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IMDbPro

The Roots of Heaven

  • 19581958
  • Not RatedNot Rated
  • 2h 6m
IMDb RATING
6.3/10
1K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
26,710
3,214
The Roots of Heaven (1958)
In French Equatorial Africa, an idealist ecologist starts a campaign of public awareness to help save the African elephants from extinction.
Play trailer3:01
1 Video
47 Photos
AdventureDrama
In French Equatorial Africa, an idealist ecologist starts a campaign of public awareness to help save the African elephants from extinction.In French Equatorial Africa, an idealist ecologist starts a campaign of public awareness to help save the African elephants from extinction.In French Equatorial Africa, an idealist ecologist starts a campaign of public awareness to help save the African elephants from extinction.
IMDb RATING
6.3/10
1K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
26,710
3,214
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Director
      • John Huston
    • Writers
      • Romain Gary(novel "Les Racines du Ciel")
      • Patrick Leigh-Fermor(screenplay)
    • Stars
      • Errol Flynn
      • Juliette Gréco
      • Trevor Howard
    Top credits
    • Director
      • John Huston
    • Writers
      • Romain Gary(novel "Les Racines du Ciel")
      • Patrick Leigh-Fermor(screenplay)
    • Stars
      • Errol Flynn
      • Juliette Gréco
      • Trevor Howard
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 25User reviews
    • 9Critic reviews

    Videos1

    Trailer
    Trailer 3:01
    Trailer

    Photos47

    The Roots of Heaven (1958)
    Trevor Howard and Juliette Gréco in The Roots of Heaven (1958)
    Trevor Howard in The Roots of Heaven (1958)
    Eddie Albert in The Roots of Heaven (1958)
    Errol Flynn in The Roots of Heaven (1958)
    Juliette Gréco in The Roots of Heaven (1958)
    Trevor Howard in The Roots of Heaven (1958)
    Trevor Howard in The Roots of Heaven (1958)
    Trevor Howard in The Roots of Heaven (1958)
    Juliette Gréco in The Roots of Heaven (1958)
    Friedrich von Ledebur in The Roots of Heaven (1958)
    Jacqueline Fogt in The Roots of Heaven (1958)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Errol Flynn
    Errol Flynn
    • Forsythe
    Juliette Gréco
    Juliette Gréco
    • Minna
    • (as Juliette Greco)
    Trevor Howard
    Trevor Howard
    • Morel
    Eddie Albert
    Eddie Albert
    • Abe Fields
    Orson Welles
    Orson Welles
    • Cy Sedgewick
    Paul Lukas
    Paul Lukas
    • Saint Denis
    Herbert Lom
    Herbert Lom
    • Orsini
    Grégoire Aslan
    Grégoire Aslan
    • Habib
    André Luguet
    André Luguet
    • Governor
    Friedrich von Ledebur
    Friedrich von Ledebur
    • Peer Qvist
    • (as Friedrich Ledebur)
    Edric Connor
    • Waitari
    Olivier Hussenot
    Olivier Hussenot
    • Baron
    Pierre Dudan
    • Major Schölscher
    Marc Doelnitz
    • De Vries
    Francis De Wolff
    • Father Farque
    • (as Francis de Wolff)
    Dan Jackson
    Dan Jackson
    • Madjumba
    Maurice de Canonge
    • Haas
    • (as Maurice Cannon)
    Jacques Marin
    Jacques Marin
    • Cerisot
    • Director
      • John Huston
    • Writers
      • Romain Gary(novel "Les Racines du Ciel") (screenplay)
      • Patrick Leigh-Fermor(screenplay)
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

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    Did you know

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    • Trivia
      Errol Flynn's alcoholism had become a round-the-clock problem, and he was frequently at odds with John Huston. At one point, he provoked Huston into a fight; while Flynn was a former amateur boxer, the years of fast living had taken a heavy toll on him, and Huston, himself a former professional boxer, flattened Flynn with a single punch.
    • Quotes

      Morel: Do you know that tens of thousands of elephants are killed every year? Thirty thousand last year, to be exact. Thirty thousand. If they go on like that, there won't be any left. Anyone who's seen the great herds on the march across the last free spaces of the earth knows they're something the world can't afford to lose! But no... We have to capture, kill, destroy. All that's beautiful has got to go. All that's free! Soon we'll be alone on this earth with nothing to destroy but ourselves!

    • Connections
      Featured in From the Journals of Jean Seberg (1995)
    • Soundtracks
      Minna's Theme
      (uncredited)

      Music by Henri Patterson

      Arranged by Malcolm Arnold

    User reviews25

    Review
    Top review
    5/10
    One of the 'Sickest' Films of All Time
    When the original script of The Roots of Heaven was shown to John Huston, he had it in mind for William Holden to star in it. It seemed like a natural given Holden's interest in conservation. Errol Flynn remarked in his memoirs that he was looking forward to co-starring with Holden.

    But Bill Holden backed out of the project and not as big a movie name, Trevor Howard, was substituted. Flynn's part was then built up though clearly he's a supporting character. In any event all these guys were just there in support of Juliette Greco who was Darryl F. Zanuck's main squeeze at the time. Ms. Greco was a better actress than that other squeeze of Zanuck's Bella Darvi and she didn't come to a tragic end as poor Bella did.

    Huston maybe should have known better, after all he had done The African Queen on location in Africa already and knew the problems therein. The Roots of Heaven may have set some kind of record for illnesses among the cast, maybe rivaling The Conqueror. The most serious was Eddie Albert's nearly fatal case of sunstroke.

    It was reported that Errol Flynn kept the illness at bay by consuming large quantities of gin on location. He had the most to worry about as he had chronic malaria, acquired in his youth in the New Guinea jungles that kicked up on him every now and then. Of course right after the film, he was reported to suffer a major attack of it and was in hospital for weeks.

    The story never quite takes off. It's about Trevor Howard's efforts to save the elephant population and the lack of interest therein among most of the natives who depend on the ivory trade for a livelihood. Conservation is a noble cause, but it's usually talked about by those who've already plundered their area already for its resources and are now telling others what to do.

    Howard's cause never quite gets off the ground and sad to say, neither does the film. Maybe it could be made today with better results.
    helpful•16
    9
    • bkoganbing
    • Jun 30, 2007

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • October 15, 1958 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Koreni neba
    • Filming locations
      • Sarh, Chad
    • Production company
      • Darryl F. Zanuck Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

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    • Budget
      • $4,500,000 (estimated)
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

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    • Runtime
      2 hours 6 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

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