WEST OF ZANZIBAR

This film is held by the BFI (ID: 51078).

Synopsis

Story of Arab traders' seduction of Galana tribesmen from their peaceful ways and the efforts of a game warden to bring them back.

 

Context

A rare sequel from Ealing Studios, and a collaboration with the South African company, the Schlesinger Organisation, West of Zanzibar continued the East African adventures of British game warden Bob Payton, the hero of 1951’s Where No Vultures Fly.  The director of both films, Harry Watt, had made a string of movies for Ealing set in parts of the British Empire and had been continually praised for his documentary eye (he was a WWII documentary maker) and aptitude for successfully filming in exotic parts of the world.  His most successful film – Where No Vultures Fly - was the UK’s most popular British film of 1951 and was chosen as that year’s Royal Film Performance (Harper & Porter). 

West of Zanzibar capitalised on the previous film’s success, using the same locations, adventure narrative, and familiar characters and stars (though Sheila Sim replaced Dinah Sheridan as Bob’s wife, mainly because Sheridan, newly married to Rank executive John Davies, was no longer able to travel abroad).  As the contemporary reviews pointed out, however, West of Zanzibar had more political ambitions than its predecessor. 

Where No Vultures Fly was happy to examine the plight of animals but West of Zanzibar’s lofty aims were best voiced by a principal character, Ushingo:  ‘My people need your help more than the animals’.  Unfortunately, the laudable subject matter seems to have been the film’s downfall.  For some critics it was too liberal (Nash) for others not liberal enough.  Thomas Spencer, writing in the Daily Worker claimed, ‘the film’s failure stems from its basically futile plea (for the colonialist) to be allowed to go on ruling Africa in the old way’ (Spencer).

Spencer’s criticism summarises how the film came to be seen, but in March 1954, the critical response was less nuanced, and West of Zanzibar’s success as a beautifully shot action film won it favourable reviews.  It opened in April 1954 and seemed to play well (Billings, p.15), but in August the film was banned by the Kenya Board of Film Censors for being ‘prejudicial to good race relations in the colony’ (Daily Worker, 21 August 1954).  This explicit acknowledgement of the film’s problematic depictions was the start of its gradual disappearance from public view.  GB Films released the film on 16mm in January 1956, but television screenings have been rare and repertory showing have often involved heavy contextualisation (Watt, Pines).  The film barely gets a mention in Charles Barr’s study Ealing Studios, mustering only a couple of sentences in the appendix.

A protectorate of Britain since 1890, Zanzibar gained independence from the Empire at the end of 1963, uniting with Tanganyika to become a semi-autonomous state within Tanzania in 1964. West of Zanzibar, however, only has one sequence in Zanzibar, the remaining part of the film taking place in British East Africa – Uganda gained independence in 1962 and Kenya in December 1963.  

 

Analysis

Critics have noted that West of Zanzibar dodges the issues it raises in profoundly problematic ways (Durgnat, Pines and Landy).  It is justifiable criticism. West of Zanzibar is a film that aimed to stretch beyond the worthy, but essentially anodyne, achievements of its animal protectionist prequel, to tackle a humanitarian question about contemporary Africa (the plight of rural tribes moving to the city), that it cannot hope to answer. 

Edric Connor, giving a dignified performance as the Galana Chieftan, Ushingo, constantly defers to white game warden, Bob Payton (Anthony Steel), for authoritarian advice in his tribe’s major decisions.  And Ushingo’s son, Bethlehem, closes the film saying ‘there must be room for us to grow up and live in peace,’ adding they have to ‘walk before we can run’.  The parent-child discourse dominant in Payton’s relationship with the Galana does fracture occasionally:  In a rare moment of insight the incongruous relationship between the British Empire ex-pats and the African tribes is acknowledged as Payton is dismissed as a ‘government man’ by a youthful tribesman.  But the film depicts this as naïve insolence; a disingenuous comment given the good work that Payton is trying to do.  West of Zanzibar cannot admit to the colonialist’s responsibility in displacing and infantilising the African tribes of its colonies

Worse still, the film shamelessly blames others.  Mombasa, the city where the Galana settle, brings with it the problems of economic survival, criminal temptation and exploitation.  In explaining the swift degeneration of his tribe’s young men into drink and their ease in joining criminal poaching gangs, Ushingo is verbose in quashing the stereotype of the African savage, pointing out that his people are unused to city life.  He berates the judgemental attitude that damns his people but fails to reprimand the criminals who tempt his people in the first place.  West of Zanzibar attempts to redress this balance, presenting the Galana as an innocent people whose ‘savage’ behaviour is influenced by organised criminal gangs.  However, it fails to address the fact that the cities, economic situation, tribal displacement and growth in criminal gangs have developed because of colonial expansion.  Moreover, the film displaces any Empire guilt in its creation of the racist Dhofar (‘the black man is doomed to be slum savages’).  The real problem with East African indigenous populations, West of Zanzibar seems to say, is not the British colonialist who originally displaced them, but the Arab exploiters who take advantage of them. 

This deeply problematic view is typical of the ‘liberal dilemma’ faced by British films attempting to address colonialism and race in the 1950s (Geraghty, 112).  Watt aimed to make a film ‘with the idea of improving race relations’ and was reportedly surprised at the Kenya Board of Film Censors decision to ban it (Daily Worker,28 August 1954).  But as the Kine Weekly’s contemporary review  reveals (it describes the film as having a ‘simple, yet comforting, philosophy’), the British cinemagoing public was not yet ready to stomach a more honestly critical depiction of the British Empire and its role in indigenous displacement.

Dylan Cave 

 

Works Cited

Barr, Charles. Ealing Studios, University of California Press, 1998

Baxter, Beverley. ‘The Balcon Jungle Gets Really Rough’, Evening Standard, 25/3/1954

Billings, Josh. ‘Your films’ Kinematography Weekly, 29/4/1954

Burnup, Peter. ‘A Picture to Clutch at Your Heart’ News of the World, 28/3/1954

Dehn, Paul. ‘Despite Crocs,’ News Chronicle, 26/3/1954

Durgnat, Ray. A Mirror For England  British Movies From Austerity to Affluence, Faber & Faber, 1970

Geraghty, Christine. British Cinema in the Fifties, Routledge, 2000

Harper, Sue & Porter, Vincent. British Cinema of the 1950s, Oxford University Press, 2007

Inglis, Brian. ‘What a Week in the Cinema…Hotch-potch! Bore! Disappointment!’ Daily Sketch, 26 March 1954

Landy, Marcia. British Genres Cinema and Society 1930-1960, Princeton University Press, 1991

Lejeune, C.A.. ‘Gamesmanship’ The Observer, 28/4/1954

Mason, George. ‘West of Zanzibar’ press release, 1954

Mosley, L. ‘From Africa’ Daily Express, 26 March1954

Myers, D. ‘Double Trouble’, The People, 17 May 1953

Nash, R. ‘West of Zanzibar’ Review, The Standard, 26 March 1954

Perry, George. Forever Ealing, Pavilion Books Ltd, 1981

Pines, Jim. ‘West of Zanzibar National Film Theatre Programme Notes’, June 1986

Powell, Dilys. ‘Brightest Africa’ The Sunday Times, 28 March 1954

Spencer, Thomas. ‘No One Answered the Awkward Questions’ Daily Worker, 27 March 1954

Watt, Harry. ‘West of Zanzibar National Film Theatre Programme Notes’, April/May 1974

Whitebait, William. ‘West of Zanzibar’ Review, New Statesman, 3 April 1954

Wilsher, Peter. ‘Good Clean Fun in the Jungle’ Sunday Chronicle, 28 March 1954

Zec, Donald. ‘Mr. Steel Fights Hard...but the jungle wins the day!’ Daily Mirror, 26 March 1954

‘At the Studios: Ealing in Africa’, Kinematograph Weekly, n2368, 13 November 1952, p.13

‘At the Studios: Ealing Hold-Up’, Kinematograph Weekly, n2411, 10 September 1953, p.29

 ‘Report From Africa  Filming “West of Zanzibar”, West London Chronicle, 18 September 1953

West of Zanzibar’ Review, Today’s Cinema, v82 n6978, 25 March 1954 p.6

West of Zanzibar’ Review, Daily Mail, 26 March 1954

‘Vultures Still Fly’, The Daily Telegraph, 27 March 1954

‘New Films’ Reynolds News, 28 March 1954

West of Zanzibar’ Review, The Times, 29 March 1954

West of Zanzibar’ Review, Kinematograph Weekly, n2440, 1 April 1954, p.22

West of Zanzibar’ Review, Variety, 7 April 1954

West of Zanzibar’ Review, Monthly Film Bulletin, v21 n244, May 1954, p.72

‘Film Ban Amazes Director’ Daily Worker, 21 August 1954

‘Entertainment Releases: West of Zanzibar’ Review, Sub-Standard Film, Kinematograph Weekly, n2512, 18 August 1955, p.32

 

 

 

 

Titles

  • WEST OF ZANZIBAR
 

Technical Data

Year:
1954
Running Time:
94 minutes
Film Gauge (Format):
35mm Film
Colour:
Colour (Technicolor)
Sound:
Sound
Footage:
8506 ft
 

Production Credits

Production Countries:
Great Britain
Camera Operator
WATERSON, Chic
Director
WATT, Harry
Producer
BALCON, Michael
Producer
NORMAN, Leslie
2nd Unit Director
BISHOP, Terry
Art Director
MORAHAN, Jim
Assistant Director
MAILER, B.
Assistant Director
MIDDLEMAS, David
Assistant Director
PRIGGEN, Norman
Boom Operator
HITCHCOCK, Claude
Boom Operator
McCOLM, Derek
Camera Assistant
GIBBINGS, R.
Camera Assistant
SMITH, Herbert
Carpenter
FORRET, T.
Carpenter
FRIFT, Richard
cast member
ABDULLAH
cast member
BENSON, Martin
cast member
CABLE, Roy
cast member
CONNOR, Edric
cast member
FATUMA
cast member
ILLING, Peter
cast member
JOHNSON, Edward
cast member
JUMA
cast member
KITAU, Johanna
cast member
LINDSELL, Stuart
cast member
MARION-CRAWFORD, Howard
cast member
MARTINS, Orlando
cast member
OSIELI, David
cast member
SCOTT, Delene
cast member
SHERIDAN, Dinah
cast member
SIM, Sheila
cast member
SIMONS, William
cast member
SKETCH, Bethlehem
cast member
STEEL, Anthony
Clapper/Loader
BROWN, J.
Colour Consultant
BRIDGE, Joan
Composer
RAWSTHORNE, Alan
Conductor
MATHIESON, Dock
Construction Manager
SEARLE, Bill
Consultant
GORDON, J.
Continuity
GRAHAM, Jean
Director of Photography
BEESON, Paul
Editor
BEZENCENET, Peter
Electrician
COOKSEY, J.
Electrician
PECK, J.
Electrician
PRIVETT, A.
Gaffer
WILLET, S.
Genny Operator
KIDWELL, P
Grip
ELKINS, B.
In association with
Schlesinger Organization
Location Manager
DEAN, Tony
Make-up
TURNER, Sid
Marine Co-ordinator
Southern Line, Mombassa
Music Performer
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Presents
Rank Organisation
Production Accountant
JONES, M.
Production Company
Ealing Studios
Production Secretary
TURNER, Janet
Production Supervisor
MASON, Hal
Properties
TAYLOR, B.
Publicity
MASON, George
Screenplay
CATTO, Max
Screenplay
WHITTINGHAM, Jack
Sound
HOWELL, W.A.
Sound Camera Operator
CUMMINGHAM, Robert
Sound Supervisor
DALBY, Stephen
Sound System
Gaumont British - Kalee
Sound System
RCA Sound System
Stills Photography
GOUGH, Roy
Story by
WATT, Harry
Studio
Ealing Studios
Theatrical Distributor
General Film Distributors
Unit Production Manager
KRATZ, Harry
Unit Production Manager
PEERS, David
Wardrobe
MOORE, Kathleen
©
Ealing Studios
 

Countries

 

Genres