World Without Walls: Beryl Markham's African Memoir

This superb documentary should do well with those who enjoyed Out of Africa. Beryl Markham, who died late last year, was a colorful character whose life weathered three husbands, the joys and hardships of growing up in Kenya, the triumph of being the first woman to cross the Atlantic on a solo flight, and the anonymity of old age. Not only was Markham familiar with the Blixens, she was also involved with Dennys Finch Hatton (played by Redford in Out of Africa), and nearly accompanied him on his fateful last plane ride. In her later years, Markham suffered serious financial difficulties and was repeatedly robbed and beaten, before the "rediscovery" in 1983 of her classic 1942 book: "West With the Night". Winner of this year's Special Jury Prize at the San Francisco International Film Festival, World Without Walls is highly recommended. (Available from larger distributors, or direct from: Wild Wing Productions, 7240 Valjean Ave., Van Nuys, CA 91406).