Review of White Hunter, Black Heart (1990) by Davey M — 02 May 2008

Wow. Eastwood at his best both in front of and behind the camera. Indeed, the entire cast manages to pull off the practically impossible task of playing fictionalized versions of real life screen personas by giving us sketches of them; the resulting performances are often (as in Eastwood's case) incredible, walking a fine line between characterization and impersonation without ever coming across as insincere or artificial.

The film follows a John Huston alter-ego (Eastwood) as he prepares to go to Africa to shoot an elephant and also a movie, in that order. Beautifully written, perfectly directed, brilliantly performed--movies don't get better than this.

Here is a movie filled with ideas and characters and images and emotions and excitement and mature moral conviction.