The Roots of Heaven
“Of human laughter, wonder and tenderness !”
Synopsis
In French Equatorial Africa, an idealist campaigns to save the African elephant, gaining support from a nightclub hostess and an ex-soldier. His cause attracts a mix of characters, including a U.S. commentator, a government aide opposed to him, and an ivory hunter with conflicting interests.
Top Cast
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Errol Flynn
Forsythe
Trevor Howard
Morel
Eddie Albert
Abe Fields
Juliette Gréco
Minna
Orson Welles
Cy Sedgewick
Paul Lukas
Saint Denis
Herbert Lom
Orsini
Edric Connor
Waitari
Grégoire Aslan
Habib
André Luguet
Governor
Friedrich von Ledebur
Peer Qvist
Olivier Hussenot
The Baron
Pierre Dudan
Maj. Scholscher
Marc Doelnitz
De Vries
Francis de Wolff
Father Fargue
Dan Jackson
Madjumba
Maurice Cannon
Haas
Jacques Marin
Cerisot
Release History & Theatrical Window
October 15, 1958
Wide Cinema Exhibition
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- John Huston
- Screenplay & Story
- Patrick Leigh-Fermor, Romain Gary
- Original Score
- Malcolm Arnold
- Original Title
- The Roots of Heaven
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 2h 1m
- Production Studios
- Darryl F. Zanuck Productions, 20th Century Fox
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
John Huston
Patrick Leigh-Fermor, Romain Gary
Malcolm Arnold
Oswald Morris
Russell Lloyd
Darryl F. Zanuck
Department Leadership Roster
Oswald Morris
Director of Photography
John Huston
Director
Russell Lloyd
Editor
Rosine Delamare
Costume Design
Darryl F. Zanuck
Producer
Patrick Leigh-Fermor
Screenplay
Romain Gary
Screenplay
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
NR: Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.
International Certification Matrix
Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for The Roots of Heaven.
Featured In Curated Collections
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Frequently Asked Questions About The Roots of Heaven
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is The Roots of Heaven about?
In French Equatorial Africa, an idealist campaigns to save the African elephant, gaining support from a nightclub hostess and an ex-soldier. His cause attracts a mix of characters, including a U.S. commentator, a government aide opposed to him, and an ivory hunter with conflicting interests.
Who directed The Roots of Heaven?
The Roots of Heaven was directed by John Huston.
Who stars in The Roots of Heaven?
The principal cast of The Roots of Heaven includes Errol Flynn, Trevor Howard, Eddie Albert, Juliette Gréco, Orson Welles.
When was The Roots of Heaven released and how long is it?
The Roots of Heaven was released in 1958 with a total runtime of 2h 1m.
Who composed the musical score for The Roots of Heaven?
The original motion picture soundtrack for The Roots of Heaven was composed by Malcolm Arnold.
Is The Roots of Heaven based on a book or true story?
The Roots of Heaven is adapted from the following source material: Novel: "Romain Gary".
What is the age rating and content advisory for The Roots of Heaven?
The Roots of Heaven holds official age classifications: US: NR (Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.).