The Southern Star

Yes, The Southern Star features a pretty forgettable title tune sung by that heavy set crooner Matt Monro. It pretty much establishes the tone for this bloated and rather dull feature, stunningly miscast with George Segal and Ursula Andress as an adventurous couple in search of a large diamond. Add in Harry Andrews (with a strange accent, no less) chasing an ostrich, tons of stock footage of wildlife, and poorly composed and dull photography by Raoul Coutard, and you end up with a thoroughly unexciting romp through the jungles of Senegal.

Part of the Orson Welles Collection from Mill Creek DVD, this one opens with Dan (George Segal , the boss on "Just Shoot Me") sleeping on a cot, at a diamond mine; the book he was reading says "Geology for Beginners", so clearly he can't be trusted. The workers have found a giant diamond, and Dan arbitrarily decides that it is a genuine, valuable diamond. The beautiful Ursula Andress, famous for the James Bond films, and of course posing in Playboy, is in here. She is Erica, the daughter of the local rich man "Kramer", who has purchased or taken the diamond. Everybody is after the diamond, and wacky hyjinx follow. A hokey bar-room brawl. Ian Hendry seems to be the local deputy, but also seems to be involved in the shenanigans, as well as being Erica's ex. All rather confusing. Lots of old, faded, stock animal footage from old Africa, although it looks like some of the critters might be from Australia. or not. They end all up at the compound of "Plankett", a smaller role for Orson Welles. Good performance from Johnny Sekka.

Much female frontal nudity at the native dance scene. Jules Verne gets writing credit, but apparently it is a rewrite of an earlier novel. Directed by Sidney Hayers, who had worked on some films and whole lot of TV. A good watch... not anything spectacular, but it does have a comical flair to it. With the upbeat music, it's more of a madcap caper than a serious manhunt to the death.

The Southern Star is based on a novel by Jules Verne ,one published under a number of different titles .It is most widely known by the title used in the movie but has also been published as "The Southern Star Mystery" and "The Vanished Diamond".

The setting is French West Africa(changed from South Africa in the novel) and the period is immediately before the outbreak of World War One. The star is a large diamond which goes missing and is found by banjo playing American geologist Dan (George Segal).It is actually the property of business tycoon Kramer (Harry Andrews) whose daughter Erica (Ursula Andress)Dan is in love with .Complicating matters is the fact that Kramer's head of security Karl(Ian Hendry)is also after both the diamond and Erica and has a large force of men to ensure he gets both .In particular he has a sidekick Plankett (Orson Welles) a ,man fond of drilling his troops to records of bugle music .

The greatest asset of the movie is its striking location photography of Senegal which ensures the movie is always good to look at .It is also pretty well acted -although I did wonder how Ursula Andress managed to get her hands on full make up ,including mascara ,in the jungle .Welles in particular seems to be enjoying himself hugely .

the action when it comes is fine and the movie has a lot of humour -which is my big problem with it .I prefer my period adventure straight and details like the banjo playing and bugle records grate on me a tad Its a minor grouse ,nothing more and the movie is an enjoyable romp that may have relatively little to do with Verne but is a pleasant diversion on a wet and windy afternoon

'The Southern Star' is a cracking Adventure Caper based on a Jules Verne novel, It's set in the beautifully widescreen photographed plains of Africa Circa 1900. The title refers to a massive Diamond discovered by George Segal in a river bed,It is taken from Segal by pompous Kramer Harry Andrews, It is later snacthed by appealing African actor Johnny Sekka, with Segal's love interest and Kramer's daughter (the ravishing Ursula Andress) in tow the pair go off in search of the elusive stone, Ian Hendry is the pursuing former lover of Andress intent on claiming the stone, George Segal was at the fledgling height of his popularity here as ever he is always watchable what ever role he is cast in. Check out the 'revealing' river bathing scene with Ursula Andress it goes to show why she will always be remembered as the consummate Bond girl. Orson Welles has a small role as an over the top Gay/Camp Sgt Major. All in all 'The Southern Stone' is a great picture. i'm glad that it's finally available on DVD the quality is great.

The Southern Star is a very big diamond. Someone steals it. George Segal and Ursula Andress, pursued by Ian Hendry, all hampered by the dipsomaniac homosexual ex-Major Orson Welles, attempt to retrieve it, and have encounters with wildlife, humour and danger along the way.

Typically for a 60s Africa movie, the best things about it are the wildlife shots.

Ostriches cause amusing chaos, cobras are scary, hippos are much less frightening than they look, antelopes leap, lions are fierce - you know the sort of thing.

Orson Welles, as usual, steals every scene he's in, and Harry Andrews's obvious enthusiasm for tribal music is a fairly eye-popping sight. Naturally, we have a lengthy scene in which Ursula Andress swims around naked in the lake for the cheesecake shots.

The main action consists of Hendry and some henchmen tracking Segal and Andress through the jungle and is wholly unabsorbing.

There's nothing objectionable or offensive about this movie, but there's nothing much to recommend it either.