A blushing bride follows her husband to Ceylon, where he owns a vast tea plantation. Upon her arrival, the bride discovers that her husband is indeed richer than Cresus. She also discovers she is going to live in a palatial mansion. So far the good news, but there is also bad news. The mansion was built by her late father-in-law, an egomaniac of rare ambition. He knowingly and deliberately erected the building in the middle of an ancestral route followed by elephants...
Viewed as a drama about the relationship troubles of a young couple, "Elephant Walk" isn't all that interesting : it is a slice of shallow melodrama. I'm afraid that the character of the young bride rubbed me the wrong way, since I don't like people rushing into marriage without studying their prospective partner closely. Here it is obvious that Ruth - because that's her name - couldn't be bothered to ask even the most basic questions, such as "Are both of your parents alive ?", "How do you remember your father ?" and "How do you spend your days ?". Listen, if even she doesn't care about the family, the lifestyle and the soul of her spouse, why should we ?
The movie works better, indeed it works very well, as a richly exotic adventure movie set in Ceylon. The scenery is to die for and there's a thumping, thundering climax where the rich mansion gets flattened by an angry elephant herd. (I don't believe I'm being too spoilerish here, since this outcome could have been predicted by any reasonably astute three-years-old.) Do watch Elizabeth Taylor - or her stunt double - trying to outrun a giant stampede : it's a rare treat.
In its own way "Elephant Walk" contains a warning of great relevance : there's nothing brave, adult or wise about defying Nature. On the contrary...
Viewed as a drama about the relationship troubles of a young couple, "Elephant Walk" isn't all that interesting : it is a slice of shallow melodrama. I'm afraid that the character of the young bride rubbed me the wrong way, since I don't like people rushing into marriage without studying their prospective partner closely. Here it is obvious that Ruth - because that's her name - couldn't be bothered to ask even the most basic questions, such as "Are both of your parents alive ?", "How do you remember your father ?" and "How do you spend your days ?". Listen, if even she doesn't care about the family, the lifestyle and the soul of her spouse, why should we ?
The movie works better, indeed it works very well, as a richly exotic adventure movie set in Ceylon. The scenery is to die for and there's a thumping, thundering climax where the rich mansion gets flattened by an angry elephant herd. (I don't believe I'm being too spoilerish here, since this outcome could have been predicted by any reasonably astute three-years-old.) Do watch Elizabeth Taylor - or her stunt double - trying to outrun a giant stampede : it's a rare treat.
In its own way "Elephant Walk" contains a warning of great relevance : there's nothing brave, adult or wise about defying Nature. On the contrary...