Out of Africa (1985)

VHS COVER/SIDE

Length of film: 161 Minutes

Rated: PG

Genre: Biography, Drama Romance

Director: Sydney Pollack

Starring: Meryl Streep, Robert Redford, Klaus Maria Brandauer, Michael Kitchen, Malick Bowens

IMDB Rank: 7.2/10

Part 1 Time: 66 Minutes

Part 2 Time: 95 Minutes

Where does the first part end? Karen (Meryl Streep) leaves Africa and returns home to Denmark to seek treatment and recover from Syphilis.

Final line of dialogue on the first part: “I knew I would come back to it, sick or well, sane or mad someday, and so I did after supper. Karen Narrates as she leaves for Denmark.

First line of dialogue on the second part:  “Almost everyones got one now” Bror (Laus Maria Brandauer) speaking about the car, which he meets Karen as he picks her up from the train station following her successful treatment.

How jarring is it when the first part ends?  None, Karen returns to Africa fully healed. Her marriage with with Bror is heavily stressed due to his unfaithfulness. Will this untruthfulness effect the coffee farm and the Blixen’s land business .

Which part is better? Part two is better as it shows the growing relationship between Denys (Robert Redford) and Karen. We see her desire and caring nature toward the Kikuyu people and her commitment to keeping these people shielded from outside threats.

Academy Awards:Best Picture, Best Director, Best Writing-Based on Matrial from Another Medium, best Cinematography, Best Art Direction-Set Decoration, Best Sound, Best Music- Original Score, Best Leading Actress (Nominated- Meryl Streep), Best Supporting Actor (Nominated-Klaus Maria Brandauer), Best Costume Design (Nominated), Best Film Editing (Nominated),