Review of Mountains of the Moon

"Mountains of the Moon" is one of my all time favorites. I saw it first when it came out in theaters and watch it three or four times every year after that. It is the true story of Richard Francis Burton and John Henning Speke, two British explorers , once were great friends and how they allowed pride and envy to destroy their relationship. The focus of the film centers around Burton (Patrick Bergin) and Speke's (Iain Glenn) quest to find the source of the Nile river in Central Africa. In the process of the journey Burton becomes quite ill and Speke goes on ahead. It is then when Speke discovers a lake and declares it as the source they have been searching for. When they return to England, however, Burton is not convinced by Speke's data and becomes convinced that a larger lake has to be the true source. Burton decides to go back, without Speke. This second expedition enrages Speke, who becomes one of Burton's bitterest rivals and critics. Also thrown into this volatile mix is Burton's devoted, strong-willed wife Isabelle (Fiona Shaw)who will stop at nothing to protect her husband's reputation.It's the complex, very human relationships of this film which makes "Mountains of the Moon" stand out from other period pieces. This film has everything: adventure, romance, scope, and a great performance by Patrick Bergin, playing a true-life swashbuckler whose life could be material for several screen epics. This film is the Anti-"Titanic", a true epic that doesn't replace character and humanity for mindless eye-candy and spectacle. James Cameron should have screened this film before he started his God-awful "Titanic" script. See it. You won't be disappointed.