Harry
Street is a writer in search of his soul. Portrayed by Gregory Peck in the 1952
adaptation of Ernest Hemingway's, The Snows of Kilimanjaro, the
author/adventurer's introductory prose opens the film and lays the groundwork
for Peck's journey.
"Kilimanjaro
is a snow-covered mountain 19,710 feet high, and is said to be the highest
mountain in Africa. Its western summit is called the Masai 'Ngje Ngi,' the House
of God. Close to the western summit there is the dried and frozen carcass of a
leopard. No one has explained what the leopard was seeking at that
altitude.”
As
such, Harry is stranded at the heights of the Kilimanjaro where he awaits
medical attention to save his life from an infected wound. Street, the supposed
Leopard, thus drifts in and out of delirium to reflect on what his own life’s
journey has wrought.
He
does so under the care of a wife who essentially serves as a visual reminder of
the love of his life. “You’ve never forgiven me for not being Cynthia,” chides
Helen, played by Susan Hayward.
Confronted
with a truth that is news to no one, Harry is matter of fact over the
convenience their relationship represents. “We both knew what we were getting
into when we got married,” Harry shoots back.
In
this broken disarray, Harry’s regrets emerge in a dream state that returns him
to the blissful beginnings shared with Cynthia. Despite not realizing his
ambitions of becoming a writer of great merit and truth, the two live a life of
contentment in Cynthia’s eclectic neighborhood in France.
But
like the leopard, Harry’s eventual ascent leads to the downfall now faced. He
has his first novel published, which allows him to seek a truth that has long
compelled him by going on Safari to Africa.
In
turn, Harry finds what he’s looking for in the felling of a rhino, and the kill
serves as ample fodder for his next novel when the couple return to France. At
the same time, the success – to Cynthia’s dismay – does not quell his desire for
the next piece of truth that the far off world holds.
Thus,
the baby Cynthia holds in tow will obviously hamstring Harry’s ambitions and is
verified when she implies her wish to start a family. “There’s plenty of time
for that later, he tells her and then informs Cynthia of his wish to go to
Madrid for the bull fights.
Cynthia
comprehends her predicament and rashly decides to preserve the status quo by
throwing herself down the stairs to induce a miscarriage. Can you say relationship
killer?
Harry
not fooled, he laments, “You had no right. It was my child
too.”
The
writing then on the wall. Cynthia bails to what she sees as the inevitable by
running away with a Flamingo Dancer. Of course, to heighten the tragedy, Harry
sees the path just as Cynthia has made her move.
In
the exodus, Harry embarks on a series of empty relationships, and the quality of
his work does him no better. He eventually reaches his limit and goes in search
of Cynthia at the front in the Spanish Civil War. Fate not exactly on their
side, Cynthia dies in his arms.
This
puts us back at the top of the mountain – Harry’s life in peril, and his entire
search in serious doubt. But an infection is no way for Gregory Peck to die, and
what really remains is whether Harry Street can solve the riddle and bring honor
and sense to all those left in his wake.
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