March 25 movie: Elephant Walk. All through the movie I was hearing this in my head, and you probably heard it in your head as soon as you read the title. Okay, now that's out of the way. On to the movie.
Elephant Walk was a Dieterle movie starring Elizabeth Taylor, Peter Finch and Dana Andrews as tea plantation owners in Ceylon. According to the intro, the movie originally starred Vivian Leigh, who had a nervous breakdown early on in the filming. Taylor was cast mainly for her close resemblance to Leigh, which allowed them to use the long-shot and over-the-shoulder footage they already had of Leigh.
With the setting and premise they had to work with, this movie should have been more than it was. The most interesting part of the movie to me was the conflict between the British and the indigenous culture, represented by the elephants. Do the British bring progress? arrogance? improvements? imperialism? Are they helping the Sri Lankans or destroying their culture? It's a complicated question that is touched on, frustratingly, but mostly dropped in favor of a romantic melodrama that reminded me somewhat of Rebecca. That's not a criticism, I love Rebecca, but if I want to see Rebecca I'll watch Rebecca.
I probably wouldn't watch this movie again but if I could time it right I would gladly watch the final scene. Which kicks all kinds of ass. Elephants rule, tea farmers drool!
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