These days, when someone thinks of nature documentaries, the first thought usually goes to the BBC or the Discovery Channel. Half a century ago, when colour television was still something of a luxury in most parts of the world, audiences still had to rely on the big screen to truly enjoy that particular genre. This allowed some nature documentaries to become international box-office sensations. One of the best known among them was Animals Are Beautiful People, a 1974 South African film directed by Jamie Uys.
The film is dedicated to the wildlife in the southwestern part of the African continent, namely the areas that cover parts of today’s South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, and Zimbabwe. The film is roughly divided into three parts that show the flora and fauna of three distinctive regions – the sandy Namib Desert, the lush Okavango Valley, and the arid areas of the Kalahari. Through brief vignettes, the film depicts various animals, the way they interact with each other, and the ingenious ways in which they survive the heat, escape predators, or find food and water. The latter includes a small segment depicting the life of the Kalahari bushmen. All these events are covered by the semi-humorous narration of Paddy O’Byrne, which often attempts to interpret animals and their behaviour in a way that makes them seem human-like. The effect, enhanced by the use of classical music in clever editing, mostly works, especially in the scene featuring animals getting drunk on fermented, overripe fruit. Although some purists dislike the obvious manipulation in the form of certain scenes being staged or deceptively edited, despite these flaws, Animals Are Beautiful People provides not only a fascinating insight into African wildlife but also offers solid entertainment that could be enjoyed by the whole family. Uys made this film over four years, with the locations and experience later being put to good use in his hit comedy The Gods Must Be Crazy.
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