646f9e108c An American travels to East Africa, where he tries to find out how his brother died. During the 1950s, American adventurer Matt Campbell arrives in Kenya to join his brother George. George wrote to Matt and urged him to come to Kenya where a very lucrative business opportunity has arisen. After checking himself in a hotel, Matt is visited by a local missionary, by the name of Ralph Hoyt, who informs Matt that his brother George has recently been killed by a member of the Leopard Men religious cult. The cult's aim being the extermination of the White man in Africa. Matt also meets the missionary's pretty niece, anthropologist Ann Wilson and big game hunter Gil Rossi, a Frenchman who was George's business partner. Rossi implies that he, George and a man named Elliott Hastings jointly owned a mine in the bush country beyond Mombasa. Apparently, the mine contained something more precious than gold. However, missionary Ralph Hoyt tells Matt that the mine is most likely worthless and tries to dissuade Matt from seeking the mine. Nevertheless, a funeral for George is planned and they all prepare to travel in the bush country to where Elliott Hastings and George were when George was killed by the mysterious Leopard Men. Matt Campbell is anxious to retrieve his brother's body for burial and also to find out who killed George and why. Given the fact that, at the moment, Kenya is going through the Mau Mau rebellious uprising of the Kikuyu tribes, Matt is not sure of who killed George. Besides, he really wants to know where George's mine is and what it really contains. It could have been worse. As it is, at least some of the actors are excellent, especially Christopher Lee as the only elegant mermber of the party, a dashing French hunter in Africa leading the others into the depths of the jungle to solve the mystery of Cornel Wilde's brother's mysterious death. Cornel Wilde himself appears to be a somewhat rowdy Canadian, and it takes some time for Donna Reed to find any charm in that drunken buccaneer. Leo Genn appears to be a somewhat sanctimonious missionary, but he is too good and placid to be true, and he never made the seminary. There is one more interested party in the treasure hunt, but most interesting are the natives and their behaviour, especially their music - the trumpeteer Eddie Calvert has a guest performance in this colourful safari film, where you also see all kinds of other animals, the hippopotami and the crocodiles being the most impressive seconded by giraffes, and of course there is a tame chimpanzee. <br/><br/>It's not a bad film, there is some excitement and charm to it, the jungle environments are terrific with their hidden dangers, and it's not too long. It's an entertainment with a fresh and nice dialogue, that at least should leave you happy and content afterwards when the curtain has fallen on the exotic drama of how an African sect could be manipulated out of the jungle. It is not clear exactly who this film was aimed at.Filmed in technicolour in Africa,with interiors in the UK with a largely British cast.The two main leads are American.So maybe this was made for the American as well as the British market.The story is rather strange.It seems to be utilising elements of the then current Mau mau uprising in Kenya and renaming them the Leopard people.Instead of seeking independence they are being led by a dotty English missionary,played by Leo Genn in a very unsatisfactory wig,to protect a uranium mine.In the meantime Wilde and Reed are having a truly tiresome romance.Some good location scenes but that is about all of interest.
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