The End of the River

The End of the River
Original British quad poster
Directed byDerek Twist
Screenplay byWolfgang Wilhelm
Based onthe novel by Desmond Holdridge
Produced byMichael Powell and
Emeric Pressburger
Starring
CinematographyChristopher G. Challis
Edited byBrereton Porter
Music byLambert Williamson
Production
company
Distributed byJ. Arthur Rank
General Film Distributors
Independent Producers Limited
Release date
  • 1 December 1947 (1947-12-01) (UK)
Running time
83 minutes
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish
Budget£217,400[1]
Box office£139,400[1]

The End of the River is a 1947 British drama film directed by Derek Twist and starring Sabu and Bibi Ferreira.[2][3] It was written by Wolfgang Wilhelm, based on the 1940 novel Death of a Common Man by Desmond Holdridge, and produced by Powell and Pressburger as The Archers. Made in Brazil, the film concerns a Brazilian Indian boy who leaves the jungle for the city, where he is accused of murder.[4][5][6][7]

Cast

Uncredited

Production

It was filmed mainly on location in Belém, Brazil, along the upper sections of the Amazon River, as well as at London's Pinewood Studios.[8] Powell and Pressburger were unhappy with the film and requested Reggie Mills and Anne Coates re-edit it.[9]

Reception

Box office

The film earned £69,600 in producer's receipts in the UK and £69,800 overseas.[1] According to Rank's own records the film had made a loss of £78,000 for the company by December 1949.[10]

Critical

The Monthly Film Bulletin wrote: "This is an unusual production, but a monotonous series of flashbacks break the even development of the plot and it is difficult at times to keep track of the characters around whom the story is built. The result is that interest is lost and the film becomes boring. It is a pity, also, that so little use has been made of the South American river scenery. Bibi Ferreira gives character and charm to the role of Teresa and Sabu arouses sympathy for the bewildered boy Manoel."[11]

Kine Weekly wrote: "Drab romantic melodrama, meandering alongside the mighty Amazon ... The picture unfolds in a series of sordid flashbacks and retrospective presentation makes its involved, scenically overloaded tale all the more difficult to follow. For a time its finely photographed vistas and panoramas thrill, but after that all attempts to wade through its grisly detail and interpret its message become an unutterable bore. It's entirely lacking in feminine appeal and the rudiments of popular entertainment. It's a case of the nuts going to Brazil."[12]

The Radio Times described the film as "A curio," and concluded, "Despite a good cast and the Brazilian locations, the results are both confusing and disappointing."[13]

TV Guide wrote: "A confusing, mediocre film shot in Brazil, with little to recommend it to audiences elsewhere."[14]

Britmovie wrote, "Sabu is well suited for the role with his Indian good looks. He executes a credible performance... Bibi Ferreira is stunningly beautiful as his love interest... Esmond Knight, Orlando Martins, Robert Douglas, and Torin Thatcher all turn in solid performances... Even though parts of the story remain weak, the scenery definitely makes up for it. Christopher Challis is the cinematographer and he successfully portrays the life of the natives in the lush subtropical forests in Brazil."[15]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Chapman, J. (2022). The Money Behind the Screen: A History of British Film Finance, 1945-1985. Edinburgh University Press p 353. Income is in terms of producer's share.
  2. ↑ "The End of the River". British Film Institute Collections Search. Retrieved 12 December 2025.
  3. ↑ Brooke, Michael. "The End of the River". BFI Screenonline. Retrieved 12 December 2025.
  4. ↑ "The End of the River (1947)". BFI. Archived from the original on 2 February 2017.
  5. ↑ Lejeune, C. A. (29 September 1946). "FILM NOTES FROM LONDON". The New York Times. Retrieved 22 April 2026.
  6. ↑ no byline (27 October 1946). "JUNGLE CAMERA SAFARI / Notes by a Diarist With a British Film Unit on Location Up the Amazon". The New York Times. Retrieved 22 April 2026.
  7. ↑ T.M.P. [Thomas M. Pryor] (21 June 1948). "THE SCREEN / 'End of River,' British film, Opens at Park Avenue—Dorothy Lamour as Lulu Belle, at Rivoli". The New York Times. Retrieved 22 April 2026.
  8. ↑ Schwartz, Dennis (18 September 2009). ""Potentially Powerful Story"". Homepages.Sover.net. Archived from the original on 1 January 2011. Retrieved 21 January 2017.
  9. ↑ Fowler, Roy (May–September 1992). "Interview with Anne Coates". British Entertainment History Project.
  10. ↑ Chapman p 71
  11. ↑ "The End of the River". The Monthly Film Bulletin. 14 (157): 152. 1 January 1947. ProQuest 1305803927.
  12. ↑ "The End of the River". Kine Weekly. 368 (2113): 28. 30 October 1947. ProQuest 2687780714.
  13. ↑ "The End of the River – review | cast and crew, movie star rating and where to watch film on TV and online". Radio Times. Archived from the original on 23 February 2018. Retrieved 31 May 2024.
  14. ↑ "End of the River Reviews". TVGuide.com. Archived from the original on 31 May 2024. Retrieved 31 May 2024.
  15. ↑ "The End of the River (1947)". Archived from the original on 2 February 2017. Retrieved 21 January 2017.
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