Out of Africa

Out of Africa | 1985 | PG | Dir. Sydney Pollack | US | IMDb 7.2 | 161 mins

Being shown to commemorate the career of the iconic Robert Redford following his death in 2025.

The film is based on the memoirs of Danish writer Karen Blixen (pen name, Isak Dinesen) in a coffee plantation in present day Kenya. It explains how this brave woman overcomes the stereotype of a dainty, colonial British lady by running the coffee farm while her husband Bror Blixen (Brandauer) led a life of hunting and infidelities. Meryl Streep is great as Karen Blixen. She manages to maintain the realistic Danish accent through the whole film. Redford is great as Denys Finch-Hatton, the Etonian hunter who keeps companion in her loneliest and hardest times.

Meryl Streep conquers another accent and another role with her eyes closed. She personifies the strong-willed Danish woman of Dineson's stories. Robert Redford is the free-spirited Denys Finch Hatton. Strong too is Klaus Maria Brandauer as Baron Von Blixen, the wayward husband, while Malick Bowens is a delight as Mrs Blixen's native 'man'.

Some may consider that the real attraction of the film is the outstanding photography of the African landscape together with the sweeping John Barry soundtrack that is probably the most beautiful movie soundtrack of the 1980s. Out of Africa won 7 Oscars and was nominated for many more.

1986 Oscar Winner - Best Picture, Best Director, Best Writing (Screenplay based on Material from Another Medium), Best Cinematography, Best Art Direction (Set Direction), Best Sound, Best Music (Original Score)

·       Screen 3 downstairs - Unreserved seating

·       Doors open at 2.15pm

·       Welcome from our chair Paula Stott @ 2.30pm

·       Parking at the Odeon is NOT FREE before 6pm

·       We invite every viewer to score the film afterwards using a token system in the lobby

·       Open to HFS Members ONLY at this time - Guest tickets will go on sale 15 March, if capacity allows