Mister Moses

Snake-oil salesman and diamond smuggler Robert Mitchum runs into trouble with irate African villagers; he's cared for by the daughter of a missionary reverend who is engaged to the district commissioner, who in turn has ordered the natives off the land due to an impending flood despite their refusal to vacate without their animals. Sloppy second-biller certainly doesn't provide much in the way of an acting showcase, though Mitchum and Carroll Baker manage a comfortable repartee. Adaptation of Max Catto's book waffles uncertainly between comedy, romance and adventure, this due to Ronald Neame's surprisingly lax direction. Film is benign enough, though that's hardly complimentary. *1/2 from ****

Robert Mitchum plays the title character, a diamond smuggler, snake oil salesman and all-around shady character. Somehow he's arrived in Afria and when he's discovered down by the bullrushes, this, combined with his name, convince a local chief that Mister Moses was sent by God! While this certainly is NOT the case, Moses takes a real liking to the missionary's daughter (Carroll Baker) and she convinces him to help her lead the tribe to a new region...and he is sort of like the Biblical Moses. However, he has to contend with the law as well as a crazed anti-colonial son of a voodoo priest who swears inexplicably that he's going to kill him.

This is a very strange sort of plot. Even stranger is seeing Robert Mitchum in British Africa! Strangest of all is the ending, however, where for no understandable reason whatsoever, the girl runs off with him. To say the ending makes no sense at all is a reasonable complaint...and the reason this one only earns a 4...even though I usually love Mitchum's films. The 4 is probably a bit generous!!

The one quality missing from many films I claim, especially those made since 1972/3, has been genuine imagination. Call the quality honesty, surprise, wisdom, edge-of-the-seat interest, real difference--I claim it has been omitted from many otherwise worthwhile projects; death, half an hour into thousands of films, by script illogic is not pretty to watch. "Mister Moses", another situational thriller or adventure from Max Catto I claim is always fun to watch. Consider the story-line's premise. An entire village of African folk has to be relocated from one place to another; the excuse is a dam being built that will flood their land. Whatever. The point is they do not wish to leave their ancestors, the bones of their people, their gods. The authorities find a man to lead them out of the wilderness to the promised land; he is a genial con man played by Robert Mitchum, but they think he is Moses, not Joe Moses--never mind why. And he takes his job seriously, and they follow him. But that does not mean the trek will be an easy one. Especially not with a disgruntled, educated power-seeking type going after him with a flame-thrower. Yes, the villain traps himself in his own fire, but the other difficulties along the journey are also quite real. Enough so to make the adventure quite moving in its own understated and very realistic way. And did I mention the elephant the hero rides? And Carroll Baker as a pretty nurse who believes in Joe Moses? The credit for the good script, which is very faithful to the original novel by the way, was written by sci fi author Charles Beaumont and Monja Danischewsky. Director Ronald Neame achieved a quite dusty and atmospheric look that is kept remarkably consistent throughout the film's length. Other is the small cast include Ian Bannen, Raymond St. Jacques as the villain, fine veteran Alexander Knox, Reginald Beckwith and Orlando Martins as the village's chief. Cinematography was by Oswald Morris and art direction by Syd Cain. The music was quite good, and provided by John Barry of "007" films' fame. There is not much more to say about this intelligent and delightfully convincing film except to say that it could have been a great deal worse, and could hardly have been improved over what its caring creators gave it. Mitchum is very good as the reluctant savior on elephantback, Baker properly sympathetic; and everyone else consistently good. I find it a fascinating "B" film, helped by its color and made memorable by its straightforward story-line and fundamentally-sound premise. Of course like the earlier Moses, this one could not go to the Promised Land either. See the film for the ending. It's a fine entertainment by anyone's standards, and by mine it never drags, and never preaches either. Which is even better.

Handled with a bit more humor than in the Elia Kazan classic The Wild River, Mister Moses is the story of a Masai village in Kenya which is about to be drowned out with the construction of a new dam. But the tribe clings to the land despite Reverend Alexander Knox's best efforts to persuade them to settle somewhere else with government aid. The government in the person of Ian Bannen is prepared to use more forceful methods. He's got a problem though Bannen is also courting Carroll Baker who is Knox's daughter and the village nurse.

Along comes into everyone's lives comes Joe Moses as played by Robert Mitchum. His entrance is unusual so I won't reveal it. But the tribe who has absorbed the literal biblical truth of the Holy Scripture has decided that he is their Moses and they'll follow Mitchum and only Mitchum to their promised land.

Villain of the piece is Raymond St.Jacques, son of the former witch doctor and one exposed to western ways wants to take over real bad from the old chief Orlando Martins and kick out Baker and Knox. He's got the most interesting part in Mister Moses and really scores in his performance.

As for Mitchum this is his third film with a jungle setting, the first two were White Witch Doctor and Rampage and they were both a great deal more serious in theme. Mitchum looked like he was enjoying himself giving a rollicking performance as only Mitchum can. According to Lee Server's masterly biography on old rumple eyes he and Carroll Baker enjoyed each other's company a lot until Shirley MacLaine arrived for a visit.

And also Mitchum spent a lot of time with an elephant named Emily in the film and Emily almost got fired until they discovered she was a lesbian elephant. Until they sent for her partner Susie, Emily was a most temperamental elephant. This attested to by director Ronald Neame.

Mister Moses is not in the list of great Robert Mitchum parts, but it's one that suited him perfectly and will still be enjoyed by his still legion of fans.

In Mister Moses, Robert Mitchum shows audiences that he could have easily played the title role in Elmer Gantry. He's already proved he should have been Skye Masterson in Guys and Dolls and Stanley in A Streetcar Named Desire; so the next step is to show off his con-man skills. He's a snake oil salesman in Kenya, and after he gets tossed out of one village, he washes ashore by another. This particular village is about to be evacuated by the government because of an impending flood, and their missionary, Alexander Knox, has been trying to teach them the story of Noah's Ark to get them to leave their town. They get their stories a little mixed up, though, and they believe Robert Mitchum, because his name is Moses and he washed up by the river, is a holy prophet there to save them.

In case this sounds stupid to you, keep reading. This movie is adorable! Robert Mitchum shines in a rare comedic role, and even though Carroll Baker isn't the most believable missionary's daughter in the world, it's cute to see her in the middle of a love triangle between Bob and her fiancé, Ian Bannen. The reason this movie is guaranteed to put a smile on your face is because of the elephant. Bob makes friends with a local elephant and he rides atop her in several scenes-how adorable is that? Extremely adorable, so you should check this movie out whenever you need a laugh. It's like Born Free meets The Sundowners meets Elmer Gantry, but with an elephant.