The Critics' Corner on MOGAMBO

Mogambo was filmed for $3.1 million and made more than $5 million for MGM on its initial release in the U.S., making it the eighth highest-grossing film of 1953. Its worldwide grosses would come to $8.2 million. It also has the highest initial gross of any picture from director John Ford.

"Gable plays his he-man part with the bemused ease to be expected of a man who has done the same thing many times before." -- Time.

"Gable certainly doesn't have the animal magnetism he had in the earlier version, but when Gardner and Kelly bitch at each other, doing battle for him, they're vastly entertaining anyway. (Gardner has never seemed happier.) The director, John Ford, got a little carried away with African wildlife (Red Dust [1932] was faster and funnier), but this sexual melodrama never takes itself too seriously." -- Pauline Kael, 5001 Nights at the Movies.

"The insolent sex talk of the original is here toned down, and the relaxed rumbustiousness of the safari love triangle is wholly in keeping with Ford's holidaying inclinations at the time. Half-hearted, half-baked, and at least half-watchable." - Paul Taylor, TimeOut Film Guide.

"...it's a socko package of entertainment, crammed with sexy two-fisted adventure...John Lee Mahin's dialog and situations are unusually zippy and adult. Ava Gardner feeding a baby rhino and elephant, and her petulant storming at a pet boa constrictor to stay out of her bed, are good touches." - Variety Movie Guide.

"Amiable, flabby remake of Red Dust, with direction scarely in evidence and the gorillas out-acting a genial cast." - Halliwell Film & Video Guide.

AWARDS & HONORS

Mogambo received two Oscar® nominations: Ava Gardner for Best Actress and Grace Kelly for Best Supporting Actress. Gardner lost to Audrey Hepburn in Roman Holiday (1953), while Kelly lost to Donna Reed in From Here to Eternity (1953). Kelly would win Best Actress the following year for The Country Girl (1954).

Grace Kelly won the Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress.

Mogambo was nominated for a British Academy Award® (BAFTA) as Best Film from any Source. It lost to the French classic Forbidden Games (1952).

by Frank Miller