connie
• Marcel Dalio – Emile
• Vicente Gómez – Guitarist
• Richard Allan – Spanish Dancer

„Schnee am Kilimandscharo“ (The Snows of Kilimanjaro) ist ein romantischer Abenteuerfilm von 1952 unter der Regie von Henry King nach einem Drehbuch von Casey Robinson, der auf der gleichnamigen Kurzgeschichte von Ernest Hemingway aus dem Jahr 1936 basiert.

Der Film beginnt mit den Worten aus Hemingways Geschichte: „Der Kilimandscharo ist ein schneebedeckter Berg mit einer Höhe von 19.710 Fuß und gilt als der höchste Berg Afrikas. Sein Westgipfel wird von den Massai ‚Ngje Ngi‘, das Haus Gottes, genannt. In der Nähe des Westgipfels befindet sich der getrocknete und gefrorene Kadaver eines Leoparden. Niemand hat erklärt, was der Leopard in dieser Höhe gesucht hat.“