Robert Ruark on Safari: The Film

[Dashriprock]

Not wanting to hijack JJEH's thread on African Safari, I am starting this one as many of you here may find this interesting.

As anyone who has read Horn of The Hunter and Use Enough Gun is aware, Ruark took multiple cameras and tons of film on his safaris. While many still photos and spools of exposed 8mm motion film of his first African foray were lost when some cameras were stolen from Selby's vehicle while in a resupply locale, enough remained that we have the well-known photos in the books.

Ruark was more diligent in protecting his equipment on subsequent trips, and he actually made a motion picture production from his films that he narrated and released in 1954. Having been a Ruark fan for many years, collecting and reading all his books, I have often wondered about the film. I have been able to find online mention of it and even a NYT review of it, but until now the actual film has remained elusive.

I've always wanted to see old Bob in action and hear his voice. This is an Africa that no longer exists, and is a fine document of a time that many of us would love to have experienced. I hope some of my fellow Ruark fans here find this as intriguing as I do:

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2Cim-4tWkw[/ame]

 

[grover99]

liked his books and read most of them in my younger days. My favorite was "Something of Value". Just thought I would reread that book so I looked on Amazon for a Kindle copy. Only thing they had was a used hard bound copy for north of $900. Wish I still had the copy I read so many years ago.

 

[Onomea]

Dashriprock, great find! I look forward to watching it!

Grover99, you can buy 1950s hardback copies of Something of Value off abebooks.com for less than $20. (Personally, I get a kick out of buying copies of books that were printed near the time the book was first published. To me, it adds to the experience.)

 

[Ray]

Well that video sure will be a proper companion to the ' Use Enough Gun ' book I´ve just ordered, thanks, regards, Ray

 

[Texas Star]

I hadn't seen this B&W film, but about 1955-56, a color one showed in US theaters. The wife of my dad's business partner took several of us kids, due to my begging. It was my birthday.

If you want more and are fortunate, look for, Man-Hunt in Kenya by Inspector Ian Henderson, GM. He hunted terrorists in the high, wet Aberdare Mountains, where animals were a threat as well as Mau-Mau.

BTW, I've read every book noted here, and think Ruark was a better writer than Hemingway.

Ruark was Travel editor for, Playboy and authored a fine color-ill. safari article in,, I believe, the March or April, 1965 issue. Your public library may have it. The Russell-Grohmann knife and Russell's boots seen in it were the main items shown that I've owned.

 

[Texas Star]

Dashriprock, great find! I look forward to watching it!

Grover99, you can buy 1950s hardback copies of Something of Value off abebooks.com for less than $20. (Personally, I get a kick out of buying copies of books that were printed near the time the book was first published. To me, it adds to the experience.)

It may add to more than the experience. In an interview from his home near Cape Town, Wilbur Smith told a SABC reporter that a nice First Edition of his first novel is worth about 30,000 UK pounds...I wish I still had my 1st US edition.

 

[JJEH]

Not wanting to hijack JJEH's thread on African Safari...

Oh, I don't mind

Thanks for sharing the story and link, very interesting for sure!

 

[kreuzlover]

The movie version of "Something of





















Value", starred Rock Hudson and I dont know who else, but was a major disappointment after reading Ruarks book.

 

[Dashriprock]

I hadn't seen this B&W film, but about 1955-56, a color one showed in US theaters. The wife of my dad's business partner took several of us kids, due to my begging. It was my birthday.

If you want more and are fortunate, look for, Man-Hunt in Kenya by Inspector Ian Henderson, GM. He hunted terrorists in the high, wet Aberdare Mountains, where animals were a threat as well as Mau-Mau.

BTW, I've read every book noted here, and think Ruark was a better writer than Hemingway.

Ruark was Travel editor for, Playboy and authored a fine color-ill. safari article in,, I believe, the March or April, 1965 issue. Your public library may have it. The Russell-Grohmann knife and Russell's boots seen in it were the main items shown that I've owned.

Ah -a new twist is introduced! Turns out the NYT review I referenced earlier, which was none-too-kind by the way, is for this color film you saw as a lad, not the the b/w film above.

Agreed. Ruark was often referred to as the poor-man's Hemingway, a title of which he was aware and disdained. For my tastes in literature, Ruark was the better writer.

I believe you once mentioned that Playboy article in a post some years back. I promptly scared up a copy of that issue on ebay. I've found a few more with Ruark's more notable articles he wrote for Hef as well, including his last published (posthumous) article in the December 1965 issue. That same issue also contains Jean Shepherd's Christmas piece that was later adapted into the beloved holiday film, A Christmas Story.

 

[Farmer17]

Very interesting film!

 

[Texas Star]

The movie version of "Something of





















Value", starred Rock Hudson and I dont know who else, but was a major disappointment after reading Ruarks book.

I agree but can't discuss here what I think was the cause. The Rules...

But the film is still worth watching, if much watered down from the book.

 

[Leonard]

Had no idea there was a film of Ruark hunting,thank you for sharing.

My favorite hunting was elephant with cape buffalo a close second.

Harry Selby, like a few other east African hunters ended up in Botswana running a company by the name of Safaris South, saw him there a number of times, I hunted with his competitor Hunters Africa.

 

[Texas Star]

Had no idea there was a film of Ruark hunting,thank you for sharing.

My favorite hunting was elephant with cape buffalo a close second.

Harry Selby, like a few other east African hunters ended up in Botswana running a company by the name of Safaris South, saw him there a number of times, I hunted with his competitor Hunters Africa.

What rifles did you use on those species? Do you think trophy tusks of 100 pounds a side are possible in modern times?

Do you happen to know the widest spread recorded of Cape buffalo horns? I'm thinking anything over fifty inches is pretty big.

 

[Leonard]

What rifles did you use on those species? Do you think trophy tusks of 100 pounds a side are possible in modern times?

Do you happen to know the widest spread recorded of Cape buffalo horns? I'm thinking anything over fifty inches is pretty big.

My favorite rifle for dangerous game was a Jeffrey double 475, it was very adequate and handled well. I have used other calibers, 460, 500, 416 , 375. My least favorite was the 375, the most practical and affordable is the 416.

Occasionally a big bull is still taken, but it takes a long time to grow really big ivory and I believe the commercial ivory hunting took its toll.

The widest spread I believe, was a cow buff it was eventually removed from Rowland and Ward record book. A number of buffalo have been taken in the 50" range.

 

[Tam 3]

Ruark was godfather to Harry's son Mark.

Regards,

Tam 3

 

[PALADIN85020]

The only thing I've read by Ruark was "The old man and the boy" which was a story about a grandfather teaching his grandson about the outdoors world and other things as well. It was a great book, very nostalgic, and I recommend it highly. It was also fully endorsed by the late Jeff Cooper, whose opinions I always valued a lot.

I wish my own grandfathers had lived long enough to teach me similarly.

John

 

[Onomea]

John, there is a sequel. The Old Man's Boy Grows Older.

 

[Texas Star]

One of his last books was, The Honey Badger. He hadn't lost his touch, although some critics said he had.

 

[Texas Star]

Is there a chance of a Cape Buffalo with a 56 inch horn span?

I read about it in a story and think the author may have exceeded known examples.

 

[Rustyt1953]

In a P-38 post I used this as a backdrop. Logan and I both enjoyed it.