Main Cast: Patrick Bergin, Iain Glen, Richard E. Grant, Fiona Shaw, John Savident, Peter Vaughan
Release Year: 1990
Country: US
Run Time: 140 minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Plot
Director Bob Rafelson fulfilled a lifelong dream when he finally received backing to complete Mountains of the Moon. The film recreates the exploratory adventures of 19th century visionaries Sir Richard Burton (Patrick Bergin) and John Henning Speke (Iain Glen). The heart of the film is the effort by Burton and Speke to discover the true source of the Nile river. This occurs well into the film, after several torturous scenes involving the injuries sustained by the protagonists during other expeditions and their growing friendship (which, the film intimates, goes far beyond friendship). Rafaelson's fascination with this story, and his insistence upon painstaking historical accuracy, unfortunately compromises his ability to make an interesting film. There are so many starts and stops during the first half that we sincerely hope Burton and Speke will chuck it all and set up a pub in Bristol or something. What saves Mountains of the Moon is the rapport between its stars and the brilliant, epic-like cinematography of Roger Deakins. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Review
Bob Rafelson achieved fame as a director in the early 1970s with Five Easy Pieces, and he had tried ever since to bring the story of explorers Richard Burton and John Hanning Speke to the screen. He finally realized that ambition in 1990 with the epic adventure Mountains of the Moon. Given its scope, the film was a rather unusual release: The director's previous two films were the decidedly lower-scale films noirsThe Postman Always Rings Twice and Black Widow. Mountains plays like a cross between a big-screen epic and the smaller character studies more common in Rafelson's previous work. He's aided by the striking cinematography of Roger Deakins (who would go on to shoot Fargo and Kundun), and the surprisingly effective performances of Patrick Bergin and Iain Glen. The screenplay by Rafelson and William Harrison is based on Harrison's biographical novel, as well as the actual diaries of Burton and Speke. ~ Brendon Hanley, All Movie Guide
Anna Massey - Mrs. Arundell; Roger Rees - Edgar Papworth; James Villiers - Lord Oliphant; Bernard Hill - Dr. David Livingstone; Leslie Phillips - Mr. Arundell; Delroy Lindo - Mabruki; Paul Onsongo - Sidi Bombay; Peter Eyre - Norton Shaw; Omar Sharif; Roshan Seth - Ben Amir; Doreen Mantle - Mrs. Speke; Pip Torrens - Lt. Hesketh; Frances Cuka - Lady Houghton; Roger Ashton-Griffiths - Lord Cowley; Asiba Asiba - Nubian Servant; Richard Caldicot - Lord Russell; Bill Croasdale - 2nd Reporter; Craig Crosbie - Swinburne; Christopher Fulford - Herne; Jimmy Gardner - Jarvis; Stewart Harwood - Attendant; Zam Zam Issa - Somali Girl; Pineniece Joshua - Somali Girl; Leonard Juma - Jemadar; Renny Krupinski - Reporter; Patrick Letladi - Bearer; Alison Limerick - Sorceress; George Malpas - Lead Actor; Matthew Marsh - William; Konga Mbandu - Bearer; Fikile Mdleleni - Bearer; Norta Muhammed - Somali Girl; Wilson Ng'Ong'A - Bearer; Bheki Tonto Ngema - Ngola; Rocks Nhlapo - Bearer; Esther Njiru - Lema; Ralph Nossek - Doctor; Martin Okello - Veldu; Michael Otieno - Bearer; Adrian Rawlins - Edward; Fatima Said - Somali Girl; Ian Vincent - Lt. Allen; Philip Voss - Col. Rigby; Robert Whelan - 1st Reporter; Rod Woodruff - Fencer; Celestia Fox; Garry Cooper - Stroyan
Credit
Maurice Fowler - Art Director, Fred Hole - Art Director, Eleanor Fazan - Choreography, Jenny Beavan - Costume Designer, John Bright - Costume Designer, Bob Rafelson - Director, Thom Noble - Editor, Mario Kassar - Executive Producer, Andrew G. Vajna - Executive Producer, Christine Beveridge - Makeup, Norman Reynolds - Production Designer, Roger Deakins - Cinematographer, Daniel Melnick - Producer, Harry Cordwell - Set Designer, David Harris - Special Effects, Alf Joint - Stunts, William Harrison - Screenwriter, Bob Rafelson - Screenwriter, William Harrison - Book Author
Mountains of the Moon is a 1990 theatrical film depicting the 1857-58 journey of Richard Francis Burton and John Hanning Speke in their expedition to central Africa — the project that culminated in Speke's discovery of the source of the Nile River. The expedition led to a bitter rivalry between the two men. The film stars Patrick Bergin as Burton and Iain Glen as Speke.
The film was directed by Bob Rafelson, for whom this was something of a dream project. It was based on the novel Burton and Speke by William Harrison. The narrative concentrates on the relationship between the two very different men.
The film should not be regarded as a particularly accurate portrayal of actual events.[citation needed] Burton was one of the foremost linguists of his day, yet in the movie he is shown communicating to the Africans he meets only through an interpreter.
Music
The original music was composed by Michael Small, who incorporated genuine traditional African music into a traditional orchestral palette. The soundtrack album was released on Polydor Records, but is long out of print. There are two major themes, one for Burton and the other for Africa. There is also a love theme for Burton's relationship to Isabell Arundell.
