Mister Moses
Encyclopedia
Mister Moses is an adventure film about a conman blackmailed into persuading an entire African village into relocating for their own safety. It stars Robert Mitchum
and Carroll Baker
. It was based on the novel of the same name by Max Catto
. It was filmed on location in Kenya
at Lake Naivasha
and the Amboseli National Park.
) as their land will be flooded by the release of waters from a dam; but they refuse to leave their homes. Deeply Christian, the villagers compare Joe Moses to the real Moses due to his discovery in the reeds as was the baby Moses. With a broken leg and no money, Joe Moses is trapped in the village.
Nursed to health by missionary
Rev. Anderson (Alexander Knox
) and his daughter Julie (Carrol Baker), Moses impresses the natives with his medicine show
. He further astounds the locals when he discovers Emily, that he recognises as an Indian elephant
in the village. Moses gets her to respond to commands in Hindustani
, a language he acquired through his army service in the China Burma India theatre.
The Chief (Orlando Martins
) agrees to allow his people to move, but only if they are led by Moses. Reverend Anderson and Julie blackmail Joe Moses through their knowledge of his diamond smuggling
in order to lead the people to the "Promised Land". Seeing through Moses's confidence tricks is an educated African, Ubi (Raymond St. Jacques
). Ubi initially wishes to team up with Moses to con other Africans, but then attempts to steal Moses's show with a concealed flame thrower that has unexpectedly disastrous consequences for Ubi.
Leading the villagers from atop his elephant, Moses takes them on a journey that has many parallels with the Biblical trek, including a bit where he has to part the waters by entering the dam.
reviewer A. H. Weiler was unimpressed, writing that it "strains credibility and rarely excites a viewer."
Robert Mitchum
Robert Charles Durman Mitchum was an American film actor, author, composer and singer and is #23 on the American Film Institute's list of the greatest male American screen legends of all time...
and Carroll Baker
Carroll Baker
Carroll Baker is a former American actress who has enjoyed popularity as both a serious dramatic actress and, particularly in the 1960s, as a movie sex symbol...
. It was based on the novel of the same name by Max Catto
Max Catto
Maxwell Jeffrey Catto was born Mark Finkell in Manchester, England and was an English playwright and novelist.-Writing career:...
. It was filmed on location in Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
at Lake Naivasha
Lake Naivasha
Lake Naivasha is a freshwater lake in Kenya, lying north west of Nairobi, outside the town of Naivasha. It is part of the Great Rift Valley. The name derives from the local Maasai name Nai'posha, meaning "rough water" because of the sudden storms which can arise...
and the Amboseli National Park.
Plot
Beaten and expelled by African villagers for trying to cheat them, the unconscious Joe Moses drifts down a river where he is discovered by the natives of another village. This group is being pressured to move by the District Officer (Ian BannenIan Bannen
Ian Bannen was a Scottish character actor and occasional leading man.-Early life and career:Bannen was born in Airdrie, North Lanarkshire, the son of Clare and John James Bannen, a lawyer. Bannen served in the British Army after attending St Aloysius' College, Glasgow and Ratcliffe College,...
) as their land will be flooded by the release of waters from a dam; but they refuse to leave their homes. Deeply Christian, the villagers compare Joe Moses to the real Moses due to his discovery in the reeds as was the baby Moses. With a broken leg and no money, Joe Moses is trapped in the village.
Nursed to health by missionary
Missionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...
Rev. Anderson (Alexander Knox
Alexander Knox
Alexander Knox was a Canadian actor and author of adventure novels set in the Great Lakes area during the 19th century.-Biography:...
) and his daughter Julie (Carrol Baker), Moses impresses the natives with his medicine show
Medicine show
Medicine shows were traveling horse and wagon teams which peddled "miracle cure" medications and other products between various entertainment acts. Their precise origins unknown, medicine shows were common in the 19th century United States...
. He further astounds the locals when he discovers Emily, that he recognises as an Indian elephant
Indian Elephant
The Indian Elephant is one of three recognized subspecies of the Asian elephant, and native to mainland Asia. Since 1986, Elephas maximus has been listed as endangered by IUCN as the population has declined by at least 50% over the last three generations, estimated to be 60–75 years...
in the village. Moses gets her to respond to commands in Hindustani
Hindustani language
Hindi-Urdu is an Indo-Aryan language and the lingua franca of North India and Pakistan. It is also known as Hindustani , and historically, as Hindavi or Rekhta...
, a language he acquired through his army service in the China Burma India theatre.
The Chief (Orlando Martins
Orlando Martins
Orlando Martins was a pioneering black actor in film and on stage. In the late 1940s, he was one of England's most prominent and leading black actors, and in a poll conducted in 1947, he was listed among England's top 15 favorite actors.-Life:...
) agrees to allow his people to move, but only if they are led by Moses. Reverend Anderson and Julie blackmail Joe Moses through their knowledge of his diamond smuggling
Smuggling
Smuggling is the clandestine transportation of goods or persons, such as out of a building, into a prison, or across an international border, in violation of applicable laws or other regulations.There are various motivations to smuggle...
in order to lead the people to the "Promised Land". Seeing through Moses's confidence tricks is an educated African, Ubi (Raymond St. Jacques
Raymond St. Jacques
Raymond St. Jacques was an American actor.-Career:St. Jacques was born James Arthur Johnson in Hartford, Connecticut, the son of Vivienne Johnson, a medical technician...
). Ubi initially wishes to team up with Moses to con other Africans, but then attempts to steal Moses's show with a concealed flame thrower that has unexpectedly disastrous consequences for Ubi.
Leading the villagers from atop his elephant, Moses takes them on a journey that has many parallels with the Biblical trek, including a bit where he has to part the waters by entering the dam.
Cast
- Robert Mitchum as Joe Moses
- Carroll Baker as Julie Anderson
- Ian BannenIan BannenIan Bannen was a Scottish character actor and occasional leading man.-Early life and career:Bannen was born in Airdrie, North Lanarkshire, the son of Clare and John James Bannen, a lawyer. Bannen served in the British Army after attending St Aloysius' College, Glasgow and Ratcliffe College,...
as Robert - Alexander KnoxAlexander KnoxAlexander Knox was a Canadian actor and author of adventure novels set in the Great Lakes area during the 19th century.-Biography:...
as Rev. Anderson - Raymond St. JacquesRaymond St. JacquesRaymond St. Jacques was an American actor.-Career:St. Jacques was born James Arthur Johnson in Hartford, Connecticut, the son of Vivienne Johnson, a medical technician...
as Ubi - Orlando MartinsOrlando MartinsOrlando Martins was a pioneering black actor in film and on stage. In the late 1940s, he was one of England's most prominent and leading black actors, and in a poll conducted in 1947, he was listed among England's top 15 favorite actors.-Life:...
as Chief - Reginald BeckwithReginald BeckwithReginald Beckwith was a British film and television actor, who made almost one hundred film and television appearances in his career.-Filmography:* Freedom Radio * Scott of the Antarctic...
as Parkhurst
Reception
The New York TimesThe New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
reviewer A. H. Weiler was unimpressed, writing that it "strains credibility and rarely excites a viewer."