Watusi (film)


Watusi is a 1959 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer adventure film, It is the sequel to the 1950 film King Solomon's Mines. The film was directed by Kurt Neumann and starring George Montgomery, Taina Elg, David Farrar and Rex Ingram. It was produced by Al Zimbalist and Donald Zimbalist. The screenplay was by James Clavell loosely based on the 1885 novel King Solomon's Mines by H. Rider Haggard.

Plot summary

Harry Quatermain is the son of Allan Quatermain who first set out on the quest for the source of Solomon's wealth, and he is determined to succeed where his father failed. He goes to Africa with his good friend Rick Cobb and as they continue on their journey, Erica Neuler joins them. She is the daughter of a missionary who has been killed by a local tribe. Harry cannot hide his antagonism toward Erica. She is German, and Harry's mother was killed at sea by Germans in World War I.

Cast

The film was originally known as Return to King Solomon's Mines and was the first movie produced for the studio by Al Zimbalist since he signed a contract with them. Director Kurt Neumann had just made The Fly which was written by James Clavell and Clavell wrote the screenplay for this. Taina Elg was under contract to MGM at the time and had just made Les Girls for them.
The film reuses some footage from a previous MGM adaptation of the novel, King Solomon's Mines starring Deborah Kerr and Stewart Granger.
During filming, Irma Neumann, wife of director Kurt, died. A few weeks after filming completed, the director himself died as well.

Reception

Box office

According to MGM records the film earned $695,000 in the US and Canada and $850,000 elsewhere resulting in a profit of $79,000.