Sands of the Kalahari

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Sands of the Kalahari

Released Nov 24, 1965

1h 59m

Adventure

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5 Reviews

64%

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Fewer than 50 Ratings

After a small plane crashes in the jungles of South Africa, its surviving passengers struggle to find their way back to civilization. Devious Brian O'Brien (Stuart Whitman) puts himself in charge of the group, which includes divorcée Grace (Susannah York), mining engineer Bain (Stanley Baker) and German-born Grimmelman (Harry Andrews). When O'Brien kills Grimmelman following a dispute, the group turns on the self-appointed leader, leaving him at the mercy of the jungle's savage creatures.

Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

This is an extremely frustrating film.

Rated: 2/4

Jul 28, 2025

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Nick Rogers

Midwest Film Journal

Hardly an unsung classic of the survival-film genre, but Stuart Whitman has a blast as an apex predator and it's enjoyable as a mid-level exploitation venture.

Rated: 3/5

Jul 3, 2025

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Dennis Schwartz

Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews

Schematic but enthralling survival thriller.

Rated: B

Nov 16, 2012

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Sean Axmaker

MSN.com

Cy Endfield explored similar themes in "Zulu" a year before but this comes off as pulp melodrama of the machismo variety.

Aug 3, 2011

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Shane Burridge

rec.arts.movies.reviews

Gripping, existential adventure.

Jul 26, 2004

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Peter K

I found this film to be far better than I expected, very enjoyable for watching on a wet December afternoon. For a 59 year old film it has aged really well.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

12/27/24

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Audience Member

Slow, left me feeling like I needed a shower, only lasted 3/4 of the way through. York was a bust, Whitman was OK.

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

02/09/23

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Audience Member

One of the great survival films of all time. Tense, wonderfully acted, stunning photography and featuring one of the great film endings of all time. How the hell they shot this film, and all those baboons is beyond me. If remade today it would be filled with laughable cgi animals. Watch this unsung classic - you won't regret it.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/15/23

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Audience Member

Starts well but becomes endless and then limps along to a pointless conclusion. Whitman, clad for most of the film in nothing but tiny cutoffs, is impressively fit.

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

02/27/23

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Audience Member

Tagline: Danger the Eyes of Man Have Never Seen! When their plane goes down in the African desert, its survival mode and primal carnage in Cy Endfield's Sands of the Kalahari. Also known as the director of the fabulous action adventure Zulu, Cy Endfield's tight direction makes for another taut thriller with tons of adventure and suspense. The movie has developed character, and great sense of adventure and danger, and ultimately has plenty of themes with man vs. man and man vs. wild. Sands of the Kalahari is an adventure film with a capital "A".

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/05/23

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Audience Member

A terrific action adventure about our most primitive and beastly animal instincts put to the test in a primeval wasteland. Stuart Whitman is perfect as a man, an outsider, relishing his animal ancestry in a contest with his fellow stranded humans and wild baboons.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/15/23

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Charles De Latour

Director

Stuart Whitman

Brian O'Brien

Susannah York

Grace Munkton

Stanley Baker

Mike Bain

Harry Andrews

Grimmelman

Theodore Bikel

Dr. Bondrachai

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Synopsis

After a small plane crashes in the jungles of South Africa, its surviving passengers struggle to find their way back to civilization. Devious Brian O'Brien (Stuart Whitman) puts himself in charge of the group, which includes divorcée Grace (Susannah York), mining engineer Bain (Stanley Baker) and German-born Grimmelman (Harry Andrews). When O'Brien kills Grimmelman following a dispute, the group turns on the self-appointed leader, leaving him at the mercy of the jungle's savage creatures.

Director: Charles De Latour
Producer: Charles De Latour, Stanley Baker
Screenwriter: Charles De Latour
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Production Co: Joseph M. Schenck Enterprises
Genre: Adventure
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Nov 24, 1965, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 15, 2017
Runtime: 1h 59m

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