Le Sorcier noir

This film is currently available on the BFI online player.It was part of Ranks failed attempt to take on the Hollywood studios.The cost is quoted at between £600 and £750 thousand pounds and this stood little chance of recouping the cost.The film is overlong,nearly 2 hours,with little in the way of narrative drive.The only good thing that I can think to say about it is that the colour is excellent.

The film is centred around a man who, after spending a dozen years performing music in London, returns to his home, a small African village, to teach it. His visit coincides with that of two doctors who are working on eradicating the African Sleeping Sickness. The somewhat evil chief, Magole, does not welcome either, saying Kisenga has been away too long to be one of them anymore, and that the young female doctor is trying to kill them all, because her medicines go against his brand of voodoo witchcraft. It's pretty crazy, but actually an interesting story, though there's not enough of Calvert and Portman, and far too little of their budding romance. But hey, it's nice to see Calvert in technicolour for a change! 8/10