As in Celine’s Journey, Africa is squalid and tedious, inhabited by a fecund, dull witted mass of natives and dipsomaniacal, lecherous expats. The film reflects this in its somewhat languid pacing, which eventually becomes obtrusive (it would benefit from losing 30 minutes), and off-kilter camera work. The length of the film is not helped by the fact that the plot is little more than a shaggy dog story. Noiret though is an engaging anti-hero who, along with the mordant humour of the film, makes it a fun distraction for the time rich.