

The African Queen
The greatest adventure a man ever lived… with a woman!
At the start of the First World War, in the middle of Africa’s nowhere, a gin soaked riverboat captain is persuaded by a strong-willed missionary to go down river and face-off a German warship.
TMDB
7.3/10
1,106 votes
IMDb
Not rated yet
View on IMDb
- Status
- Released
- Budget
- $1M
- Box office
- $10.8M
- Language
- English
- world war i
- faith
- africa
- missionary
- boat
- river
- hope
- patriotism
- hippopotamus
- giraffe
- methodist church
- animal species
Top billed cast
Behind the camera
Director
Writers
Music
Produced in
United Kingdom, United States of America
Where to watch
All optionsAvailability for India. Provided by JustWatch through the TMDB API.
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Release dates
United StatesUS
- PremiereLos Angeles, California26 Dec 1951
- Theatrical (limited)New York City, New York20 Feb 1952
- TheatricalPG21 Mar 1952
United KingdomGB
- TheatricalPG7 Jan 1952
BrazilBR
- Physical1025 Mar 2010
CzechiaCZ
- Digital / OTT15+22 Oct 2008
DenmarkDK
- Theatrical9 Oct 1952
FranceFR
- Theatrical26 Mar 1952
GermanyDE
- Theatrical618 Aug 1958
IrelandIE
- TheatricalPG7 Jan 1952
JapanJP
- TheatricalG23 Aug 1952
NetherlandsNL
- Physical9DVD16 Jul 2001
- Theatrical9Re-release27 Feb 2011
PortugalPT
- TheatricalEstreado em Los Angeles, California26 Jan 1953
South KoreaKR
- Theatrical15 Dec 1955
Frequently asked questions
The African Queen was released on 7 January 1952.
Audience reviews
3- J10/10
John Chard
3/15/2019
Giants of the silver screen delivering one giant of a movie. WW1, East Africa, after her brother is killed by invading German troops, Rose Sayer is reliant on gruff steamboat captain, Charlie Allnut, to ferry her safely out of harms way and back to civilisation. Trouble is is that they are poles apart in ideals and ways, she is a devoted missionary, he a hard drinking tough nut with a glint in his eye. Yet as th…
- C8/10
CinemaSerf
1/7/2023
Saw this at the BFI in London recently and it looks superb on a big screen. Essentially a two-hander with screen legends Humphrey Bogart and Katharine Hepburn who have to escape the approaching WWI German East African forces by sailing down a river on a boat held together by chewing gum and a lot of good luck! Robert Morley has a small role at the start, and plays it to a "T" - setting us up for a cracking adventure …
- F6/10
Filipe Manuel Neto
10/22/2023
**A film too American in an Africa still dominated by Europeans.** The film is set in colonial Africa during the First World War, near the Lake Tanganyika area, where the borders of the colonies of Rhodesia (British), Belgian Congo and Tanganyika (German) were formed. It all begins with the German attack on a native Rhodesian village where Protestant missionaries were based. After the attacks, the place is visited…
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