Mountains of the Moon (1990)
- Starring:
- Patrick Bergin, Iain Glen, (more)
- Director(s):
- Bob Rafelson
- Theatrical MPAA Rating:
- R
- Category:
- Action / Adventure
My RatingTheatrical Release Information | See Details About All Versions
Director Bob Rafelson fulfilled a lifelong dream when he finally received backing to complete Mountains of the Moon. The film recreates the exploratory adventures of 19th century visionaries Sir Richard Burton (Patrick Bergin) and John Henning Speke (Iain Glen). The heart of the film is the effort by Burton and Speke to discover the true source of the Nile river. This occurs well into the film, after several torturous scenes involving the injuries sustained by the protagonists during other expeditions and their growing friendship (which, the film intimates, goes far beyond friendship). Rafaelson's fascination with this story, and his insistence upon painstaking historical accuracy, unfortunately compromises his ability to make an interesting film. There are so many starts and stops during the first half that we sincerely hope Burton and Speke will chuck it all and set up a pub in Bristol or something. What saves Mountains of the Moon is the rapport between its stars and the brilliant, epic-like cinematography of Roger Deakins. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Theatrical Feature Running Time:
- 140 mins
Complete Cast:
- Patrick Bergin - Capt. Richard Francis Burton
- Richard E. Grant - Laurence Oliphant
- John Savident - Lord Murchison
- Anna Massey - Mrs. Arundell
- James Villiers - Lord Oliphant
- Leslie Phillips - Mr. Arundell
- Paul Onsongo - Sidi Bombay
- Omar Sharif
- Doreen Mantle - Mrs. Speke
- Frances Cuka - Lady Houghton
- Asiba Asiba - Nubian Servant
- Zam Zam Issa - Somali Girl
- Patrick Letladi - Bearer
- Celestia Fox
- Robert Whelan - 1st Reporter
- Ian Vincent - Lt. Allen
- Bheki Tonto Ngema - Ngola
- Norta Muhammed - Somali Girl
- Konga Mbandu - Bearer
- George Malpas - Lead Actor
- Fatima Said - Somali Girl
- Michael Otieno - Bearer
- Ralph Nossek - Doctor
- Renny Krupinski - Reporter
- Stewart Harwood - Attendant
- Richard Caldicot - Lord Russell
- Craig Crosbie - Swinburne
- Iain Glen - Lt. John Hanning Speke
- Fiona Shaw - Isabel Arundell Burton
- Peter Vaughan - Lord Houghton
- Roger Rees - Edgar Papworth
- Bernard Hill - Dr. David Livingstone
- Delroy Lindo - Mabruki
- Peter Eyre - Norton Shaw
- Roshan Seth - Ben Amir
- Pip Torrens - Lt. Hesketh
- Roger Ashton-Griffiths - Lord Cowley
- Christopher Fulford - Herne
- Leonard Juma - Jemadar
- Garry Cooper - Stroyan
- Rod Woodruff - Fencer
- Philip Voss - Col. Rigby
- Rocks Nhlapo - Bearer
- Wilson Ng'Ong'A - Bearer
- Fikile Mdleleni - Bearer
- Matthew Marsh - William
- Alison Limerick - Sorceress
- Adrian Rawlins - Edward
- Martin Okello - Veldu
- Esther Njiru - Lema
- Pineniece Joshua - Somali Girl
- Jimmy Gardner - Jarvis
- Bill Croasdale - 2nd Reporter
- Director(s):
- Bob Rafelson
- Writer(s):
- Bob Rafelson, William Harrison
- Producer(s):
- Daniel Melnick
- Theatrical MPAA Rating:
- R(Questionable for Children, Nudity, Violence, Adult Situations)
- Categories:
- Action / Adventure
- Closed Captioning:
- Check All Versions
- Subtitles:
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