Main Cast: Errol Flynn, Juliette Greco, Trevor Howard, Eddie Albert, Orson Welles
Release Year: 1958
Country: US
Run Time: 130 minutes
Plot
Romain Gary's best-selling novel The Roots of Heaven was adapted to film in Cinemascope and DeLuxe Color by producer Darryl F. Zanuck. Though billed third, Trevor Howard plays the central character, an idealist who has gone into Africa in hopes of saving the elephants from extinction. At first regarded as a crank, Howard shows he's not kidding by taking a shot at the posterior of a pompous news commentator (Orson Welles). As Howard's crusade gains momentum, several opportunists go along with him, among them a disgraced British military officer (Errol Flynn) hoping to redeem himself. Roots of Heaven represented the last truly worthwhile screen appearance by Errol Flynn, who died less than a year after filming his Roots death scene. The film itself was shot on location in French Equatorial Africa--a grueling experience for its stars and its director (John Huston), one worthy of a book in itself. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Review
The Roots of Heaven is an uneven picture, coming out slightly on the plus side when everything is considered, but actually of more interest for the story behind its filming than for the film itself. (The shoot was legendarily troubled, with temperatures regularly in the 130 degree range melting the make-up on the actors, people suffering from heat stroke and malaria, and reported fights between Errol Flynn and John Huston.) With all the effort that went into making Roots, it's too bad that it's not a better film -- but it's also not the bad film that many, including director Huston, have made it out to be over the years. Certainly, Roots suffers from inconsistency in its storytelling, with plot points that arise and then seem to be forgotten without ever reaching a resolution. Huston's hand also does not seem very sure here, as if he's having a hard time staying focused -- or at times even interested; Roots was a hard film to make, and the struggle is evident in the direction, with Huston managing some moments of brilliant clarity but suffering through other moments when he just can't seem to grab hold of the film. But the story itself has a great deal of interest, and the subject matter is one which has greater appeal to modern audiences. Trevor Howard is quite good in the leading role, although he's not able to exert the kind of star power needed to make the picture come together, and Flynn gives one of his finest late-career performances. Roots could stand to be trimmed, and it's far from perfect, but fans of Huston should definitely take a look at a film that the director too easily dismissed. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide
Herbert Lom - Orsini; Paul Lukas - Saint Denis; Gregoire Aslan - Habib; André Luguet - Governor; Edric Connor - Watari; Oliver Hussenot - The Baron; Pierre Dudan - Maj. Scholscher; Marc Doelnitz - De Vries; Dan Jackson - Madjumba; Maurice Cannon - Haas; Jacques Marin - Cerisot; Alain Saury - A.D.C.; Francis de Wolff - Father Fargue; Frederick Ledebur - Peer Qvist
Credit
Stephen B. Grimes - Art Director, Raymond Gabutti - Art Director, Robert L. Jacks - Associate Producer, Rosine Delamare - Costume Designer, Lucie Lichtig - Continuity, Carlo Lastricati - First Assistant Director, John Huston - Director, Russell Lloyd - Editor, Malcolm Arnold - Composer (Music Score), Henri Patterson - Composer (Music Score), George Frost - Makeup, Oswald Morris - Cinematographer, Darryl F. Zanuck - Producer, Bruno Avesani - Set Designer, L.B. Abbott - Special Effects, Fred Etcheverry - Special Effects, Basil Fenton-Smith - Sound/Sound Designer, Romain Gary - Screenwriter, Patrick Leigh-Fermor - Screenwriter, Romain Gary - Book Author
Set in French Equatorial Africa, the film tells the story of Morel (Trevor Howard), a crusading environmentalist who sets out to preserve the elephants from extinction as a lasting symbol of freedom for all humanity. He is helped by Minna (Juliette Gréco), a nightclub hostess and Forsythe (Errol Flynn), a disgraced British military officer hoping to redeem himself.
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