MovieChat Forums > King Solomon's Mines (2004) Discussion > I didn't think this would be good...

I didn't think this would be good...

posted 20 years ago by Trashmaster
12 replies | jump to latest

When I first found out that Patrick Swayze was playing the lead part of KSM, I didn't think that it would be too good. Boy was I right. If I'm not mistaken, Allan Quartermain, a son of Britain, had most likely an ENGLISH ACCENT. Now, when I hear the accent that Swayze pulled off, he sounded like he was from illinois. I can't say that I've liked these other adaptations of Haggard's classic, but I can't say that I've seen them either. Not to sound sexist to the women reading this, but Haggard's book didn't have any women in it. I guess the director or writer or whoever decided that every movie demands sexual tension between a man and a woman. Also, I can't say that I remember reading about any other white men paralleling Allan's journey. Plus I don't remember seeing a couple of the characters in the new movie.

Directors have the freedom to change a book for a film, I suppose, but is it so much trouble to tell one of their actors to put on a British accent?

[–] gayspiritwarrior 20 years ago

When the lady first finds Quatermain drinking alone in a bar the other men tell her he's an American. Ergo, no accent.

[–] UnseenMan 20 years ago

They did make Quatermain an American, and it didn't bother me that much. There is nothing specifically British about Quatermain from the book anyway.

As for the women, every film adaptation has added a female love interest, so you shouldn't fault just this one for doing that.

[–] chessimprov 20 years ago

This movie's plot was just too standard for me. The small complications of a kidnapped professor and her daughter coming out to rescue him didn't seem like anything special. It really dragged on for 4 hours. I think all the actions could have been kept intact within two hours. It was too predictable.

[–] torene03 20 years ago

Yeah, this is very true. How many other movies have the exact same storyline (barring the mines) and start off the exact same way? I can think of many. I mean, I liked the movie, but yes, the storyline was extremely predictable. Or perhaps it is because so many other movies stole the storyline and this movie just came way too late.

[–] ComposerMan 19 years ago

I suppose it's rather irrelevant, but the book DID have women in it. One, in fact, turns out to be a very important character: the old witch who traps the explorers inside the cave and is crushed to death in return for her efforts. That seems to be somewhat of a trend in many of Haggard's novels--evil women who suffer a horrible fate near the end.

[–] crazylionz 19 years ago

There are actually two women in H. Rider Haggard's King Solomon's Mines. The first as you mentioned is Gagool...but the narrator admits in the beginning that she barely qualifies as a woman. But there is also Foulata...she is far from evil...it is she that nurses the dying Good back to health. But in the end she also meets an untimely death.

[–] Phroggy 19 years ago

Thank you folks, I did not remember that from the novels, since I read them quie a while ago. But then, at Haggard's time, strong female characters were only beginning to appear in fiction, and came later in movies (as always). Ripley still was unthought of, though we are all weaned on this character (Though even when I first saw Alien when it came out — which goes to show what an old fart I am — the idea of a strong female character rather than a male one never even made any impression on me, go figure...)
One thing I liked is that this one is also very respectful of African culture, unlike the recent racist, ethnocentrist drivel out of Hollywood nowadays...

[–] 19 years ago

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[–] 19 years ago

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[–] BrightHawk 13 years ago

According to the novel, "Quatermain is old, small, wiry, and unattractive, with a beard and short hair that sticks up." I don't believe that description has been accurately portrayed in any of the films. Get over it. At least Patrick Swayze didn't attempt to fake a British accent (nightmares of Costner's 'Robin Hood').

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I reject your reality and substitute my own.

[–] 00seven 12 years ago

Shouldn't actors be able to do convincing accents? If they can't, do they really qualify as actors?

[–] Drooch (5333) a year ago

Costner didn’t attempt any accent in Robin Hood.