The Last Rhino (1961) - British Colonial Cinema

Shot around 1960 in Kenya's National Park. The Last Rhino is, plain and simple, a sentimental tale of children and their love for animals, a popular archetype among Children's Film Foundation output. Although it may have nothing to say about global politics, the film is certainly educational on the subject of indigenous wildlife, featuring lions and elephants as well as its titular rhino, providing a big screen safari at a time before even Blue Peter (BBC, 1958- ) began television globetrotting. The people of Kenya, first seen tribal dancing in scenes reminiscent of pages from National Geographic magazine, are meanwhile portrayed as rather bloodthirsty natives. The tribesmen are banned from tribal conflict by their colonial masters and those who now wish to replace battle with hunting are seen as untrustworthy, deceitful bad guys while the warden and his young charges are portrayed as steadfast authority figures. There are a small number of Kenyans among the warden's retinue, but chef M'Pichi, for instance, is deployed merely for comic effect.

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