An Elephant Called Slowly (1971)

Don't Believe the Hype

It’s sentimental, ridiculously long and only occasionally funny

It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

One of the film's great tricks is that, for a time, you think it will go down a rabbit hole of unrealistic glorification.

Keen to return to Africa, 'Born Free' actors Bill Travers and Virginia McKenna accept an invitation to mind a friend's rural property in Kenya but are surprised when a trio of elephants join them in this offbeat follow-up of sorts to the iconic 1966 hit. While the film is laden with hit-and-miss humour (including a temperamental, rundown truck), 'An Elephant Called Slowly' is a curious exercise in defying narrative expectations with Travers and McKenna playing exaggerated versions of themselves who keep talking about their experiences filming 'Born Free'. The pair also dual narrate the film at times, and the movie is at its most interesting when the pair argue over details and terminology while narrating. Promising as all this might sound, the central story is never that enticing. Not once do the pair ever seem in real danger (even when a large rhinoceros walks up to them) and the repeated attempts to derive humour from the elephants detract from the other wildlife on display. The most intense scene of the film has the pair playing spectators as a leopard eyes a tame impala and its baby, ready to pounce, and yet far more screen time is dedicated to such shenanigans as the elephants getting into the bath water while Travers is cleaning himself. The film does boast some nifty animated opening credits and the comedy streak gives 'An Elephant Called Slowly' slightly more edge than 'Born Free', however, it remains a difficult film to recommend without some caution. Africa has, however, rarely looked so inviting a place as it does here.

TO ME - this is what dreams are made of!Get up and go! Get on a plane and go to Kenya! Rent a Rover with a name...say the name, and, the engine starts! See beautiful Africa for what it really is - wildlife, landscape, and, beauty! And...if you're lucky enough, like 'Major' Bill Travers, you'll get to go with a beautiful and lovely wife!What dreams are made of! :)Those three elephants at that little oasis that Bill and Virginia live at are just the most beautiful creatures to watch...and, wake-up to!People actually pay a lot of money to get 1/10th of what this safari movie has.This movie is a lost masterpiece of what it's like to 'walk your elephant' in Kenya instead of 'walking your dog' wherever!?!?Plus, the cinematography is A+...beautiful animals, landscapes, and, horizons.The music is what it is...a wonderful and enjoyable representation of the 1960s and 1970s...I love it!This movie, to me, leaves nothing to be desired about Africa's beauty; Africa's animals; Africa's 'everything'...it's priceless! :)I really, and, have always, loved this Travers/McKenna movie-making! This is a movie that everyone can love and appreciate! :)

Gathering up titles to view for my upcoming 900th review,my dad happily caught me by surprise,when he revealed that he had picked up the near-forgotten follow-up to Born Free,which led to me getting ready to find out how slow Slowly could go.The plot:Four years after filming Born Free, Virginia McKenna and Bill Travers are invited to take care of a friends animal home in Africa whilst he goes for an operation.Returning to Africa,Travers and McKenna meet up with all the people and the animals that they met 4 years ago.Along with getting reunited with the animals from the past,the couple also meet three recently orphaned elephants.View on the film:Backed by a silky Jazz score from Howard Blake & Bert Kaempfert,director co-writer/(along with Bill Travers) director James Hill gives the couples travels round Africa a dusty appearance,which gives the title a real sense of adventure.Whilst the couple get to show a playful nature with each other,Hill places the exquisite footage of the animals at the centre of the film.Hill smartly covers the wild life scenes with restrained camera moves that allow the viewer to get a clear view of each animal.Hill's delicate blending of light Adventure and documentary goes from wild dogs hunting their prey,to Pole Pole the elephant (whose tragic, horrific death led to the creation of the Born Free charity) lighting up every scene with the outgoing McKenna and the hilariously grumpy Travers,as the couple discover that elephants are not slow at all.

I was starting to watch this film, shortly after it started and liking nature fils, kept looking. I was pleasantly surprised, as the film showed the african nature in a interesting, quite personal and often funny way.Bill and Ginny are invited by a naturalist friend to take care of his home in Africa while he is away, and they find themselves adopted by three orphan elephants an end, don't want to leave this paradise any more. By living there, they get in contact with a lot of animals and they have to find a way to live with them, hence they need to understand them. Of course they have at first all sorts of funny ideas and prejudices, but slowly discover the real truth through all sorts of funny incidents. All this set before the picturesque landscape of kenya, this makes truly a film to watch for the whole family or everybody who wants to have an enjoyable saturday or sunday arvo. Oh, i forgot. The main character is poly-poly (or slowly-slowly), an adorable 5 year young elephant that follows the couple around like a dog. I really like this film! Enjoy.