Isak Dinesen's life as a coffee grower in Kenya, before, during, and after World War I, is almost the stuff of an Edna Ferber novel. The adapters' leeriness of vulgarity (but not of sheer bulk) prevents it from being that, and prevents it from being very exciting or eventful in any other way either. The movie delivers some emotional punch at the end -- in fact delivers a staggering flurry of them, by way of several wrenching farewells -- but it's a bit of a wait till then. In the meantime, "You've got syphilis," or something on that order, will have to tide you over. Meryl Streep, though she must wear a whole closetful of the worst hats in creation, and though her Danish accent lacks the definitive authority of her British, Polish, or Oklahoman, is surprisingly adequate to the physical demands of the role, with a brambly tangle of hair and a skin tone that darkens by degrees, and with a convincing stint as an impromptu lion tamer. Robert Redford, as her supposedly aristocratic, supposedly British lover, is (sans any accent whatever) too much the footloose American cowboy and too much the confident and condescending Hollywood superstar. With Klaus Maria Brandauer; written by Kurt Luedtke; directed by Sydney Pollack. (1985) — Duncan Shepherd
This movie is not currently in theaters.