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History given new life,twists in MountainsBy SCOTT HARPER SUIT WriterHow many of yoa non-history teachers have heard of the English explorer Capt. Richard Francis Burton? How about LI. John Hanmng Speke?Me neither.So I was slightly more than apprehensive about going to a movie about these two historical footnotes, fearful that I was in for two hours of docu-quibble.But after five minutes of “Mountains of the Moon/' my first impressions were: How did I miss this in history class7 And why didn't my teacher talk more about these two guys?Told in neb, startling detail by artistic director Bob Rafelson, this story describes how these two vastly different men fought, struggled and limped their way through the African continent in the raid-130Qs in search of the source of the NQe River.Victorian England was as thirsty for details of the search as modem American is of Donald Trump stories. The secret of where the wildestWHEN YOU GOWHAT: MOUNTAINS OF THE MOON. _ _WHO: Patrick Bergm, lain Glen and Fiona Shaw WHERE: Not in county RATING: HCAPfTAL RATING: * * * *Top raring Is five stareriver in the world actually started became one of the last prizes formen of adventure like Burton andSpeke.And their story, based on a biographical novel by William Ham-sion, who also co-wrote the scree* play, proves as stirring today as it did more than 100 years ago.The name “Mountains of the Moon stems from African legend and ancient geographers, who suspected that the headwaters originated in some mysterious, remote area that was nearly inaccessible.Burton, played superbly by British actor Patrick Bergin, who bears a striking to Kevin fHiueria-obsessedwith finding the Nile's source. But his attraction is based more on scientific, cultural reasons.Speke, on the other hand, played coldly by Iain Glen, seems more Interested inrtus own personal lame and elevating his family name in stuffy British social ranksBut the two strike an unusual friendship, sort of like Felix and Oscar, as they, the only white men for thousands of miles, track through areas not on any map, just wandering.They run into brutal tribesman, who kill their African porters in front of their eyes to test their will. They run into blinding desert storms Ridiculous heat. Insects that almost kill Speke Famine. Disease that nearly cripples Burton.And Rafelson pulls no punches in showing us these hardships. One almost begins to feel as gritty and sweaty and exhausted as the party of explorers we see on the screen.One element missing from the film, however, is a sense of timing We keep witnessing these events and tragedies but we never really know how long it is taking for-the exp lor-Richard Burton (played by Patrick Spake (lain Qian) search for the sou of the Moon.”ers to make their way to the source.Rafelson does employ some narrative, of Burton writing letters out loud to his fiancee (Fiona Shaw) in London But this tactic does not give the audience enough background.Such a shortcoming, however, can* not ruin the power and beauty of this film, which is something even nonhistory teachers can remember.If only they taught history with such visual aids.
Newspaper Details
Capital Gazette
Annapolis, Maryland, US
Fri, May 18, 1990
Page 55
Full Page
Clipped by
Jon C.
NJ, USA 17 Jan 2020
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