Victor Marswell (Clark Gable) runs a large diversion trapping association in Kenya. Eloise 'Honeybear' Kelly (Ava Gardner) is marooned at Victor Marswell's jungle animal capture camp. She is the girl on the prowl for a man, who has now settled on Marswell. To get him Kelly has to offset the sweeter charms of Linda Nordley (Grace Kelly), the wife of the unexciting anthropologist Donald Nordley (Donald Sinden), as they both show up for their gorilla documenting safari. Marswell saves Linda from an attacking panther, and although she, smitten with the Victor masculinity, tacitly offers herself to him, he passes. As the group's safari heads into gorilla country, the deepest, darkest jungle, the sexual tension between Victor and Linda increases.

  'Mogambo' ('Passion' in Swahili) is the lavish remake of the classic film 'Red Dust' (1932). The earlier movie also featured Clark Gable in the lead role. Whilst filming 'Mogambo' Grace Kelly had an affair with Gable later memorably commenting 'What else is there to do if you're alone in a tent in Africa with Clark Gable?' Unfortunately Grace was serious, Clark was not. They were together most of their free time in Africa but it ended shortly after they returned to America. When the film ended so did the romance and Grace was devastated.

  The film offers some of the best wildlife shots taken of the African continent, with the gorilla confrontations particularly dramatic. The music is all performed by local native tribes, except for Gardner accompanied by player piano, and the film records a traditional Africa that has long since passed away. For these sequences alone the film is worth watching. Critics praised Grace's patrician beauty, the role garnered Grace Kelly a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress and her first Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress. Ava Gardner was nominated for Best Actress.