Mogambo (1953)
Mogambo is a remake of the 1932 drama Red Dust. In 1932, Clark Gable was torn between Jean Harlow and Mary Astor. In 1953, he reprised his role and found himself torn between Ava Gardner and Grace Kelly. Watch the original.
While in the original, a high-class married couple travel to China to hunt big game, the remake is set in Africa. Elephants and apes are shown, since in 1953, the company filmed on location rather than in a studio, but that doesn’t make up for the lackluster script and terrible casting. No one can compete with Jean Harlow, and Ava Gardner just comes across as overheated and sloppy. Grace Kelly plays the icy, sophisticated married woman, and while she was typecast in that type of role, I always thought she was very insincere in her love scenes.
In the story she’s drawn to Clark Gable’s ruggedness, but she doesn’t know he’s already become involved with the very loose Ava. Hence the love triangle. The original was made before the Hays Code, so Jean Harlow’s character was a prostitute, but in the 50s, Hollywood censorship didn’t allow Ava’s character to be sullied that much.
Clark Gable seems old and tired, which makes sense, since he’s already made this exact movie before. And although you can find ample information about why the cast and crew were not happy while filming Mogambo, I can’t help but consider the sad memories Clark must have felt while remaking a film he made with Jean Harlow, his real-life friend who died tragically during the shooting of another movie they made together. It makes sense that he didn’t give a very enthusiastic performance. Unless you’re an Ava Gardner and Grace Kelly fan, which I am not, I can’t recommend you watch this movie.
Want to watch it? Click here to see it on ok.ru and thanks "Classic Cinema Central Seleus B" for posting!
More Clark Gable movies here!
More Ava Gardner movies here!
More Grace Kelly movies here!
While in the original, a high-class married couple travel to China to hunt big game, the remake is set in Africa. Elephants and apes are shown, since in 1953, the company filmed on location rather than in a studio, but that doesn’t make up for the lackluster script and terrible casting. No one can compete with Jean Harlow, and Ava Gardner just comes across as overheated and sloppy. Grace Kelly plays the icy, sophisticated married woman, and while she was typecast in that type of role, I always thought she was very insincere in her love scenes.
In the story she’s drawn to Clark Gable’s ruggedness, but she doesn’t know he’s already become involved with the very loose Ava. Hence the love triangle. The original was made before the Hays Code, so Jean Harlow’s character was a prostitute, but in the 50s, Hollywood censorship didn’t allow Ava’s character to be sullied that much.
Clark Gable seems old and tired, which makes sense, since he’s already made this exact movie before. And although you can find ample information about why the cast and crew were not happy while filming Mogambo, I can’t help but consider the sad memories Clark must have felt while remaking a film he made with Jean Harlow, his real-life friend who died tragically during the shooting of another movie they made together. It makes sense that he didn’t give a very enthusiastic performance. Unless you’re an Ava Gardner and Grace Kelly fan, which I am not, I can’t recommend you watch this movie.
Want to watch it? Click here to see it on ok.ru and thanks "Classic Cinema Central Seleus B" for posting!
More Clark Gable movies here!
More Ava Gardner movies here!
More Grace Kelly movies here!