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Big Game Hunting in Africa
Also known as [Hunting Big Game in Africa], [Roosevelt in Africa]
(1909) United States of America
B&W : One reel / 950 feet
Directed by Otis Turner and Frank Boggs (Francis Boggs)
Cast: [?] ? [Theodore Roosevelt], [?] ? [Menelik Dodo]
The Selig Polyscope Company, Incorporated, production; distributed by The Selig Polyscope Company, Incorporated. / Produced by William N. Selig. Cinematography by Tom Persons. / Released 21 May 1909. / Standard 35mm spherical 1.33:1 format. / The film features an actor portraying former president Theodore Roosevelt on his African safari.
Comedy-Drama: Documentary.
Synopsis: Faked safari expedition documentary. // [?] [From The Moving Picture World]? A lion run is discovered, and, unmindful of promises which must be fulfilled, they prepare to secure a fine specimen. This is accomplished by building a trap, a large hole dug in the soft earth and carefully covered with canebrake and jungle grass. This being arranged, a toothsome goat is bound upon a jutting rock directly in the monarch’s path in such manner that the hidden trap must be crossed before the bait can be reached. The party then conceal themselves and await results. The lion soon finds his prey, and unwittingly walks into the pitfall. The bearers rush forward a cage, brought along for that purpose, and a magnificent jungle monarch is soon started on his long journey to America. But our party came to Africa to hunt, and our mighty leader has promised himself that he will add to his list of big game brought down by my rifle, “at least one King of Beasts.” Menelik Dodo, a noted tracker of big game, leads our hunter to a spot where his desire can be fulfilled. We first see Menelik on the king’s track. Our hunter conceals himself in a thicket to the windward side of a spring, where Menelik declares the forest lord is wont to drink. This proves to be correct, as a handsome male specimen soon trots leisurely into view. There is a sharp report and the startled animal springs in the air, whirls out of sight for a moment, then charges direct at our hunter. The repeating rifle cracks again, and the king is down with an ounce of lead in his brain, and the wish of years has been gratified, he has shot his first lion. The bearers arrive and swing the trophy on a pole and carry it triumphantly to camp. An expert taxidermist is called in and this once lordly beast who has roamed the African jungles as a monarch, soon yields all that is lasting of his majestic beauty, to adorn the floor of a Long Island den. Our hunters prepare to rest after their strenuous labors and all retire, dee-lighted with their first day in the jungles.
Reviews: [The Moving Picture World, 29 May [?] 1915?, page ?] It is a clearly audacious mixture of the real and unreal, although there are many, no doubt, who would accept the whole thing as absolutely natural throughout. The earlier scenes show Mr. Roosevelt and his party in Africa just as one may roughly imagine them to have been when they got to their animal-killing business. Unless we are mistaken there is a mixture of Indian and African costumes in the dressing of the natives, but the whole thing is full of movement and shows great resource on the part of the producers . . . . It is all very cleverly done. The real interest of the film centers, however, in the photography — which was presumably done at Chicago — of a real lion. There is no doubt about this lion; he stalks majestically about the picture, thus enabling an audience to realize how a lion would look, not on the war path, but peaceably ambling about among natural surroundings.
Survival status: (unknown)
Current rights holder: Public domain [USA].
Keywords: Africa - Presidents: USA: Theodore Roosevelt
Listing updated: 22 August 2023.
References: Lahue-Selig pp. 15, 51-53, 54; Pitts-Hollywood p. 3 : Website-AFI; Website-IMDb.
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