The Fiercest Heart (1961)
Two British soldiers in 1830s South Africa flee military discipline and join a group of Boers heading north on "the Great Trek." In between fighting off Zulu attacks, one of these soldiers falls in love with the trek-leader's granddaughter who has been promised to another man.
Watch Trailer
Cast
Similar titles
Reviews
In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.
A film with more than the usual spoiler issues. Talking about it in any detail feels akin to handing you a gift-wrapped present and saying, "I hope you like it -- It's a thriller about a diabolical secret experiment."
The movie turns out to be a little better than the average. Starting from a romantic formula often seen in the cinema, it ends in the most predictable (and somewhat bland) way.
Very good movie overall, highly recommended. Most of the negative reviews don't have any merit and are all pollitically based. Give this movie a chance at least, and it might give you a different perspective.
Don't expect to find here a sort of Henry King's UNTAMED or ZULU kind, even if this movie belongs to the South African epic tales list. It is especially a very rare movie which I found ONLY in f...pan and scan and black in white copy, I guess from a 16mm print. It's a South African western with good acting and directing from Georges Sherman,a Hollywood vet. Good time waster.
Copyright 6 April 1961 by 20th Century-Fox Film Corp. U.S. release: 26 April 1961. New York opening at neighborhood theaters: 2 August 1961. U.K. release: 26 March 1961. Australian release: August 1961. 91 minutes.SYNOPSIS: Three British army deserters lead a group of Boers into Zulu country.NOTES: Film debut of Rafer Johnson. Photographed in CinemaScope. Westrex Sound System.VIEWER'S GUIDE: Not suitable for children.COMMENT: Dullsville. This "heart" is not so much "fierce" as just plain boring. True, there are at least one or two lively moments and Raymond Massey can always be depended upon to give a solid performance, but most of the other players are little more than excuses to fill up the screen. The story is not only both dull and seen-it-all-many-times-before routine, but it's tricked out with all the usual stock African fauna footage that we've all been made thoroughly familiar with in so many movies before this entry!Even normally reliable Vincent Sherman's direction is steadfastly pedestrian from start to finish. His heart was obviously not in it - - and who would blame him?