White Hunter Black Heart (1990)

Director:

Clint Eastwood

Writers (WGA):

Peter Viertel (novel)
Peter Viertel (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

14 September 1990 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Drama

Tagline:

An adventure in obsession...

Plot:

A thinly fictionalized account of a legendary movie director, whose desire to hunt down an animal turns into a grim situation with his movie crew in Africa.

Plot Keywords:

Director | Africa | Elephant | Monkey | Tarmac

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Clint Eastwood	...	John Wilson
Jeff Fahey	...	Pete Verrill
Charlotte Cornwell	...	Miss Wilding, Wilson's Secretary
Norman Lumsden	...	Butler George
George Dzundza	...	Paul Landers
Edward Tudor-Pole	...	Reissar, British Partner
Roddy Maude-Roxby	...	Thompson, British Partner
Richard Warwick	...	Basil Fields, British Partner
John Rapley	...	Gun Shop Salesman
Catherine Neilson	...	Irene Saunders
Marisa Berenson	...	Kay Gibson, Film Star
Richard Vanstone	...	Phil Duncan, Film Star
Jamie Koss	...	Mrs. Duncan
Anne Dunkley	...	Scarf Girl in Nightclub Show
David Danns	...	Bongo Man in Nightclub Show

Runtime:

112 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Spain:T | Iceland:L | West Germany:12 | South Korea:12 | Argentina:Atp | Australia:PG | Finland:S | Norway:10 | Sweden:11 | UK:PG | USA:PG | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Buckinghamshire, England, UK

Company:

Malpaso Productions

Trivia:

Katharine Hepburn contested the accuracy of the film.

Quotes:

John Wilson: How 'bout that. I feel pretty good, really. It's like I always tell ya kid, you gotta fight when you think it's the right thing to do. Otherwise, you feel like your gut's full of puss. Even if you get the hell beat outta ya, if ya fight, ya feel ok about it.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Tatort: Märchenwald (#1.576)" (2004)

Soundtrack:

SATIN DOLL

One of Clint Eastwood's most unjustly-neglected movies

One of Clint Eastwood's most unjustly-neglected movies... he directed and stars as a cranky, strong-willed movie director (he's actually playing the real-life John Huston, though his character is called "Wilson" in the movie... and the book it was based on). In Africa to direct an action-comedy ("The African Queen" in real life) Wilson throws the project into turmoil when he suddenly becomes obsessed with hunting and killing an elephant. "It's not a crime... it's bigger than that... it's a SIN," he says by way of justification. It takes a while to get used to Clint trying to play John Huston... trying to talk in a different style of voice than we're used to hearing... but the dialog and story are so compelling that you forget that Clint really is the wrong guy for this role. And yet, by the time the movie reaches it's devastating final line... Clint has made the character his own. As far as Clint's directing work goes... I would rank this film right after "Unforgiven"!