Hatari! (2001, DVD)

Howard Hawks Hatari! (Howard Hawks, USA 1962) was among the last of his works as a film director. Released in 1962, Hatari! is an excellent example of a standard Howard hawks comedy-adventure. Set in the African jungles, Shawn (John Wayne) and his group of comrades go an daily adventures to catch wild animals to sell to a Swiss zoo. The film runs over two and a half hours and includes amazing chase sequences as well as reoccurring banter between the sexes. Hatari! is an excellent example of Hawks Hawksian style of film making with the use of themes, plot devices and his signature invisible directing style.

Hawks movies cover every genre. With this in mind, Wollen states that though Hawks uses different genres, they have the same motifs and incidents visual style and tempo. (pg.4). Hatari! is a comedy-adventure with a romantic twist. The first clue the audience gets that Hatari! is a Hawksian film is right from the start, the first thing on the screen is: Howard Hawks Presets.

The use of comedy in Hatari! resonates throughout the entire film. Hawks use of his usual natural comedic style is well played out in this film. The jokes and puns are said as smoothly and as nonchalantly as the pace of the film itself. Most of this humor in Hatari! involves animals or has sexual tone. The most humorous scene in the film is when Pockets in trying to milk the goat. When Shawn approaches to give a helping hand, he notices something strange about the goat. He remarks, That s the wrong part of the goat, that s a ram. Comments like these are similar to the jokes in Only Angels Have Wings, His Girl Friday and El Dorado.

The use of cigarettes is very prominent in this film, just like Only Angels Have Wings. Everyone in Hatari! smokes. There are many bar scenes where the cigarettes are exchanged in a meaningful matter. In one of the first scenes Chip asks Shawn for a cigarette and Shawn tosses it to him. This shows how much Shawn didn t care for Chip, which continues until Chip proves himself worthy. There is also a scene in which Dallas and Pockets are talking about Shawn and Dallas reaches over and takes one of Pockets cigarettes without his knowledge and lights it off of her old one. After the conversation they move into the bar where she takes another cigarette, this time from Lois, without asking. I think that the purpose of those two occurrences was to show Dallas as a bit of a strong seductress. She is in control of the situation and has power over the opposite sex, which is a whole other aspect of Hawksian film making.

Hatari! uses more sexual humor than Hawks usual films, probably because this film was one of his later works. There is a scene when Pockets is talking to Shawn about Brandy as he fondles a beer bottle, obviously thinking about Brandy. Also later, Dallas approaches Shawn and asks how he likes to kiss, demonstrating a dimension that is very sexual, while keeping with Hawks traditional romantic style.

The relationships of men and women are a conflict that Hawks uses over and over again. In this case there are two relationship struggles going on simultaneously throughout the film. One of which involves Brandy, the owner of the company. This particular conflict involves Brandy, Pockets, Chips and Kurt. The three men s escapades add typical Hawksian humor while introducing a conflict into the film. The most typical Hawksian relationship is between Dallas and Shawn. Shawn is the typical Hawks man who almost got married and after that did not work out has sworn off women. A very similar dynamic took place in Only Angels Have Wings between Geoff and Bonnie. It is also notable that once again none of the men in the movie are married or involved with a woman until after the climax of the film.

A strong use of characterization is an element of Hawksian style. Hatari! features a group of people from all over the world that work together to capture wild animals to sell to a Swiss zoo. Each character is given a distinct role in executing the capture as well as a distinct characterization that sets him apart from his friends. Shawn is the father/leader figure in the group. He is the strong one who never messes anything up. The moment that really portrays his role of the father figure is when the men draw strays to go with Brandy while she bathes. Shawn says he has the shortest straw to protect her from the others because he does not want then to look at her in a sexual way, because to Shawn, she is still a child. Kurt is the smooth, handsome man who seems to be Shawn s right-hand man. Pockets is the comic relief, he also is the voice of reason for Shawn and Elsa.

Indian is a man who has a run in with a rhino in the opening scene and is rushed to the doctor. After he returns he has an injured leg. This is a character trait that Hawks uses a lot. For example in El Dorado, Cole and J.P. are both gimpy characters. Brandy is one of two women in this film. She has known all of the men for some time now and they are all beginning to realize that she has become a woman, which leads to multiple men vying for her attention. She also is equal to the men. Her role in the operation is not only running the business, but also is one of the best drivers. The idea of having the women be a bit masculine is a very Hawks way of portraying women. Both women in the film (with the exception of the first scene that features Dallas) are dresses very masculine. Also important is his use of role reversal, which is played out when Dallas asks Shawn how he likes to kiss. This can not be said with out noting that he also is a bit misogynistic. For example, Indian remarks, Who own the Italian? Luis is a character that is not explained at all. He is part of the group of men, yet he has very little speaking parts and does not have any depth.

The two last main characters have something very important in common, both of which are two of the most elemental themes of Hawks films. Both Dallas and Chips are outsiders who have to redeem themselves in order to get a second chance. In Chips case, he strolls into the village with a chip on his shoulders and expects to have a job. None of the others are the least bit impressed with him. While Indian is in the hospital Chips is the only one who can give the right blood to Indian. After he shows up at the village, he rescues Chips from getting attacked by an alligator and proves he s a good shot he finally redeems himself and becomes a part of the group. Dallas has a similar situation when she shoes up unwelcome to take photographs for the Swiss zoo. She finally convinces the group to take her out on an animal chase and all she proves to not have the slightest clue about how to deal with life in the jungle. The group thinks that she is a city girl that should return where she belongs. She does get a chance to redeem herself later when she rescues the baby elephant and proves that she has a deep understanding of animals.

The external society in Hatari! plays little importance to the film. Hawks usually has on outside society in his films and they are usually not very important to the story. This is also the case in Hatari!, with the African tribe just being around to help out with the grunt work It is interesting that the animals have a larger role than the African tribe.

Not only is characterization an important aspect of a Hawksian film, but also the characters themselves and how they relate to each other. They are a group of professional men who have a relationship with each other that works. In this film Hawks uses his usual tactic of having a group of people who live in an isolated area. The group is in the African jungle far away from civilization. The moment in the film that most gives the audience a sense of the isolation is when the group is driving home from the bar and they are singing, I want to go home, over and over again. Another Hawksian part of this is that when Indian must be taken to the doctor it is five hours away. This is also the case in El Dorado with the state patrol coming a week away.

Even though humans are central characters in this film, but also are the animals. Hawks explored humans being equal with animals. The three elephants are a large part of the plot, and although they do not speak they seem to have a personality of their own. After Dallas rescues the first elephant the group begins to except her. She is then named Mama Tamble by an African tribe for being a mother to the elephants. Also during chase sequences the animals have free will, they fight and sometimes get away. Though the animals are generally at a disadvantage to the humans, the humans are put at risk each time the two are confronted, showing that humans are on an almost linear plane with the animals.

Hawks use of invisible directing and editing are very evident in Hatari! During the capture scenes the shots go back and forth so effortlessly and have a fluid quality. The acting and animals seem so natural, making the whole experience seem unrehearsed and realistic. According to WWW.Wikipedia.com, the scenes with the animals are all the real actors during every shoot. That means that during the scene with the Rhino the actors were in serious danger. A great example of Hawks interest with putting a group of people in a dangerous situation and seeing how they react. The scenes in Hatari! are very aesthetically pleasing with beautiful jungle landscapes, with out being over-indulgent.

Sounds can help create a dramatic effect for a scene. Hawks tends to use dramatic sounds and music though out his oeuvre of films. This is demonstrated best in the scenes involving the elephants. First when Dallas bathes the elephants, there is a loud elephant like sound that is played over and over while they are washed off, leaving an almost humorous effect. Also when the elephants are searching for Dallas in town, a song is playing while the elephants are searching for Dallas while running through the streets. One other thing to note is the song that I mentioned earlier.

One of the less noticeable aspect of Hawksian films is the use of multiple similarities. In Only Angels Have Wings certain occurrences happened in twos. For example: pouring water over a persons heads to sober them up, or the condors. In Hatari! there are multiple things that happen in threes. This happens with Pockets interrupting a romantic moment between Dallas and Shawn, first in the bedroom, once when they are kissing and another at the end in the bedroom. By the end of the film there are three elephants, and there are three different Rhino chases. The three men: Chips, Kurt, and Pockets are all in love with Mandy and there are also three injuries that happen subsequently (even though Pockets is an exaggeration).