The Royal African Rifles | |
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Directed by | Lesley Selander |
Written by | Daniel B. Ullman |
Produced by | Richard V. Heermance |
Starring | Louis Hayward Veronica Hurst Michael Pate |
Cinematography | Ellis W. Carter |
Edited by | Walter Hannemann |
Music by | Paul Dunlap |
Production companies | Allied Artists Pictures Associated Film Artists |
Distributed by | Allied Artists Pictures |
Release date |
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Running time | 75 minutes |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
The Royal African Rifles is a 1953 American Cinecolor First World War adventure film directed by Lesley Selander and starring Louis Hayward, Veronica Hurst and Michael Pate. It is set in British East Africa but filmed on location in the Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden.[1] The film was the first production of Louis Hayward's production company Associated Film Artists, but Hayward's company made no other films. It was distributed by Allied Artists. The working title was The Queen’s African Rifles.[2] In reality, there was never a military unit called “The Royal African Rifles”, although the King's African Rifles served in Africa during the war. The film was retitled Storm Over Africa in the United Kingdom.[3]
In August 1914, a consignment of Vickers machine guns are stolen off a Royal Navy ship, HMS Marlin. An RN Lieutenant aboard the ship goes undercover as a white hunter through British East Africa to find the weapons before they get into the hands of the Germans and alter the balance of power in Africa.