Trader Horn (1931) - W. S. Van Dyke

An epic adventure from a man who would soon come to dominate that genre in Hollywood. Hollywood got ambitious, and they took their project to the jungles of Africa, shooting on location. The result is that the film looks like a travelogue frequently more often than a film. Some great shots abound, and even the rear projection is handled remarkably well. The film itself was shot silent with audio added. Like many films of the time this has no orchestral score, but relies on the "sounds of Africa". As one would expect the film is remarkably imperialist, with Africans depicted as little more than animals, frequently silent, and even at the end referred to as "monkeys" by the title character. Lots of gratuitous nudity abounds and this film would have been impossible if made after 1934. Not to detract from any of this, but it has a very sensational nature. The picture is a little long, and some of the acting is weak, but the spectacle of it all will eventually carry it through.

*Trader Horn was nominated for best picture