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Deadlegs Flint (Walter Huston) is a guy as evil as can be: Even though
he has lost the use of his legs, he has created his own realm in the
Kongo, where he rules over the natives like a demi-god, also using their
voodoo religion to instill fear, and he also has a few white lowlifes
around to do his bidding, most importantly Kingsland (Conrad Nagel), an
alcoholic physician who has long lost his license but is of use to Flint
since he can ease the pain coming from his paralyzed legs. Flint is at
his most evil though when it comes to Ann (Virginia Bruce), an 18 year old
girl whom he had picked from a nun-run orphanage, thrown into a brothel,
where she was brutally abused, then brought to his place, where he has
made her an alcoholic, but where he still sees to it that she is
occasionally raped and tortured. Only Kingsland shows sympathy for the
girl, and she soon develops feelings for him. It seems sticking together
improves both their conditions ... much to the dismay of Flint. But why
does Flint do all of this? Because Ann is the daughter of his sworn enemy
Gregg (C.Henry Gordon), a daughter Gregg has never known of. And why is
Gregg Flint's enemy? Because he has stolen his wife, 18 years ago. Now
Flint lures Gregg to his place, to show him the wreck he has made of
Gregg's daughter, then he plans to have Gregg killed, and according to
native tradition, have Ann burned with him ... only to learn from Gregg
that Ann isn't Gregg's daughter at all, but his - talk about revenge
backfiring. Then Gregg is killed, and the natives demand Ann, whom they
believe to be his daughter. Flint somehow manages to help Ann escape
together with Kingsland, but has to give his own life in a very brutal
native ceremony ... Taken by its own merits, the film is ok, I
suppose: It's very dark and atmospheric, Walter Huston is an excellent
villain, and there are enough macabre plot details to keep one interested.
Sure, there are gaping plotholes while other scenes are played out too
long, but the positive elements outweigh the negatives. However, Kongo
the play was adapted for the big screen as West
of Zanzibar four years before this one, and compared to that
movie, this movie tanks. Not only was the earlier (silent) movie much more
competent on a storytelling level and vastly superior in narrative
buildup, it also featured Lon Chaney in the villain role - and while
Walter Huston is brilliant as long as he's evil, he lacks the frailty
Chaney brings to the character when his own revenge breaks him. And he
even shows charm in the exposition - an exposition that's not even granted
to Huston. That all said, Kongo isn't exactly a bad film, it's
just far from perfect, which is especially obvious when watching the
earlier West of Zanzibar
in comparison.
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