Drums of Africa

Although "Drums of Africa" was bankrolled by a major Hollywood studio (Metro Goldwyn Mayer), it seems that the studio executives decided for this particular production to cut costs where possible. This can be seen with the "outdoor" scenes obviously filmed on indoor stages, outdoor locations that look suspiciously like southern California, but most of all with the use of stock footage - a TON of stock footage. In fact, I suspect that the screenwriter was shown this stock footage before starting on his typewriter and was told, "Write a story that uses all of this stock footage." It would explain why there is barely a plot on display. Most of the movie consists of the characters wandering around the jungle and African plains with little to nothing of consequence happening. In the end, this is far from Frankie's finest hour... that is, if he ever had a fine hour.

With enough location footage shot from King Solomon's Mines to give Drums Of Africa a smidgen of authenticity MGM saved a lot of bucks not sending Frankie Avalon and the rest of the cast to East Africa for some real location shooting. No way was MGM going to spend a lot on what is clearly a B picture film.

Although Frankie Avalon is top billed he's in support of Lloyd Bochner, Mariette Hartley, and Torin Thatcher. Bochner plays an engineer commissioned to find a better route, part of that Cape to Cairo scheme the British had in those days. Avalon is the nephew of the owner and his American speech is explained as Frankie being Canadian. As is missionary Mariette Hartley. Torin Thatcher is the best known white hunter/guide in Africa spelled C-o-u-r-t-m-a-y-n lest we have to pay the estate of H. Rider Haggard.

Thatcher hates the railroad it will spoil his Africa. Hartley likes the idea of having her medical supplies delivered to her door without a big safari to get it and bring it back. She also likes Bochner.

Lloyd Bochner played mostly heels in his career and he's one here. But he's also called on to be a hero and someone like Tyrone Power made that a specialty, but it doesn't wear well on Lloyd Bochner.

Everybody however hates the slave traders and when they capture Hartley and some of her charges we go into action.

All that's left is a Frankie Avalon song, one of his most forgettable. This film is like eating leftovers.

Lloyd Bochner and Frankie Avalon are comical as the "bwanas" in this low-budget Hatari rip-off. Poor Mariette Hartley had this as her second movie. She has compared following the brilliant Ride The High Country with Drums of Africa to going from President to janitor in 2 days. This is overrating this incredible abomination. Poor Hari Rhodes looks ashamed to be seen by the camera in this mess.

This film may have been a first feature shown before a main feature back in 1963. Warner Archive has just released this on DVD. I know the scenes of charging animals were intercut from "King Solomons Mines" (1950), however it is not as bad as one might think. Llyod Bochner does a good job as the engineer bent on getting his railroad built through the African Jungle. Frankie Avalon is there for comic relief and to sing a song. Yes the action is silly, and the dialog is sometimes laughable, but it is still a fun 91 minute time passer. Mariette Hartley is the love interest.

*** not so bad.

Lloyd Bochner's character lectures Frankie Avalon about women. He says there are ten thousand million women in the world. This is 1897. 10,000 million is 10 billion. Wow. They weren't even trying.