Daily Dialogue — July 2, 2012

“By the authority vested in me by Kaiser William II, I pronounce you man and wife. Proceed with the execution.”

— Captain of Louisa (Peter Bull), The African Queen (1951), screenplay by James Agee & John Huston, based on a novel by C.S. Forester

The Daily Dialogue theme for the week is gallows humor suggested by churnage. Today’s suggestion by Shaula Evans.

Trivia: Walt Disney used this film as the basis for the Disneyland’s “Jungle Cruise” attraction.

Dialogue On Dialogue: Shaula with some background:

C.S. Forester wrote two different final scenes for his book; one was published in England, the other in America. In the more widely published American version, Rose Sayer and Charlie Allnut are turned over to British officers, who then blow up the Louisa. In the British version, the African Queen hits the Louisa and destroys it, after which Rose and Charlie walk down the beach to inform the British Army that the way is now clear. In a modern interview, Peter Viertel said that since he and John Huston wanted Rose and Charlie to be together at the final scene, and invented a way for them to be married on the German ship to avoid censorship.

Also this role was the only one for which Bogart won an Oscar. 

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