Mountains of the Moon (film)
{{short description|1990 film by Bob Rafelson}}
{{About|the 1990 film|the 2013 Bengali film of the same name|Chander Pahar (film)|the legendary mountain range |Mountains of the Moon (Africa)}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox film
| name = Mountains of the Moon
| image = Mountains_of_the_Moon_movie_poster.jpg
| caption = Theatrical release poster
| director = Bob Rafelson
| producer = Daniel Melnick
Mario Kassar
| writer =
| screenplay = William Harrison
Bob Rafelson
| based_on = {{based on|Burton and Speke|William Harrison}}
| starring = {{plainlist|
| music = Michael Small
| cinematography = Roger Deakins
| editing = Thom Noble
| studio = Carolco Pictures
| distributor = Tri-Star Pictures
| released = {{Film date|1990|02|23}}
| runtime = 136 minutes
| country = United States
| language = English
| budget = $18 million{{Cite web|url=https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/MovieDetails/58624|title=AFI|Catalog|website=Catalog.afi.com|access-date=15 November 2021}}
| gross = $4 million{{cite web|url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=mountainsofthemoon.htm|title=Mountains of the Moon (1990) - Box Office Mojo|website=Boxofficemojo.com}}
}}
Mountains of the Moon is a 1990 American biographical film depicting the 1857–1858 journey of Richard Francis Burton and John Hanning Speke in their expedition to Central Africa, which culminated in Speke's discovery of the source of the Nile River and led to a bitter rivalry between the two men. The film stars Patrick Bergin as Burton and Iain Glen as Speke. Delroy Lindo appears as an African whom the explorers meet.
The film was directed by Bob Rafelson based on the 1982 novel Burton and Speke by William Harrison.
Cast
{{castlist|
- Patrick Bergin as Richard Francis Burton
- Iain Glen as John Hanning Speke
- Richard E. Grant as Laurence Oliphant
- Fiona Shaw as Isabel Arundell
- John Savident as Lord Murchison
- James Villiers as Lord Oliphant
- Adrian Rawlins as Edward
- Peter Vaughan as Lord Houghton
- Delroy Lindo as Mabruki
- Paul Onsongo as Sidi Bombay
- Bheki Tonto Ngema as King Ngola
- Martin Okello as Veldu
- Bernard Hill as David Livingstone
- Matthew Marsh as William
- Richard Caldicot as Lord John Russell
- Christopher Fulford as Herne
- Garry Cooper as Stroyan
- Roshan Seth as Ben Amir
- Anna Massey as Mrs. Arundell
- Omar Sharif as Sultan (unbilled)
- Kenneth W Caravan Speke Estate Farmhand (unbilled)
}}
Music
The original music was composed by Michael Small, who incorporated genuine traditional African music into a traditional orchestral palette. The soundtrack album was released on Polydor Records, but is long out of print. There are two major themes, one for Burton and the other for Africa. There is also a love theme for Burton's relationship to his wife Isabel Burton (portrayed in the movie by Fiona Shaw).
Availability
The film was released in a pan and scan VHS edition from a widescreen laserdisc and is currently available as both a pan and scan and widescreen DVD.
Imprint Films released the film on Blu-ray in its original aspect ratio along with special features on February 28, 2024.
Reception
Peter Travers described Mountains as "an epic of sweep and intimacy",{{cite news|last=Travers|first=Peter|title=Mountains of the Moon|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/movies/reviews/mountains-of-the-moon-19900223|access-date=27 August 2012|newspaper=Rolling Stone|date=23 February 1990}} and Siskel & Ebert gave it two thumbs up.{{cite web|publisher=YouTube|title=Siskel & Ebert - Mountains of the Moon/Where the Heart is (1990)|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-kKFA3HnwA|access-date=18 September 2014}}{{cbignore}}{{Dead YouTube link|date=February 2022}} Ebert wrote, "It's the kind of movie that sends you away from the screen filled with curiosity to know more about this man Burton."{{cite news|last=Ebert|first=Roger|title=Mountains of the Moon|url=http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/19900323/REVIEWS/3230304|access-date=27 August 2012|newspaper=Chicago Sun-Times|date=23 March 1990}} In Newsweek, critic Jack Kroll wrote, "The exploits of Sir Richard Francis Burton make Lawrence of Arabia look like a tourist."Jack Kroll, "In the heart of darkness," Newsweek, February 26, 1990 Mountains of the Moon holds a rating of 67% on Rotten Tomatoes based on 18 reviews.{{Cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/mountains_of_the_moon|title=Mountains of the Moon|access-date=8 December 2024|website=Rottentomatoes.com}}
References
{{Reflist}}
Bibliography
- Edward Rice, Captain Sir Richard Francis Burton: A Biography, Da Capo Press (June 5, 2001)
- Mary S. Lovell, A Rage to Live: A Biography of Richard and Isabel Burton, Norton & Company (1998)
External links
- {{IMDb title|0100196}}
- {{TCMDb title|22174}}
- {{AFI film|58624}}
- {{mojo title|mountainsofthemoon}}
- {{rotten-tomatoes|mountains_of_the_moon}}
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20111122123441/http://www.jinni.com/movies/mountains-of-the-moon/videos?type=c&idx=0 Mountains of the Moon: The greatest river in the world] Movie clip at Jinni
{{Bob Rafelson}}
Category:1990s adventure drama films
Category:1990s biographical drama films
Category:American adventure drama films
Category:American biographical drama films
Category:Films set in Tanzania
Category:Adventure films based on actual events
Category:Films directed by Bob Rafelson
Category:Films with screenplays by Bob Rafelson
Category:Films scored by Michael Small
Category:TriStar Pictures films
Category:Carolco Pictures films
Category:Cultural depictions of David Livingstone
Category:Films set in pre-colonial sub-Saharan Africa
Category:1990s English-language films
Category:Epic films based on actual events
Category:Films produced by Mario F. Kassar
Category:Films produced by Daniel Melnick