Je rêvais de l'Afrique

This film was a fluff piece that succeeded better as a showcase for Kim Bassinger and Africa's natural beauty than it did at telling this true story. The first hour of the film was a succession of Kodak moments depicting the romantic splendor of Africa and how idyllic it would be to live there. Although they showed the occasional storm and threatening wild animal, every effort was made to emphasize the positives. They glossed over little things like the oppressive heat (Kenya straddles the equator but no one in the film ever broke a sweat), insects (not a mosquito in sight), and the fact that the rainy season is three months long and it often rains nonstop for weeks. The first hour seemed more like an advertisement by the Kenyan ministry of tourism than a feature film. It wasn't until the second hour that the story really centered on the characters.

Filming Africa is a cinematographer's dream. Unfortunately, Director Hugh Hudson seems to have been so enamored with creating beautiful photography (and it was truly magnificent) that he rushed through the dramatic elements to get to the next helicopter shot of wild animals loping across the plains. Many of the important dramatic scenes were not allowed to fully develop, giving a snippet and then cutting away to a completely unrelated scene. This took much of the impact out of the film. One example is the egg hanging over the bed. A big point was made over the fact that Paolo had put something in the egg. Yet, we never learn what it is. Why tease us with this tidbit if he is not going to follow through?

The film had strong conservationist undertones, but they were tastefully done and not overly preachy. The point was made that poaching to hunt elephants for ivory is illegal and unconscionable, but it was presented in a way that wasn't strident and smug. The scenes of dead elephants made the statement in a poignant way, much better than any dialogue could have.

Kim Basinger was excellent as Kuki. She went with a more natural look which was very flattering. The understated makeup used in the film revealed that even at 47, she is still one of the most beautiful women on the planet. However, after a three-year hiatus since L.A. Confidential, she delivered her second consecutive acting triumph, proving that she is more than just a pretty face. Her acting was far more genuine and mature than any role I had seen her play before. After having read an interview she gave about the film, it is clear that Basinger is a strong conservationist and naturalist and she identified strongly with her role, which imbued her performance with great conviction and believability.

This film was good, but it could have been much better. I rated it a 7/10. The locations and photography were marvelous, but the story's power was frayed by inattention to basic filmmaking tenets. If Hudson had spent more time developing the characters and creating continuity for the story, it would have been an exceptional film.

I Dreamed of Africa could have been a better movie, but I became more satisfied with it after seeing that it stayed pretty close to the real story.

Some have criticized the film because they said it showed no problem with malaria, and the people looked as if they were never sweating in Africa's heat.

The 100,000 acre ranch in Africa is located at an altitude of 6000 feet above sea level, and there is no malaria problem there. It is probably somewhat cooler there than other places in Africa also.

I found the film to be pretty good, but I believe the nude scene with Bassinger and her film husband was unnecessary. Does Hollywood believe that every film has to have nudity?

I Dreamed of Africa is a movie based on a true story about a woman who changes her and her son`s life when she goes to live to a ranch in Kenya with her second husband. Some parts of the movie do not make any sense, or they look incomplete. That is because they show how hard living in Kenya is; but they aren`t an important part of the story. Another bad thing about it is that it`s way to predicable: you know that something will happen to Paolo (Kuki`s husband) since the first time he goes away hunting; and every time Ema (short for Emanuel, her son) grabs a snake you prepare yourself for a funeral. It is a shocking movie and you may go out of the movie theater hating Africa; but it shows some important parts of the living difficulties in places like Kenya. Altogether I think that it was a worthwhile movie, specially for us Kenya lovers, and you can get to know amazing parts of African savannahs.

I caught this movie on Bravo last night and I asked myself why I never saw it earlier. It was a true story about an Italian socialite named Kuki Gallman. The movie begins with her out on the town with friends and they have a car accident. As Kuki was recovering from the accident, she begins to wonder if there is any purpose in life out there and if so, what is it? It was like the accident was a major turning point, wake-up call or something that made her yearn for something more than what she had. She falls in love and marries this man who is going to Africa to live on a ranch. Kuki remembered learning about Africa as a child and against her mother's better judgement, she packs up herself and child and moves to Kenya. We see that she is going through many transitions and adjustments from the gleeming socialite to the devastating wiles of Kenya. We hear her say that she wondered what she had gotten herself in to. This was a woman who was chasing poachers, caring for a ranch and having to do a lot on her own as her husband was gone often, nothing that she had grown acustomed to in Italy. However, we saw her grow as a person and as she was growing, she was fufilling what she desired, life with a little bit of meaning. It was tragic when her husband and son both died and so close in time. However, it is people like Kuki who should be appreciated as they work for the good of others and try to make this world a better place. I saw the differences in Kuki from beginning to end as she dealt with frustrations, growing pains and all ingredients that prepare us for our purpose out there. Something I can completely relate to at this point in my own life.

I thought the acting was great, Kim Basinger did an exceptional job. I thought the music was great; I liked the version of "The Rivers of Babylon" and the shots of Kenya that are breathtaking. I have two friends from Africa and my mother did some mission work there three years ago so I have learned about some of the culture and way of life there. Africa is dry and hot but beautiful as well. Kudos to all involved in this movie and to Kuki Gallman for sharing her story.

Great movie about a real life of Kuki Gallman who decided to live in Kenya near of Rift's valley, the story is common like anybody else, the couple is trying to living in a hard place and taking the life more easy, more slowly, however the all kind of problems that allowed is such place is hard to overcome, but the beautiful African landscape gives an expressive fingerprints to the movie!!! Another highlights of the movie is the Eve Marie Saint who even through the years still beauty and fine actress!!