One of Patrick Swayze's later acting credits was the 2004 two-part miniseries (also aired as a TV film) King's Solomon Mines, which originally aired on the Hallmark Channel. This adaptation of a classic 1885 adventure novel if the same name by H. Rider Haggard was no trailblazer in its genre but works well as a decently amusing reinterpretation of its source material.
The general premise revolves around Allan Quartermain (Swayze) and his band of adventurers who engage in a treasure quest in the mythical King Solomon's Mines in largely unexplored regions of Africa. If you're a fan of the novel and the miniseries, here is some trivia that would pique your interest.
Blackfacing With VFX
A scene towards the ending shows a ludicrous case of 'blackface' that is totally unacceptable in any context. In the third act, Quartermain's ally Ignose chooses the British explorer to fight a warrior under the harsh tyrant Twala.
While the camera hardly focuses on the warrior, it was revealed that the actor exchanging blows with Quartermain was actually a white man 'digitally painted' black!
Reinterpreting Characters
The adaptation removed or altered a few significant characters from Haggard's novel. The biggest example is the removal of Scragga, a pivotal character in the original story. Scragga is the aforementioned king Twala's son.
Gagool is another major supporting character, a wise lady of the village who helps Twala in usurping the throne. She's described physically as a grotesque, aged 'wizened monkey' by the novelist. The film however gives her a younger makeover with Lesedi Mogoathle playing the part. She's shown as often covering her face in warpaint.
Gavin Hood Had A Small Role
South-African filmmaker Gavin Hood had made his directorial debut in 1999 but initially struggled as an actor, often appearing in direct-to-video or low-budget productions. He portrayed Bruce McNabb, a supporting villainous character created for the film. This was his last major acting credit until 2015's Eye In The Sky (which he himself directed).
Just a year after King Solomon's Mines, Hood acquired widespread acclaim directing the multilingual film Tsotsi that went on to win an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. He followed up his filmography with popular movies like X-Men Origins: Wolverine and Ender's Game.
Hakeem Kae-Kazim Acted In Two Versions Of King Solomon's Mines
Hakeem Kae-Kazim is a Nigerian-British actor mostly known for his appearances in Hotel Rwanda and Pirates Of The Caribbean. He plays Twala in King Solomon's Mines.
Two years later, he appeared in another film related to Haggard's novel (even though he played a different character this time). This film was the second installment of the historical fantasy trilogy called The Librarian. In The Librarian: Return To King Solomon's Mines, the actor plays a guide who helps the titular librarian-turned-adventurer find the legendary mines in the present day.
Geographical Errors
The 2004 version was more of a fantasy tale with little attention being given o historical and geographical details. This is evident in several scenes. For instance, Quartermain's troupe walk from South Africa to the so-called Mines. And on their path, they find a ring-tailed lemur, an animal that's endemic only to the island country of Madagascar.
Similarly, in one of the night scenes in South Africa, the Pole Star and constellations like the Ursa Major are present in the sky. In reality, these are not visible from countries like South Africa that lie in the southern hemisphere.
Alison Doody's Character & Indiana Jones
The female protagonist of the miniseries, Elizabeth Maitland was a new character not touched upon in any previous interpretation of King Solomon's Mines. She's played by actress Alison Doddy who's most famously known for the role of antagonist Elsa Schneider in Indiana Jones And The Last Crusade.
Interestingly, the character of Allan Quartermain in the novel and its adaptations in the 1950-60s and his adventure-seeking tendencies heavily inspired the character of archaeologist-adventurer Indiana Jones so much so that all interpretations of Quartermain now seem to caricature Jones.
Cult Source Material That Gave Birth To A Genre
King Solomon's Mines might seem like yet another movie/series on the same old narrative of a white man exploring different civilizations in olden times. However, its source material was a novel that reshaped the adventure genre forever (for both literature and cinema).
Before Haggard, no English author had ever written a novel set in Africa. The book went on to birth the 'lost world' genre. Even though Haggard went to great depths to describe various African communities in his book (based on his real-life interactions), there are some obvious elements that would be too stereotypical in today's standards. Yet, the book can be commended for its wildly original concepts.
Weapon Goofs
A major portion of the historical inaccuracies deals with the arms and ammunition used in the film. The film, like the novel, is set in the year 1860. Laypersons would realize that the guns used in most of the film's duration seem to be of a newer make.
Those with expertise in weaponry would further point out the goofs. Most significantly, the rifles used by the Russian characters Mosin-Nagant rifles Model 1930 (which were first produced in 1898). The leader of the Russians then uses a 'C96 Broomhandle Mauser' which was first produced in 1896 (hence the 96 in the name).
Steve Boyum Went On To Make Another Hallmark Retelling Of A Classic
After King Solomon's Mines, director Steve Boyum decided to play around with another classic novel. This time, his pick was Alexandre Dumas's The Three Musketeers. But instead of adapting his entire film on it, he planned to take the novel's story forward.
Released by Hallmark in the same year, La Femme Musketeer deals with Valentine D'Artagnan, the swashbuckling daughter of an aged Jacques D'Artagnan who served with the three musketeers in his heyday, all of whom feature in the film.
Abundance Of Visible Equipment
King Solomon's Mines has several moments that are worthy of being paused, to spot some funny goof-ups. There's a scene where Quartermain is talking to the character called Oombaapaa near a cliff. The character wears a tunic which however doesn't conceal the battery pack and microphone cable attached to him.
Then there's a scene where two plastic bottles can be found in the so-called primitive huts. Even when the Russians attack Quartermain's camp in the desert, one can spot a white building in the background revealing the film set.