Elephant Gun

NOR THE MOON BY NIGHT is yet another British film of the 1950s obsessed with exoticism and big game in Africa. The scenes shot in the Kruger National Park have a real air of authenticity about them and generally there's an emphasis on wildlife protection rather than destruction, albeit with a few exceptions. The story offers a familiar love triangle, with Patrick McGoohan as a slightly stuffy character whose ravishing penpal, Belinda Lee, comes to stay. Before long his dashing brother Michael Craig has her in his arms, and it kind of goes from there. Animal attacks make up the drama and there are some fun moments enlivened by a score from Hammer composer James Bernard which sounds distinctly DRACULA-esque most of the time. It's more sedate but less cliched than the usual African-set adventure, which means it may be worth a look.

An entertaining colonial yarn, largely shot on location in Kenya and South Africa, featuring quite convincing sequences of animal attacks. It's mainly to be treasured for its intimate colour photography of the breathtakingly beautiful Belinda Lee, who is featured in some steamy clinches with the ever dependable Michael Craig. The Rank Organisation, which had hitherto treated her as eye candy for the likes of Benny Hill, at last gave her the opportunity to show her considerable acting ability. It was such a tragedy that she subsequently left the UK in pursuit of an Italian prince and met an untimely end in a road accident only three years later.

Particularly when Belinda Lee is running about in the rain.Some outstanding exterior photography.However the plot has been recycled from other jungle films.Part of Ranks failed strategy to lure people back from their homes and new tv sets.

The REAL value of this movie is the location scenes of the Kruger National Park in 1958. The decade of the 1960s marked a period of transition for the Park and the 1970s saw the game reserve transformed into a modern day tourist mecca with all desired conveniences close at hand on site. Although not apparent at the time, the 1950s was to be the swan song of the authentic KNP experience. As a result, this movie is well worth watching to see the old, original KNP... the one that existed for 70 years before the onslaught of mass tourism. The movie itself is of interest for its fairly refreshing and realistic take on a plot simmering beneath the raw African sun. The more imaginative reader might well draw parallels between "Nor the Moon by Night" and "Cabaret" (1972. Can't see the connection? Then (a) watch the movie again; (b) visit the Kruger National Park today!

Caught this by accident on the TV and, despite having no previous knowledge of it and not being committed to watching it, I was drawn into it and found it very enjoyable. Patrick McGoohan is great as the lead as are the rest of the cast. The background of a game reserve is well presented and the story rattles along nicely and has enough twists to keep your interest. The film is also a treat for Land Rover lovers as they are featured extensively. This is one film that I think might warrant a remake as it has a lot of dark themes that it would be easier to explore today. We must be long overdue for a revival of jungle films that aren't self-consciously camp.