Director Bob Rafelson is best known for films that concentrate on character portrayals rather than exaggerated action or mind-blowing cinemascapes. Most notable are his early ’70s gems Five Easy Pieces (1970) and The King of Marvin Gardens (1972), both of which feature fine introspective performances by Jack Nicholson and an excellent supporting ensemble cast. Five Easy Pieces is, of course, also of note for the high-energy, pre-fat, nekkid Sally Struthers sex scene, which has absolutely nothing at all to do with this column. Given Rafelson’s predisposition for psychological study, it should be no surprise that his 1990 epic, Mountains of the Moon, is more concerned with its heroes's inner workings than the actual adventure itself--in this case, the several mid-19th century expeditions by British explorers Sir Richard Francis Burton and John Hanning Speke to find the source of the Nile. Even though the two were among the first Europeans to see many of the wondrous African landscapes, cultures, and animal species, it is the relationship between the often despicable Burton and the much weaker Speke which takes center stage.

Since the exploring business is no piece of cake, the two must face many trials before reaching their goal. We get to see a spear chucked through Burton's face. At one point he gets malaria and is nursed (and caressed) through this delirium by Speke, in a very loving manner. Speke himself has a problem with a beetle that decides to take up residence in his ear and attempts to dispatch the critter with a technique that most family practitioners would frown upon. Despite all they have gone through (and the fact that the two have become great friends), when the explorers return to England, Speke is easily coerced into taking total credit for their discovery, after Burton insists that more information should be gathered (through another expedition).

Burton is convincingly portrayed by Partrick Bergin as the larger-than-life character that he was, while Iain Glen is the weaker and sexually ambiguous Speke, who may in fact be in love with the victim of his betrayal. The most entertaining supporting role is that of Richard E. Grant, amusingly over-the-top as usual as the conniving publisher Oliphant, who convinces Speke to steal the credit from Burton. Adding some humor is a scene where Burton and fellow explorer Dr. David Livingstone play the manly “my wound’s bigger than your wound” game that has appeared in several adventures (including Jaws).

The cinematography is always top notch, particularly the sequences in Africa, although some of the scenes cry out for a wider aspect ratio. The film is based on the biographical novel Burton and Speke by William Harrison, who co-wrote the script with director Rafelson. Mountains of the Moon is an always intelligent, often gritty film that tells its story well. Unlike a lot of epics, it doesn’t rely on overblown action or scenic spectaculars to make up for lulls in the story. The painful story of Burton and Speke’s quest for glory, as well as the rise and fall of their friendship, is often intense, and always interesting.

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