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White Hunter, Black Heart

Play trailer Poster for White Hunter, Black Heart PG 1990 1h 52m Comedy Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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84% Tomatometer 37 Reviews 62% Popcornmeter 5,000+ Ratings
Hard-living, macho movie director John Wilson arrives in the 1950s Zimbabwe to prepare for his next film. Accompanied by screenwriter Pete Verrill, Wilson becomes far more interested in shooting an elephant than getting ready for the shoot. Determined, Wilson moves production to a village where a native hunter helps him in his quest. Obsessed with this goal even as filming grows ever more chaotic, the director begins to question the ethics and origins of his fixation.
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White Hunter, Black Heart

White Hunter, Black Heart

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Critics Consensus

White Hunter Black Heart is powerful, intelligent, and subtly moving, a fascinating meditation on masculinity and the insecurities of artists.

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Critics Reviews

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Michael Wilmington Los Angeles Times Jul 16, 2025
The movie is well-written, acted and shot and deeply felt. Go to Full Review Richard Combs Sight & Sound Jan 11, 2020
It's as if White Hunter, Black Heart had opened up the gap that exists in any Huston film between the playful surfaces and the depths beneath. Go to Full Review Richard Brody The New Yorker Dec 29, 2014
Eastwood's subject is wasted lives and wasted talent; Wilson's charisma and Hollywood's money prove irresistible, and their sheer power brings noteworthy results-but they emerge from a needless vortex of ruin. Go to Full Review Matt Brunson Film Frenzy Aug 17, 2025
3/4
This remains one of Clint Eastwood’s more unusual -- and thus most interesting -- pictures. Go to Full Review Rene Jordan El Nuevo Herald (Miami) Nov 29, 2022
This, despite its irrefutable merits, was completely wrong from the start. [Full review in Spanish] Go to Full Review Brian D. Johnson Maclean's Magazine Oct 15, 2019
Shot on location in Nigeria, the movie hinges completely on Eastwood's performance, which is strained. The actordirector steps sharply out of character to attempt a baroque and unconvincing impersonation of the cantankerous Huston. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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keven Q @kevenquinlan 4 days ago Pete W. is a moron. You can't rate a movie from 1990 and retroactively judge it by the standards of now. Stupid, young people do that. Now, saw this movie in thew theatres, me and my fam were big Eastwood fans. We left the theatre feeling the same way as we did after Firefox. It's not a very good movie and wasn't fun to watch. Now, in 26', I feel about the same way. It's like a crappy Gatsby. See more Pete W @Pete-W Jun 18, 2026 An ugly, racist film. I don't know what Clint Eastwood was thinking when he signed up to star and direct this heartless movie. See more thiago s @Thiagostone Aug 30, 2025 Filme fraco, o roteiro é fraco, as cenas são fracas, a história é fraca, o elenco é fraco, e ninguém ajuda a melhorar o filme, os personagens são fracos, e o filme deveria ter cenas bem melhores e relevantes, para fazer o filme ser bom See more Alec B @Alec97 Feb 20, 2024 Love that Eastwood isn't even really trying to disappear into the role, which only serves to heighten the comparisons between him and Huston. Also, its no wonder it was mostly ignored upon release, general audiences would find it boring while critics and industry people were no doubt put off by the fact that this movie isn't even about the making of "The African Queen" See more Eye C @ECinc Feb 11, 2024 Interesting, although a little slow. Eastwood is great in this kind of jerk. kind of great character, but I think is worth it watching. See more Les N @Vegas628 Nov 17, 2023 Yeah, struggling to stay relevant. See more Read all reviews
White Hunter, Black Heart

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Cast & Crew

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Clint Eastwood

Director

Clint Eastwood

John Wilson

Jeff Fahey

Pete Verrill

George Dzundza

Paul Landers

Alun Armstrong

Ralph Lockhart

Marisa Berenson

Kay Gibson, Film Star

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White Hunter, Black Heart

White Hunter, Black Heart (1990) White Hunter, Black Heart (1990) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Hard-living, macho movie director John Wilson arrives in the 1950s Zimbabwe to prepare for his next film. Accompanied by screenwriter Pete Verrill, Wilson becomes far more interested in shooting an elephant than getting ready for the shoot. Determined, Wilson moves production to a village where a native hunter helps him in his quest. Obsessed with this goal even as filming grows ever more chaotic, the director begins to question the ethics and origins of his fixation.
Director
Clint Eastwood
Producer
Clint Eastwood
Screenwriter
Peter Viertel, Peter Viertel, James Bridges, Burt Kennedy
Distributor
Warner Bros. Pictures
Production Co
Malpaso Company, Warner Brothers, Rastar Pictures
Rating
PG
Genre
Comedy, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Sep 14, 1990, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Jan 1, 2009
Box Office (Gross USA)
$1.7M
Runtime
1h 52m
Sound Mix
Surround, Dolby SR
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