Something of Value (1957)

Director:

Richard Brooks

Writers:

Richard Brooks (screenplay)
Robert C. Ruark (novel)

Release Date:

June 1957 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | War

Plot:

Even though Peter and Kimani grow up together, Kimani soon finds that different races are treated differently...

Plot Keywords:

Tribal Customs | Custom | Death | Rebel | Children

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Rock Hudson	...	Henry's Son - Peter
Dana Wynter	...	Peter's Betrothed - Holly
Wendy Hiller	...	Henry's Daughter - Elizabeth
Juano Hernandez	...	Njogu, Oath Giver
William Marshall	...	Leader, Intellectual in Suit
Robert Beatty	...	Elizabeth's Husband - Jeff Newton
Walter Fitzgerald	...	A White Settler - Henry McKenzie
Michael Pate	...	A Farmer - Joe Matson
Ivan Dixon	...	Lathela, Loyal Gun-Bearer
Ken Renard	...	Karanja, Father of Kimani
Samadu Jackson	...	Witch Doctor
Frederick O'Neal	...	Adam Marenga, Mau-Mau Leader
Sidney Poitier	...	Kimani Wa Karanja
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
John Akar	...	Waithaka (uncredited)
John Alderson	...	Policeman (uncredited)
Myrtle Anderson	...	Mwange Wife (uncredited)
Robert Anderson	...	Mr. Barker, the Client (uncredited)
Barry Bernard	...	Superintendent (uncredited)
Wesley Bly	...	Night Clerk (uncredited)
Naaman Brown	...	Hand Clerk (uncredited)
Angela Cartwright	...	Caroline (uncredited)
Carl Christian	...	Cook (uncredited)
Winston Churchill	...	Himself (uncredited) (archive footage)
Leslie Denison	...	Crown Consul (uncredited)
John Dodsworth	...	Doctor (uncredited)
Barbara Foley	...	Wanju, Wife of Kimani (uncredited)
Wilton Graff	...	Captain Hillary (uncredited)
Kim Hamilton	...	Kipi's Wife (uncredited)
Darby Jones	...	Wine Steward (uncredited)
Ike Jones	...	Askari (Policeman) (uncredited)
Charles Keane	...	Ranger (uncredited)
Bruce Lester	...	Physician, McKenzie Massacre (uncredited)
Jack Lynn	...	Doctor (uncredited)
Anna Mabry	...	Midwife (uncredited)
Lester Matthews	...	Game Warden (uncredited)
Juanita Moore	...	Tribal Woman (uncredited)
Tommie Moore	...	Tribal Woman (uncredited)
Barbara Morrison	...	Nurse (uncredited)
Paulene Myers	...	Kikuyu Woman (uncredited)
Ottola Nesmith	...	Nurse, Nairobi Hospital (uncredited)
Duncan Richardson	...	Jeff Newton Jr. (uncredited)
Morgan Roberts	...	Chief Hinga (uncredited)
Garry Stafford	...	Little Henry (uncredited)
Madame Sul-Te-Wan	...	Midwife (uncredited)
Paul Thompson	...	Kipi (uncredited)

Directed by
Richard Brooks

Writing credits
Richard Brooks		screenplay &
Robert C. Ruark		novel "Something of Value"

Produced by
Pandro S. Berman	....	producer

Original Music by
Miklós Rózsa		(as Miklos Rozsa)

Cinematography by
Russell Harlan		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Ferris Webster

Art Direction by
Edward C. Carfagno		(as Edward Carfagno)
William A. Horning

Set Decoration by
Robert R. Benton		(as Robert Benton)
Henry Grace
Edwin B. Willis

Makeup Department
Sydney Guilaroff	....	hair stylist
William Tuttle	....	makeup designer

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Joel Freeman	....	assistant director

Sound Department
Wesley C. Miller	....	recording supervisor (as Dr. Wesley C. Miller)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Helen Rose	....	wardrobe

Music Department
Eugene Zador	....	orchestrator (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Distributors

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1957) (USA) (theatrical)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1963) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Warner Home Video (2009) (USA) (DVD)

Also Known As:

Africa Ablaze (USA) (reissue title)

Runtime:

113 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Perspecta Stereo (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15

Filming Locations:

Africa

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

Rock Hudson himself drove the film crew round the Nairobi National Park, with the stand-in for his co-star next to him. The crew and game warden were in the back of the semi-open Land Rover. Although all the animals in the park were wild they were used to vehicles. Many shots of various animals were taken, including baboons. For the latter Hudson threw peanuts onto the front of the vehicle. One half-grown male, seeing the actual source of this food, jumped through the half-door onto Hudson's lap, stole some extra peanuts and even snatched a lipstick from the hand of the stand-in. Hudson grabbed the baboon by the scruff of the neck, calmly took back the lipstick and threw the animal out.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Rock Hudson's Home Movies (1992)

Yes it is...

This movie is really something of value.Rock HUdson's character says "we steal their earth and their religion,we 've got to give them something of value instead".Actually,Richard Brookes applied to Africa what he 'd done two years back with "the last hunt" where the white men killed the buffalos and starved the Indians.They even despised their belief by killing even the White animal.

Preceded by "Simba" an English movie starring Dirk Bogarde whose screenplay shows a lot of similarities with "something of value' Brooks 's work seems nevertheless superior ,because it has very strong scenes:Poitier,smashing the mirror with disgust after the killing,the informer killed on the barbed wire by the other prisoners;the old man ,afraid of thunder.This last scene may seem naive ,nay insulting for the natives ,but it was fifty years ago.People who criticize the movie should think about it:in 1957,it was a courageous movie,as "the last hunt" was.