The African Queen
“The greatest adventure a man ever lived… with a woman!”
Synopsis
At the start of the First World War, in the middle of Africa’s nowhere, a gin soaked riverboat captain is persuaded by a strong-willed missionary to go down river and face-off a German warship.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
Official 4K TrailerOfficial
Type: Trailer • Published 2024-09-30
Top Cast
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Release History & Theatrical Window
Los Angeles, California
Festival / Special Debut
February 20, 1952
Wide Cinema Exhibition
March 25, 2010
Physical Home Media
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
$1M
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
$10.8M
Total global ticket sales
Box Office Return
10.75x
+$9.8M net gain
Theatrical Status
Mega Hit
Box office tier
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- John Huston
- Screenplay & Story
- James Agee, John Huston
- Original Score
- Allan Gray
- Original Title
- The African Queen
- Country of Origin
- United Kingdom, United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English, Swahili, German
- Runtime
- 1h 45m
- Production Budget
- $1M
- Worldwide Gross
- $10.8M
- Production Studios
- Romulus Films, Horizon Pictures
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
John Huston
James Agee, John Huston, C. S. Forester
Allan Gray
Jack Cardiff, Edward Scaife
Ralph Kemplen
John Woolf, Sam Spiegel
Department Leadership Roster
John Woolf
Producer
Doris Langley Moore
Costume Design
Sam Spiegel
Producer
Jack Cardiff
Director of Photography
Connie De Pinna
Costume Design
John Huston
Director
Ralph Kemplen
Editor
James Agee
Screenplay
John Huston
Screenplay
Allan Gray
Original Music Composer
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
PG: Parental Guidance Suggested — May contain mild violence or suggestive material.
International Certification Matrix
FSK 6 — Restricted to viewers aged 6 and older.
Parental Guidance — Unlikely to upset children 8 and older.
Parental Guidance Suggested — May contain mild violence or suggestive material.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for The African Queen.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring The African Queen.
Movies
What I've Watched.
Movie Collection
1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die
1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die (All editions 2003-2024). A cumulative list including films subsequently removed in later editions. Totaling 1,260 films as of Nov 2024. 《1001部死前必看的电影》（2003-2024 全版本累积版）： 包含自2003年首版至2024年11月德语版修订的所有影片。即使在后期版本中被剔除的电影也予以保留。 *注：榜单源数据中包含部分剧集/迷你剧，由于本片单只收录纯电影，故不再收录以下非电影条目：* • [#019] Lovers Rock (2020) • [#418] Dekalog (1989) *(Updated via Automated ETL Pipeline: 2026-10-18 07:40:36 UTC+8)*
AFI Top 100 (2007 Edition)
AFI’s 100 Years…100 Movies – 10th Anniversary Edition is an updated edition to AFI’s 100 Years…100 Movies, a list of the top 100 greatest American films of all time. AFI 百年百大电影（10周年修订版）： 美国电影学会（AFI）评选的最伟大的100部美国电影。 *(Updated via Automated ETL Pipeline: 2026-10-18 07:37:20 UTC+8)*
TSPDT - 1000 Greatest Films
They Shoot Pictures, Don't They? (TSPDT) - The 1,000 Greatest Films. A definitive meta-list aggregating thousands of critics' polls, historical rankings, and director top 10s to represent the ultimate critical consensus in cinema history. TSPDT 影史最伟大的1000部电影： 全球最权威的电影元榜单，由该网站汇总世界各大电影刊物历史评选结果及数千名影评人、学者的个人十佳榜单，通过算法加权计算得出的终极共识。 *片单说明：* 本片单只收录纯电影，以下剧集或迷你剧不予收录： • [#335] Berlin Alexanderplatz (1980) • [#514] Twin Peaks: The Return (2017) • [#614] Edvard Munch (1974) • [#703] The Sorrow and the Pity (1969) • [#890] Elephant (1989) • [#925] Heimat (1984) • [#968] Doomed Love (1978) 以下作品在 TMDB 被拆分为多个独立电影条目；本片单按作品/章节顺序连续收录，且每个分拆条目均沿用同一 TSPDT 名次： • [#171] Dekalog (1989) — 展开为 10 部电影 • [#988] Olympia (1938) — 展开为 2 部电影 *(Updated via Automated ETL Pipeline: 2026-10-18 07:30:01 UTC+8)*
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Frequently Asked Questions About The African Queen
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is The African Queen about?
At the start of the First World War, in the middle of Africa’s nowhere, a gin soaked riverboat captain is persuaded by a strong-willed missionary to go down river and face-off a German warship.
Who directed The African Queen?
The African Queen was directed by John Huston.
Who stars in The African Queen?
The principal cast of The African Queen includes Humphrey Bogart, Katharine Hepburn, Robert Morley, Peter Bull, Theodore Bikel.
When was The African Queen released and how long is it?
The African Queen was released in 1952 with a total runtime of 1h 45m.
What was the box office and production budget of The African Queen?
The African Queen had a reported production budget of $1M and grossed $10.8M at the worldwide box office (10.75 return on budget, classified as a blockbuster success).
Who composed the musical score for The African Queen?
The original motion picture soundtrack for The African Queen was composed by Allan Gray.
Is The African Queen based on a book or true story?
The African Queen is adapted from the following source material: Novel: "C. S. Forester".
What is the age rating and content advisory for The African Queen?
The African Queen holds official age classifications: DE: 6 (FSK 6 — Restricted to viewers aged 6 and older.); GB: PG (Parental Guidance — Unlikely to upset children 8 and older.); US: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested — May contain mild violence or suggestive material.).