Rinocerontes blancos (1964) Online

This was perhaps the first film I ever saw at a cinema, and is therefore at the edge of my childhood memory. I don't remember much of it except a person in a Jeep pick-up that was being attacked by a rhino. The rhino, with a somewhat more horizontal horn than normal, was repeatedly ramming the Jeep's doors and almost skewering the person inside. I seem to recall also that the Jeep was painted in a zebra stripe pattern.

There were other exciting scenes of hunts and chases, something like a rodeo with very dangerous animals. No doubt there was also some sort of love sub-plot but this did not imprint on my eight year old memory.

I don't recall much else of the film, but the sight of the rhino's horn piercing the Jeep's doors was pretty frightening at the time.

There are parts of this movie that are not just silly; they are painfully silly. The way the scene where rhino's chases the two male stars around were almost laughable. In the scene, all you can see of the rhino's is their heads; and while watching these scenes I could in my minds eye back away from the shot; and see the rhino head on a stick connected to a wheeled cart being pushed around by members of the crew. And the rhino's seem to be not putting much effort into their chase. There also were a couple poorly staged scene's involving snakes. And one last criticism; the editing is choppy, some of the cuts leave you scratching your head thinking "what just happened" All that being said I enjoyed this film. It is after all based on fact. I liked the characters, and the wild life scenes were amazing. I was impressed with the way these actors interacted with the anesthetized animals. In most movies like this the big stars stand back while the "natives" actually get close to, or touch the animals. Both Gaurdino and Culp were, in a couple scenes standing right with not yet fully doped animals; these scenes were unlike anything I can remember. These scenes really drew me into this film. It's not ofter you see the pampered stars who act bravely in scenes with special effects; doing scenes with real animals. The crowning glory was Shirley Eaton (the Golden Girl); she wasn't completely convincing in the role, but who cares it's Shirley Eaton. This film surprised me. It was just the next film on TCM and came on in the background while I was doing something else. I almost changed channels, and I'm glad I didn't. All and all this is and interesting film, with characters you will like, and care about what happens to them. Robert Culp was good, but for my money Guardino stole this flick. You'll only be sorry if you miss this film.

Ivan Tors adds some his usual grab bag collection of silent plot points to some fine wild life shots by South African producer/cameraman Sven Persson to come up with a kiddie matinée for the 1960s. Harry Guardino and Robert Culp, both actors with far better real-life senses of humor than they were ever permitted to show on screen, play their roles as a poacher and zoologist straight, alas. Lalo Schifrin provides some of his typically excellent music. Alas, there are a few too many dramatic stings to get the audience's blood up for it to be really good.

Ivan Tors was a well-intentioned, didactic director/producer who decided the best way to combine his passions was to create this sort of show to propagandize kids. He got some top talent to work with him. Too bad he saddled them with trite scripts. Still, the result is enjoyable if you turn your brain off.

In picturesque Africa, kindly zoologist Robert Culp (as Jim Hanlon) saves a lion who has lost his appetite by tranquilizing the animal and performing some dental work. He is on the continent to help save African animals from extinction. The rhino, especially white rhino, is especially vulnerable. Attractive in slacks and slicked hair, Mr. Culp clashes with scruffy, trigger-happy Harry Guardino (as Alec Burnett). Unaware Mr. Guardino is there to poach Rhinos for profit, Culp hires him as a guide. Beautiful blonde Shirley Eaton plays Guardino's girlfriend. Crocodiles like her pretty feet. The location footage contributed by Sven Persson and Lamar Boren looks all right - but it's mismatched, appears roughly edited, and ends up unappealing.

*** Rhino! (5/20/64) Ivan Tors ~ Robert Culp, Harry Guardino, Shirley Eaton, Harry Mekela