Tanganica, O Inferno da Selva

Very few Americans were in Kenya Colony in East Africa in 1903. So in casting the film Tanganyika Universal Studios cast not one of the major white roles in the film with anyone from the United Kingdom. It used to be that to explain an American presence and accent to say that they were Canadian. In fact Ruth Roman is mentioned as having taught school in Toronto. So I guess all the others Van Heflin, Howard Duff, and Jeff Morrow must have been Canadian too.

In a plot that could have been from an American western, colonist Van Heflin is leading a safari that is an unofficial posse going after Jeff Morrow an escaped murderer who's been stirring up the natives though we never really learn why. On the way he meets up with Ruth Roman who is fending off an attack and she comes along with her young niece and nephew Noreen Corocoran and Gregory Marshall. Heflin also finds Howard Duff along the trail with a spear in him. Another rescue and some mending by Duff and there all on the trail of Morrow. Both Duff and Roman just want to get to some city like Nairobi but Heflin won't deviate from his objective.

Just your average western set in Africa. One thing that intrigued me though. No mention is made of African location shooting. So if that was the case it was a remarkable job by Universal making it seem really in Africa.

Fans of the principal cast members will like Tanganyika.