Clint Eastwood, who has officially retired at 96, directed and starred in 80 films, but one of his most underappreciated works is White Hunter, Black Heart (1990). Despite being a box office flop, grossing only $2m against a $24m budget, the film has gained cult status as a peak of his filmmaking before his Oscar win for Unforgiven.
The adventure drama follows film director John Wilson, who becomes increasingly erratic while making a film in Africa. Eastwood's character is based on John Huston, director of The African Queen (1951), and the story is adapted from Peter Viertel's 1953 book, which thinly disguised his experiences working on that film. Huston was known for drinking whiskey and hunting big game during the gruelling shoot in the Congo and Uganda.
In the film, Wilson becomes obsessed with tracking down an elephant, frustrating his cast and crew. Eastwood's directorial style, known for being quick and under budget, is evident here. The script was co-written by Viertel, James Bridges, and Burt Kennedy.
Eastwood's retirement was confirmed by his son, composer Kyle Eastwood, in November. His last film as director was the 2024 legal thriller Juror No 2, and his final screen appearance was in the 2021 western Cry Macho.
