IMDb > Out of Africa (1985)
Out of Africa
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Out of Africa (1985) More at IMDbPro »

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Out of Africa (1985) -- MattTrailer.com - Trailer (Flash)

Overview

User Rating:
7.0/10   17,939 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 8% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Sydney Pollack
Writers:
Karen Blixen (books)
Judith Thurman (book)
(more)
Contact:
View company contact information for Out of Africa on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
18 December 1985 (USA) more
Genre:
Biography | Drama | Romance more
Tagline:
Based on a true story.
Plot:
In 20th century colonial Kenya, a Danish baroness/plantation owner has a passionate but ultimately doomed love affair with a free-sprited big-game hunter. full summary | full synopsis
Plot Keywords:
more
Awards:
Won 7 Oscars. Another 22 wins & 17 nominations more
NewsDesk:
(19 articles)
Their Best Role: Meryl Streep
 (From Cinematical. 18 November 2009, 9:02 AM, PST)
An Evening with ‘Pinewood Legends’ at Pinewood Studios
 (From HeyUGuys. 13 November 2009, 6:53 AM, PST)
User Comments:
A Dream of Africa more (157 total)

Cast

  (in credits order) (verified as complete)

Meryl Streep ... Karen Blixen

Robert Redford ... Denys Finch Hatton

Klaus Maria Brandauer ... Bror Blixen / Hans Blixen
Michael Kitchen ... Berkeley Cole

Malick Bowens ... Farah
Joseph Thiaka ... Kamante
Stephen Kinyanjui ... Kinanjui
Michael Gough ... Lord Delamere
Suzanna Hamilton ... Felicity
Rachel Kempson ... Lady Belfield
Graham Crowden ... Lord Belfield
Leslie Phillips ... Sir Joseph
Shane Rimmer ... Belknap
Mike Bugara ... Juma
Job Seda ... Kanuthia
Mohammed Umar ... Ismail
Donal McCann ... Doctor
Kenneth Mason ... Banker
Tristram Jellinek ... First Commissioner
Stephen B. Grimes ... Second Commissioner (as Stephen Grimes)
Annabel Maule ... Lady Byrne
Benny Young ... Minister
Sbish Trzebinski ... Beefy Drunk
Allaudin Qureshi ... Rajiv
Niven Boyd ... Young Officer

Iman ... Mariammo
Peter Strong ... Huge Man
Abdulla Sunado ... Esa
Amanda Parkin ... Victoria
Muriel Gross ... Lady Delamere
Ann Palmer ... Dowager
Keith Pearson ... Missionary Teacher
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Directed by
Sydney Pollack 
 
Writing credits
Karen Blixen (books "Out of Africa", "Shadows on the Grass" and "Letters from Africa") (as Isak Dinesen)

Judith Thurman (book "Isak Dinesen: The Life of a Storyteller")

Errol Trzebinski (book "Silence Will Speak")

Kurt Luedtke (screenplay)

Produced by
Anna Cataldi .... associate producer
Terence A. Clegg .... co-producer (as Terence Clegg)
Kim Jorgensen .... executive producer
Sydney Pollack .... producer
Judith Thurman .... associate producer
 
Original Music by
John Barry 
 
Cinematography by
David Watkin 
 
Film Editing by
Pembroke J. Herring  (as Pembroke Herring)
Sheldon Kahn 
Fredric Steinkamp 
William Steinkamp 
 
Production Design by
Stephen B. Grimes  (as Stephen Grimes)
 
Art Direction by
Colin Grimes 
Cliff Robinson 
Herbert Westbrook 
 
Set Decoration by
Josie MacAvin 
 
Costume Design by
Milena Canonero 
 
Makeup Department
J. Roy Helland .... hair stylist: Miss Streep
J. Roy Helland .... makeup artist: Miss Streep
Mary Hillman .... chief makeup artist
Norma Hill .... makeup artist
Joyce James .... hairdresser
Gary Liddiard .... makeup artist: Mr. Redford
Vera Mitchell .... chief hairdresser
Suzanne Belcher .... assistant makeup artist (uncredited)
 
Production Management
Robin Forman .... post-production supervisor
Gerry Levy .... production manager
 
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Roy Button .... second assistant director
Jack Couffer .... second unit director
Patrick Kinney .... assistant director
George Menoe .... assistant director
Meja Mwangi .... assistant director
Tom Mwangi .... assistant director
David Tomblin .... first assistant director
Simon Trevor .... second unit director
Lee Cleary .... key second assistant director: UK (uncredited)
Michael Zimbrich .... first assistant director: second unit (uncredited)
 
Art Department
Bert Hearn .... prop master
Geoff Langley .... construction manager
Frank Billington-Marks .... assistant property master (uncredited)
 
Sound Department
Gary Alexander .... sound re-recording mixer
Peter Handford .... sound mixer
Chris Jenkins .... sound re-recording mixer
William L. Manger .... adr editor (as William Manger)
Tom McCarthy Jr. .... supervising sound editor
Larry Stensvold .... sound re-recording mixer
John Stevenson .... boom operator
Blake R. Cornett .... first assistant sound editor (uncredited)
Malcolm Davies .... sound recordist (uncredited)
Paul Pavelka .... re-recording engineer (uncredited)
Lionel Strutt .... adr mixer (uncredited)
John Sutton .... sound mixer (uncredited)
 
Special Effects by
David Harris .... special effects supervisor
 
Visual Effects by
Syd Dutton .... special visual effects: matte paintings (uncredited)
Mark Freund .... optical cameraman: Illusion Arts (uncredited)
Steve Gawley .... model maker (uncredited)
Michael Gleason .... visual effects editor (uncredited)
Jay Riddle .... animation camera: ILM (uncredited)
 
Camera and Electrical Department
Peter Allwork .... aerial photographer
Alan Barry .... best boy
Frank Connor .... still photographer
Freddie Cooper .... camera operator
Maurice Gillett .... gaffer
Rodrigo Gutierrez .... camera operator: second unit
Ray Hall .... grip
Ricky Hall .... grip
Ibrahim Jibril .... grip
Ali Matata .... grip
Mohamed Ngela .... grip
Mahmud Sheikh Omar .... grip
Stephen St. John .... Steadicam operator (as Steve St. John)
Mohamed Wafula .... grip
Douglas Kirkland .... still photographer (uncredited)
 
Casting Department
Barbara Harris .... voice casting
Mary Selway .... casting
Sarah Withey .... local casting: Kenya
 
Costume and Wardrobe Department
Stephen Cornish .... wardrobe
Ken Crouch .... wardrobe (as Kenny Crouch)
David Garrett .... costume maker
Jenny Hawkins .... wardrobe (as Jennie Hawkins)
Joanna Johnston .... assistant costume designer
Pat McEwan .... wardrobe
Elizabeth Ryrie .... wardrobe
Andres Fernandez Sotillos .... wardrobe
 
Editorial Department
Donah Bassett .... negative cutter
Jeffrey James Bell .... assistant editor (as Jeffrey Bell)
Don Brochu .... assistant editor
Claudio M. Cutry .... associate editor (as Claudio Cutry)
Craig Herring .... assistant editor
Rick Meyer .... assistant editor
Joe Mosca .... assistant editor (as Joseph Mosca)
Saul Saladow .... assistant editor
Karl F. Steinkamp .... assistant editor (as Karl Steinkamp)
 
Music Department
John Barry .... conductor
Jack Brymer .... musician: clarinet, "Concerto for Clarinet amd Orchestra in A" (K.622 )
Cliff Kohlweck .... music editor (as Clif Kohlweck)
Alan Loveday .... musician: violin, "Sinfonia Concertante in E flat Major for Violin & Viola" (K.364 )
András Schiff .... musician: piano "Sonata in A Major" (K.331 "Rondo Alla Turca") (as Andras Schiff)
George W. Senoga-Zake .... advisor: African music
Stephen Shingles .... musician: viola, "Sinfonia Concertante in E flat Major for Violin & Viola" (K.364 )
Alan Smyth .... music researcher
Dan Wallin .... music scoring mixer
Neville Marriner .... conductor: "Concerto for Clarinet amd Orchestra in A", "Sinfonia Concertante in E flat major for Violin & Viola" and "Three Divertimenti" (uncredited)
Albert Woodbury .... orchestrator (uncredited)
 
Other crew
Margaret Adams .... production coordinator
Christine Buuri .... production secretary
Nelson Chege .... Kikuyu advisor
Nikki Clapp .... script supervisor
Brian Gibbs .... production accountant
David Hilton .... production assistant
Allan James .... location manager
Patricia Johnson .... publicist
Phill Norman .... title designer: main title
Grania O'Shannon .... location manager
Lissa Ruben .... script supervisor
Monty Ruben .... production consultant
John Sutton .... field consultant
John Sutton .... location consultant
Thomas Thanangadan .... production assistant
Hubert Wells .... chief animal trainer
Alex Matcham .... assistant accountant (uncredited)
 
Thanks
Syd Dutton .... special thanks (as Syd Dutton of Illusion Arts, Inc.)
Bill Taylor .... special thanks (as Bill Taylor of Illusion Arts, Inc.)
 
Crew verified as complete


Production CompaniesDistributorsSpecial EffectsOther Companies
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Additional Details

Parents Guide:
View content advisory for parents
Runtime:
160 min
Country:
USA
Language:
English | Swahili
Color:
Color
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) | Dolby (35 mm prints)
Certification:
Iceland:L | Portugal:M/12 | South Korea:12 | Brazil:16 | Argentina:Atp | Australia:PG | Chile:TE | Finland:K-12 | France:U | Norway:11 | Spain:T | Sweden:Btl | UK:PG | USA:PG | West Germany:12 | Singapore:PG
Filming Locations:
England, UK more
Company:
Mirage Enterprises more

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Meryl Streep developed her accent by listening to actual recordings of Isak Dinesen (Karen Blixen) reading her works. more
Goofs:
Continuity: Denys is shown peeling nearly half a dozen oranges when talking to Karen outside. more
Quotes:
Baron Bror Blixen: You could have asked, Denys.
Denys: I did. She said yes.
more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in "Saturday Night Live: Jeff Goldblum/Aerosmith (#19.3)" (1993) more
Soundtrack:
Sinfonia Concertante in E flat major for Violin & Viola (K.364) more

FAQ

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User Comments

   (Comment on this title)
20 out of 23 people found the following comment useful.
A Dream of Africa, 18 October 2006
10/10
Author: raejeanowl from United States

My favorite movie of all time, hands down. I watched it for the first time in the theatre. As it ended, the audience sat motionless and quiet for several beats, then burst into loud applause as the ending credits rolled. I'm not always so prophetic, but I was incredibly moved. I said to my husband, "We've just seen the Academy Award winner." If I had no other basis for recommendation, I would say the breathtaking cinematography and transporting musical score would make a viewing worthwhile (case in point: the main theme playing as Denys Finch Hatton gives Karen Blixen her first airplane ride, and we what she sees, as God must have seen it). But these are merely the window dressings.

There are two movie cuts floating around, which I tried to pursue through Universal, and then Disney. Forget it. Suffice to say there is a theatrical version and a Disney TV version, with little consequential difference to the plot except that the latter edits out a little of Karen's physical lovemaking with Denys and slightly expands her intellectual relationship with Farah; which to some degree helped buttress the development of his absolute devotion to her.

The screenplay resembles Isaak Dinesen's semi-autobiographical book very little; even so, she did not tell the whole truth in her book. You'll have to get over it, except that I think the character development suffered the loss of Blixen's deep involvement with the displaced Kikuyu tribe working her coffee plantation. Also, without an understanding of the historical times, it would be too easy to say simplistically that this is a woman trying to live within the terms of a marriage of convenience and then compensating with pursuit of a doomed passion.

What was crafted out of a mishmash of a more-or-less factual account and director Sydney Pollack's vision is still a beautiful love and adventure story in the midst of British colonial rule and an earlier, more racially and sexually biased era.

Klaus Maria Brandauer as Baron Bror von Blixen (whew! - who called Karen "Tannen," adding to my initial confusion) perfectly portrays that fun man you like immensely but could never really trust with anything important like your feelings. He along with several of the key male figures and symbols in this movie will eventually bow in respect to the "man" Karen Blixen becomes despite his often shabby treatment and other travails, because she rises above it all and perseveres. Redford plays mostly Redford. His Finch Hatton's sense of independence is fragile and illusory and will ultimately cost him dearly.

There are a couple of continuity problems that bother me to this day, including the disappearing-reappearing champagne and the continually retracking parade marchers, but for the most part few expenses or attentions to detail were spared, especially in the lavish costuming. "Bare-breasted native women" will unfortunately also make their National Geographic appearance.

Even so, Out of Africa is a treasure with a half dozen or more perfect and unforgettable scenes; a movie as long as this review, but I hope you'll agree, worth your patience.

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