AllMovie

Kon-Tiki was the name of a tiny balsa-wood raft, constructed by Norwegian explorer Thor Heyerdahl. It was Heyerdahl's contention that pre-Columbian Polynesian natives had regularly made trips across the ocean in similar rafts. To prove his theory, Heyerdahl set sail in the Kon-Tiki in 1947, successfully completing a 4300-mile journey from Peru to Tahiti. Filmed en route with 16-millimeter camera equipment, Kon Tiki was originally released in Sweden in tandem with the publication of Heyerdahl's book about the expedition. The English-language version, narrated by sportscaster Ben Grauer, was prepared by producer Sol Lesser and distributed by RKO Radio.