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IMDbPro

White Hunter Black Heart

  • 19901990
  • PGPG
  • 1h 52m
IMDb RATING
6.5/10
12K
YOUR RATING
Clint Eastwood in White Hunter Black Heart (1990)
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.
Play trailer1:24
1 Video
68 Photos
  • Adventure
  • Drama
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.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.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.
IMDb RATING
6.5/10
12K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Clint Eastwood
  • Writers
    • Peter Viertel(novel)
    • James Bridges(screenplay)
    • Burt Kennedy(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Clint Eastwood
    • Jeff Fahey
    • Charlotte Cornwell
Top credits
  • Director
    • Clint Eastwood
  • Writers
    • Peter Viertel(novel)
    • James Bridges(screenplay)
    • Burt Kennedy(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Clint Eastwood
    • Jeff Fahey
    • Charlotte Cornwell
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 66User reviews
    • 36Critic reviews
    • 66Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 2 nominations

    Videos1

    Official Trailer
    Trailer 1:24
    Official Trailer

    Photos68

    Clint Eastwood in White Hunter Black Heart (1990)
    Clint Eastwood in White Hunter Black Heart (1990)
    Clint Eastwood in White Hunter Black Heart (1990)
    Clint Eastwood and George Dzundza in White Hunter Black Heart (1990)
    Clint Eastwood in White Hunter Black Heart (1990)
    Clint Eastwood in White Hunter Black Heart (1990)
    Clint Eastwood in White Hunter Black Heart (1990)
    Clint Eastwood, Jeff Fahey, Boy Mathias Chuma, and Alex Norton in White Hunter Black Heart (1990)
    Clint Eastwood and George Dzundza in White Hunter Black Heart (1990)
    Clint Eastwood, Jeff Fahey, and Conrad Asquith in White Hunter Black Heart (1990)
    Clint Eastwood in White Hunter Black Heart (1990)
    Clint Eastwood in White Hunter Black Heart (1990)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Clint Eastwood
    Clint Eastwood
    • John Wilsonas John Wilson
    Jeff Fahey
    Jeff Fahey
    • Pete Verrillas Pete Verrill
    Charlotte Cornwell
    • Miss Wilding, Wilson's Secretaryas Miss Wilding, Wilson's Secretary
    Norman Lumsden
    • Butler Georgeas Butler George
    George Dzundza
    George Dzundza
    • Paul Landersas Paul Landers
    Edward Tudor-Pole
    Edward Tudor-Pole
    • Reissar - a British Partneras Reissar - a British Partner
    • (as Edward Tudor Pole)
    Roddy Maude-Roxby
    • Thompson, British Partneras Thompson, British Partner
    Richard Warwick
    Richard Warwick
    • Basil Fields, British Partneras Basil Fields, British Partner
    John Rapley
    • Gun Shop Salesmanas Gun Shop Salesman
    Catherine Neilson
    Catherine Neilson
    • Irene Saundersas Irene Saunders
    Marisa Berenson
    Marisa Berenson
    • Kay Gibson, Film Staras Kay Gibson, Film Star
    Richard Vanstone
    • Phil Duncan, Film Staras Phil Duncan, Film Star
    Jamie Koss
    • Mrs. Duncanas Mrs. Duncan
    Anne Dunkley
    • Scarf Girl in Nightclub Showas Scarf Girl in Nightclub Show
    David Danns
    • Bongo Man in Nightclub Showas Bongo Man in Nightclub Show
    Myles Freeman
    • Ape Man in Nightclub Showas Ape Man in Nightclub Show
    Geoffrey Hutchings
    Geoffrey Hutchings
    • Squadron Leader Alec Laingas Squadron Leader Alec Laing
    Christopher Fairbank
    Christopher Fairbank
    • Tom Harrison, Art Directoras Tom Harrison, Art Director
    • Director
      • Clint Eastwood
    • Writers
      • Peter Viertel(novel) (screenplay)
      • James Bridges(screenplay)
      • Burt Kennedy(screenplay)
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The main character, John Wilson, portrayed by Clint Eastwood, was based on legendary director John Huston; Jeff Fahey's Pete Verrill writer character was based on novelist Peter Viertel; George Dzundza's Paul Landers producer character was based on producer Sam Spiegel; Marisa Berenson's Kay Gibson character was based on Katharine Hepburn, and Richard Vanstone's Phil Duncan character was based on Humphrey Bogart.
    • Goofs
      The plane's flight to Africa is marked from it's starting point in Europe, south to it's destination in Uganda. The shot then switches to the plane flying over the Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe.
    • Quotes

      John Wilson: I would like to tell you a little story.

      Mrs. MacGregor: Oh, I love stories.

      John Wilson: Well, you mustn't interrupt now, because you're way too beautiful to interrupt people. When I was in London in the early 40's, I was dining one evening at the Savoy with a rather select group of people, and sitting next to me was a very beautiful lady, much like yourself.

      Mrs. MacGregor: Now you're pulling my leg.

      John Wilson: Now, just listen, dear. Well, we were dining and the bombs were falling, and we were all talking about Hitler and comparing him with Napoleon, and we were all being really brilliant. And then, suddenly, this beautiful lady, she spoke up and said that was the thing she didn't mind about Hitler, was the way he was treating the Jews. Well, we all started arguing with her, of course. Though, mind you, no one at the table was Jewish. But she persisted. Are you listening, honey?

      Mrs. MacGregor: Mustn't interrupt Daddy.

      John Wilson: That's right. You're way too beautiful for that. Anyway, she went on to say that that's how she felt about it, that if she had her way, she would kill them all, burn them in ovens, like Hitler. Well, we all sat there in silence. Then finally, I leaned over to her and I said, "Madam, I have dined with some of the ugliest goddamn bitches in my time. And I have dined with some of the goddamndest ugly bitches in this world. But you, my dear, are the ugliest bitch of them all." Well, anyway, she got up to leave and she tripped over a chair and fell on the floor. And we all just sat there. No one raised a hand to help her. And finally when she picked herself up I said to her one more time: "You, my dear, are the ugliest goddamn bitch I have ever dined with." Well, you know what happened? The very next day, she reported me to the American Embassy. And they brought me in for reprimand. And then when they investigated it, they found out she was a German agent. And they locked her up.

      [smiles]

      John Wilson: Isn't that amazing?

      Mrs. MacGregor: Why did you tell me that story?

      John Wilson: Oh, I don't know. It wasn't because I thought you were a German agent, honey. But I was tempted tonight to say the very same thing to you. I didn't want you to think I had never said it before. You, madam, are the - Well, you know the rest.

    • Connections
      Featured in At the Movies: Postcards from the Edge/Saving Grace/White Hunter, Black Heart/After Dark, My Sweet (1990)
    • Soundtracks
      Satin Doll
      Written by Duke Ellington, Johnny Mercer and Billy Strayhorn

    User reviews66

    Review
    Top review
    7/10
    Intelligent story about a notorious filmmaker who has become obsessed with one particular elephant and leaves the shooting
    One of the most intellectual and unknown films from actor and director Clint Eastwood , at the height of his best work as acting as filmmaking , and based on real events . A thinly fictionalized account of a legendary movie director, the world famous film director John Huston , whose desire to hunt down an animal turns into a grim situation , he has gone to Africa to make his next movie , but he is more interested in hunting large tusked elephants that shooting the movie he came to Africa to produce . Eastwood stars , directs and produces this original adventure film that alternates with great skill and unique perspective, a recreation of the early stages in the filming "The African Queen" and the obsession of its director to hunt elephant tusks in the middle portentous African Savannah .

    Very good performance by Eastwood who gives a self-destructive portrait of the protagonist John Wilson , a facade for John Huston's The African Queen. High performances filled with silences , glances, gestures , supported by an excellent support cast as Jeff Fahey's character is based on Peter Viertel, George Dzundza's on Sam Spiegel ; Marisa Berenson's on Katharine Hepburn and Richard Vanstone's on Humphrey Bogart . Even Katharine Hepburn contested the accuracy of the film . Interesting script with writing credits from prestigious screenwriters as Peter Viertel (novel's author and married to Deborah Kerr), Burt Kennedy and James Bridges , his writing on the screenplay became the final film work .

    This interesting film results to be an extraordinary building a peculiar character inspired in John Huston as an obstinate, contrary director who'd rather hunt elephants than takes care of his crew or movie . Nobody is better than a great actor-turned-best director, Clint Eastwood , to impersonate one of the greatest American filmmakers with portentous personality and special character . The particularities regarding his crafty , eccentric womanizer and "bon vivant" found in Houston turned to be perfectly incarnated into the wonderful interpretation of Eastwood who provides everything needed to display the charisma and genius of this character . Based on 1953's accounts written by Peter Viertel and well played by Jeff Fahey referring his experiences working on James Agee's screenplay . The small steamboat that they used in the whitewater scene is the same boat that Humphrey Bogart's character captained in The African Queen . Furthermore , the picture displays an atmospheric and sensible musical score by Lennie Niehaus , Eastwood's usual . Colorful cinematography by Jack N. Green filmed on location in Lake Kariba, Zimbabwe , Zambia and in studio : Pinewood Studios, Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire, England, UK . Rating : Good , better than average .
    helpful•13
    1
    • ma-cortes
    • Jun 1, 2012

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • September 14, 1990 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Weißer Jäger, schwarzes Herz
    • Filming locations
      • Lake Kariba, Zimbabwe
    • Production companies
      • Malpaso Productions
      • Rastar Pictures
      • Warner Bros.
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $24,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $2,319,124
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $165,450
      • Sep 16, 1990
    • Gross worldwide
      • $2,319,124
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 52 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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