***SPOILERS*** ***SPOILERS*** Most of this written-for-Baclanova vehicle is mired in racial stereotyping, and it's somewhat of a chore to sit through. Doing so will produce a satisfying conclusion, but it is heavy going.
Clive Brook is on hand as the icy husband of steamy Olga. He portrays Frank Gregory, the British colonial representative in 'darkest Africa'. As the film opens, he is seen resolving a marital dispute for the natives in his official capacity. At home, wife Tania (Baclanova) is creating one of her own with Frank's assistant Peter Allerton (Leslie Fenton). Tania is hot and unrestrained in her pursuit of his attention. Upon Frank's return, the internal conflict Allerton feels between loyalty to his boss and the love of Tanya leads to much blabbering by Fenton. [A really poor scene]. He storms out, a shot is heard. Frank and Tanya cross the room, go out onto the veranda, walk over to the railing, and THEN, Allerton pops out through a window to the ground. I thought, how nice of him, after committing suicide he waited until a crowd gathered, went to the window and threw himself out.
Well let's just blame it on Africa like the characters do throughout the film. The scripters continually point to the continent as some sort of black hole that sucks culture, manners and intellect out of humans. Dressing for dinner (black tie, of course) is seen as essential to maintaining the 'British' moral code. Can putting on lots of clothing in a tropical climate be sane?
Neil Hamilton as Allerton's replacement fares better in a bad role. He plays Frank's brother. Inexplicably, when drums are heard, Frank explains that's a native fertility celebration, and sends brother Bobby and Tania to go see. This gives the film its shining moment, Olga Baclanova erupts with smoldering sensuality. A very unusual scene for any era, her sexual explicitness would have been felt in the back row of any theater.
Olga sings and plays piano in the film, which makes it a treat for her fans. But, sadly, 'The Woman Who Needed Killing' is not a picture that needed making.
Clive Brook is on hand as the icy husband of steamy Olga. He portrays Frank Gregory, the British colonial representative in 'darkest Africa'. As the film opens, he is seen resolving a marital dispute for the natives in his official capacity. At home, wife Tania (Baclanova) is creating one of her own with Frank's assistant Peter Allerton (Leslie Fenton). Tania is hot and unrestrained in her pursuit of his attention. Upon Frank's return, the internal conflict Allerton feels between loyalty to his boss and the love of Tanya leads to much blabbering by Fenton. [A really poor scene]. He storms out, a shot is heard. Frank and Tanya cross the room, go out onto the veranda, walk over to the railing, and THEN, Allerton pops out through a window to the ground. I thought, how nice of him, after committing suicide he waited until a crowd gathered, went to the window and threw himself out.
Well let's just blame it on Africa like the characters do throughout the film. The scripters continually point to the continent as some sort of black hole that sucks culture, manners and intellect out of humans. Dressing for dinner (black tie, of course) is seen as essential to maintaining the 'British' moral code. Can putting on lots of clothing in a tropical climate be sane?
Neil Hamilton as Allerton's replacement fares better in a bad role. He plays Frank's brother. Inexplicably, when drums are heard, Frank explains that's a native fertility celebration, and sends brother Bobby and Tania to go see. This gives the film its shining moment, Olga Baclanova erupts with smoldering sensuality. A very unusual scene for any era, her sexual explicitness would have been felt in the back row of any theater.
Olga sings and plays piano in the film, which makes it a treat for her fans. But, sadly, 'The Woman Who Needed Killing' is not a picture that needed making.
