Out of Africa

Saw Out of Africa, a film about the life of Karen Blixen, an early 1900s author who lived for a time in British East Africa (now known as Kenya.) The film is an epic, heavily focusing on the romance between Karen and Denys Finch Hatton who was a sort of wild-man who shot big cats before, I suppose, they were endangered. The film was made in the 80s but feels very 70s-ish to me. Her lover Denys has many arguments with her about how just wants to be free, man, why won't she let him be free?? This was a big thing in the 70s, the burning desire to have no meaningful connections with other human beings whatsoever. Also the movie doesn't bring it up but she was carrying his child for a while so it's kind of easy to want to be free when you don't have 10 pounds of someone's baby in you.

The film is slightly ambiguous about who's "right" in this freedom argument although, of course, I felt more sympathy for our hero Karen. HThis argument echoes the major theme of the film however which is men abandoning Karen. In the beginning of the film she enters into an admittedly loveless but friendly marriage with one of her friends so as not to die alone. He owns land in Africa (which is how she winds up there) but soon leaves her to manage his land solo while he philanders in town and hunts. When World War 1 breaks out, all of the men-folk leave to go and fight. Karen is doubly disappointed: that she is once again alone and that she cannot join in the fighting. Again and again she's sidelined because of perceived weakness but she rises above and to these challenges and proves herself to be as tough as the toughest man.

The film is rather long and focuses mostly on this romance which I feel is unjust to Karen in many ways. Then again I'd never heard of her before this film (although I do recognize her nom de plume: Isak Dinesen,) so perhaps I'm meant to feel righteous indignation at her treatment. I also get the feeling that she doesn't really suffer however. She's in danger a couple of times but she has servants and a mansion throughout the film. The worst that can befall her is that she moves back in with her family which sucks no doubt but the natives face starvation which sucks a bit more. The stakes are not super high for her but this is her story, so alright.

A beautiful film with a compelling and interesting protagonist.