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Sigourney Weaver plays anthropologist Dian Fossey in this biopic from director Michael Apted (Coal Miner’s Daughter, Thunderheart). Fossey studied mountain gorillas in Rwanda and the Congo, living among them for nearly 18 years in ’60s, ’70s, and ’80s. Her fervent conservation efforts are credited for rescuing the species from extinction. Unfortunately, those efforts also made her many enemies, including hunters, zoos, and local governments. Her 1985 murder is still a mystery.
Gorillas in the Mist is a love affair between a fearless woman and a group of endangered animals to whom she commits her life. Weaver gives one of her best performances as Fossey, a woman who essentially gives up a normal life among humans so that she can protect the animals from slaughter and trade. A National Geographic photographer (played by Bryan Brown) helps spread her story across the globe. He also introduces a somewhat clunky romantic subplot to the movie. The love story feels forced and unnecessary, but it does serve a function when Fossey declines to leave her mountain for him. It’s the final sacrifice she makes for her gorillas. After that point in the film, she’s truly ‘gone native’ — a woman with an all-consuming cause, and woe to anyone who gets in her way.
Animal lovers (I’m one of you) will find scenes of the gorillas’ capture and killing hard to take, but it makes it so much easier to understand why a woman like Fossey would devote her life to them. The film was shot in the actual locations where Fossey lived and worked. Some of the gorillas she knew even appear in the film, interacting with Weaver — including a very imposing and deadly 450-pound alpha male silverback. Not all the animal footage is real, though. For safety reasons, many shots feature mechanical creations by Rick Baker, who previously provided the ape makeup and effects for Greystoke. His impressive work is almost indistinguishable from the real thing.
As with many biopics, Gorillas in the Mist struggles a bit with narrative momentum in places. Many viewers may find Dian Fossey too gruff and obsessive, but as a believer in her cause and sacrifice, I find her heroic. The film’s heart is very much in the right place. It also has a lot of escapist value, allowing us to spend two hours and change with beautiful creatures in a place Fossey called “as close to Heaven as possible”.
With John Omirah Miluwi as Fossey’s long-time tracker and confidant, Iain Glen (Game of Thrones), Julie Harris (East of Eden), and great photography by John Seale (Witness, The Talented Mr. Ripley).
Oscar Nominations: Best Actress (Sigourney Weaver), Adapted Screenplay (Anna Hamilton Phelan, Tab Murphy), Sound, Film Editing (Stuart Baird), Score (Maurice Jarre)