Queen of the Amazons

This 1947 'jungle' movie set in Africa is campy, yes, and unintentionally funny. Still, I had a good time watching it . . .

This might have been a bit better had we not had to wait for about half the thing before we meet the eponymous character who turns out to have all the menace of a wet lettuce. The rest of it sees a group of explorers start off in India on a search for "Greg" (Bruce Edwards) by "Jean" (Patricia Morison) and her friend the "Colonel" (John Miljan). Swiftly, they conclude that his caravan might have fallen victim to the famed "Zita" (Amira Moustafa) and so they are going to have to get their bug nets on and head off into the jungle. Loads of animal actuality later, we find ourselves involved in a rather pedestrian love-triangle affair between the Queen, "Jean" and a man who appears quite content to have his cake and eat it - metaphorically speaking, of course. It's all set against an undertone of racial stereotyping that even then must have made eyes water as the writing just makes you cringe with embarrassment. Miljan takes on a bit of a narrator's role which doesn't really help the pace of the story either, especially when he adopts a Winston Hibbler style of commentary describing the natural activity on the plains in a distinctly Disney fashion. There's no menace, little jeopardy and some acting as wooden as the sets to make this an hour that really doesn't deliver the promise of the title and isn't worth the effort, sorry.

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