GUENOT PHILIPPE I have never liked Clint Eastwood, too many predictable and all the same kinds of characters in nearly all his films - as a director and or actor. Never liked him. But I must admit that I really enjoyed this very one. Besides the fact that it is an awesome "hommage" to the great John Huston - every movie buff already knows that - I LOVED the sequence where Eastwood talks to the antisemitic gal, in the restaurant and also the great scene where he got beaten up by the guy - I don't know the actor's name. A very great moment. AT LAST the Eastwood character fails...What a wonderful surprise.And the overall feeling of this movie I saw twenty three years ago makes me say that it's one of the best Eastwood's picture, and unfortunately the least known.

Chrysanthepop Many have questioned Eastwood's accuracy in his portrayal of John Huston upon which 'White Hunter Black Heart' is based. However, in my opinion, he owns the John Wilson character turning in a compelling performance. He displays Wilson's carefree attitude and stubbornness with élan. Yes, his accent is amusing but he appears comfortable speaking with it. He also displays a comic side which is hardly witnessed in most of his other films.As director, he does an equally superb job especially the lead up to the ending. In the first few minutes I was disappointed by it as I felt it was too abrupt, like slamming the door on your face, but thinking about it later on, this was the best ending. The film was about Wilson's careless attitude and his irresponsibility and in the end we see him pay the price and the effect it has.'White Hunter Black Heart' is a well crafted film. The natural African landscape is beautifully captured. The music is great. Editing is very good except that the pacing slows down a tad in the second half. Jeff Fahey is brilliant as Wilson's friend and confidante. George Dzundza's accent takes some getting used to.This is perhaps another one of Eastwood's underrated lesser known films and it may not appeal to a majority but it makes a strong point and a worthy viewing.

SeanJoyce Just prior to the success reaped by UNFORGIVEN, Eastwood unleashed this labor of love that scuttled beneath the radar and has since gone inexplicably underrated, even among die-hard Clint enthusiasts. Working with journeyman writer Pete Viertel (adapting the screenplay from his famed novel) and veteran western scribe Burt Kennedy, Clint (fulfilling the triple-threat of producer-director-actor) spins a controversial portrait of enigmatic Hollywood legend John Huston. Clint essays Huston in what is a semi-autobiographical look at the behind-the-scenes of the filming of the Bogie/Hepburn classic THE African QUEEN. John Huston was easily one of Hollywood's most complicated and larger-than-life figures, the "Hemingway of cinema". A highly-literate man who took great interest in art, he was also a hot-tempered brawler, inveterate boozer, and notorious womanizer. A master craftsman, Huston lacked any distinctive "style" as he eschewed tricks and gimmicks in favor of good old-fashioned story-telling. Behind the camera, Huston was responsible for an almost unequaled legacy of masterpieces, many of which defined their respective genres. He wasn't afraid to step in front of it either, giving us one of the greatest villains in movie history, Noah Cross, in the landmark CHINATOWN. Politically, he was an outspoken humanitarian and staunch advocate of civil rights. The story concerns Huston's (oddly called "Wilson" here) contentious working relationship with Viertel (Jeff Fahey, Ray Liotta's undiagnosed twin), whom he brings onboard to do a script rewrite, and his pursuit of the mystical white elephant. The hunt for his elusive query becomes a perilous spiritual quest, and his determination to kill the beast gives way to obsession that threatens to jeopardize the production of the movie and strains his friendship with Viertel. Eastwood, excluding his wiry lankiness, bears no physical resemblance to John Huston. However, he clearly has a blast playing the role to the hilt, as he struts with a cigar and adopts Huston's unique vocal cadences. He gives a well-rounded portrayal, striking a balance between the myth and the less-than-flattering picture of the man painted by those who knew him intimately. Those involved go for a "warts and all" presentation; Eastwood is egotistical and overbearing, caustically belittling those around him and ignoring his cast and crew as he stubbornly protracts his hunt. However, such moments are juxtaposed with scenes demonstrating Huston's sense of honor; he venomously intercedes when a woman insults Viertel's Jewish ancestry, and (in of my all-time favorite movie scenes) challenges a racist hotel manager to a fistfight after he physically assaults a black waiter on his staff. Overall, it's a vast departure for Clint, and he helps us understand why John Huston was a radical figure equally feared and admired. Having not read Viertel's book, I don't know what's true and what's fictional. I know that Huston's bosom buddy was Bogie, who is relegated entirely to the background here while Viertel's role is greatly emphasized. Were Viertel and Huston that chummy? Did their personal and creative differences form that much of the production process? Why did Viertel ultimately go un-credited, and how great were his contributions to THE African QUEEN? Despite such questions, I love WHITE HUNTER BLACK HEART for what it is, which is an enormously entertaining and intriguing behind-the-scenes look at classic Hollywood. It's also a no-holds-barred portrait of one of its most respected scions, courtesy of a gritty and courageous performance by Clint. As a plus, the exotic locales provide a jaw-dropping spectacle, with the African fauna and wildlife thrilling to behold. I attribute the ambivalent reaction to a failure by most to grasp the significance of the elephant, and what it means to Eastwood's character. The movie also ends on a note of ambiguity. Truthfully, I'm unable to provide any satisfying explanation. I interpret it all esoterically, as a seemingly-invincible character is undone by his human frailties, i.e. greed, vanity, and delusions of grandeur. Whatever you glean from it, WHITE HUNTER BLACK HEART is an immensely rewarding experience, and a high point in Eastwood's career as a filmmaker.

cliodhna2 White Hunter Black Heart is loosely based the true story of the making of The African Queen (1951). The screenplay is based on the book by Peter Viertel who worked with director John Huston during the making of the film.Clint Eastwood directs himself as an actor, playing the director John Wilson (a.k.a John Huston). With me so far? The story starts in the United Kingdom, where the irascible Wilson/Huston is trying to get funding for a film set in Africa. Sidekick Pete Verrill is drafted in to work on the script and eventually the whole shebang makes it to Entebbe (Uganda). However, it rapidly becomes apparent that Wilson/Huston has little interest in making a film, and his real reason for being there is to shoot and kill the biggest elephant he can find. Suffice to say, it all ends in tears. And that's about it for the plot.It's pretty feeble stuff. And sadly, the lack of a plot isn't made up for by fantastic performances from the cast. The main problem is Eastwood himself. Wilson is written as a complex, egotistical, inconsistent, selfish character, and Eastwood just doesn't have the depth or weight to carry it off. The performance isn't helped by the fact that in places he looks physically frail. Eastwood's performance borders on an impersonation of John Hughes - a caricature more than a characterisation. Because of this, the film takes on a cartoonish, somewhat comedic air at times (but it's far from a comedy).Eastwood isn't helped by the script. Given the whole thing revolves around a man who wants to kill an elephant, we never really understand why. Halfway through, there is a lengthy monologue where Wilson/Huston takes a moral stand against a woman who declares that Hitler was right to try to kill the Jews. It's followed by another long scene where he ends up in a bare knuckle brawl with the hotel manager who he sees mistreating his (black) staff. Wilson/Hudson explains his behaviour with 'We fought the preliminary for the k*kes; now we'll fight the main event for the n*ggers' This valiant supporter of human rights is the same man who harbours an obsessive need to kill an elephant? It seems the inconsistency doesn't make sense to the cast either. When challenged to explain his bloodlust, Wilson/Huston's answer is: 'It's not a crime... it's bigger than that... it's a SIN'. And that's all we get. It just doesn't add up.What does make White Hunter worth watching is the beautiful photography of the African landscape. Also good is the unexpected appearance of Timothy Spall (of Auf Wiedersehen Lads fame) as Hodkins, the eccentric Bush pilot. He's not great either, but he does his best. Finally, Marisa Berenson, in the minor role of Kay Gibson (a.k.a. Katherine Hepburn) doesn't show up very often, but when she does, she's somehow riveting . Oh, and there's a really, really cute baby elephant.Clint Eastwood directed this film two years after he directed the excellent Bird (1988). Watch Bird instead.