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Hatari! (1962)

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Average Rating: 6.6/10
Reviews Counted: 22
Fresh: 15 | Rotten: 7

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Critic Reviews: 4
Fresh: 3 | Rotten: 1

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Movie Info

Hatari! is Swahili for "danger"--and also the word for action, adventure and broad comedy in this two-fisted Howard Hawks effort. John Wayne stars as the head of a daring Tanganyka-based group which captures wild animals on behalf of the world's zoos. Hardy Kruger, G�rard Blain and Red Buttons are members of Wayne's men-only contingent, all of whom are reduced to jello when the curvaceous Elsa Martinelli enters the scene. In tried and true Howard Hawks fashion, Martinelli quickly becomes "one of

G, 2 hr. 38 min.

Drama, Action & Adventure, Classics, Comedy

Directed By: Howard Hawks

Written By: Harry Kurnitz, Leigh Brackett

In Theaters: May 24, 1962 Wide

On DVD: Jul 24, 2001

Howard Hawks

Cast

John Wayne
Sean Mercer
Hardy Kruger
Kurt Mueller
Elsa Martinelli
Anna-Maria D'Alessandro...
G�rard Blain
Chips Chalmoy
Red Buttons
Pockets
Bruce Cabot
Vaughn
Mich�le Girardon
Brandy Delacourt
Eduard Franz
Dr. Sanderson
Jon Chevron
Joseph
Val de Vargas
Luis Francisco Garcia L...
Sam Harris
Man in the Store
Queenie Leonard
Nurse
Emmett E. Smith
Bartender
Jack Williams
Masai Warrior
Henry Scott
Sikh Clerk

Critic Reviews for Hatari!

All Critics (22) | Top Critics (4) | Fresh (15) | Rotten (7) | DVD (8)

The strapping physique of the film unhappily emphasizes the anemic condition of the story streaming within.

May 13, 2008 Full Review Source: Variety

| Comment

Variety

Top Critic

A broader canvas for the interaction of comedy and drama than its immediate predecessor (Rio Bravo), this is both discursive and leisurely.

May 13, 2008 Full Review Source: Chicago Reader

| Comment

Chicago Reader

Top Critic

This late masterpiece (1962) by Howard Hawks transcends every literary value in the book to become a brilliantly entertaining and insightful work of pure cinema.

May 13, 2008 Full Review Source: Chicago Reader

| Comment

Dave Kehr

Chicago Reader

Top Critic

Perhaps the accent on the trapping of free-roaming critters for use in zoos is a mite too heavy, but this aspect of African business rates the attention it receives here.

May 9, 2005 Full Review Source: New York Times

| Comment

A.H. Weiler

New York Times

Top Critic

Richly entertaining, with vivid characters.

July 7, 2010 Full Review Source: Classic Film and Television

| Comment

Michael E. Grost

Classic Film and Television

The story is nothing more than a poor excuse for what Hawks really seems to be interested in presenting--big-game chases over the Kenyan veldt. These sequences are so well done that they save this otherwise-tepid film.

May 13, 2008 Full Review Source: TV Guide's Movie Guide

| Comment

TV Guide's Movie Guide

Colorful John Wayne Africa-based yarn w/slapstick, adventure, animals, and great Mancini score.

March 22, 2008 Comment

Steve Crum

Video-Reviewmaster.com

Hawks continues to explore his favorite themes--professional conduct and male camaraderie--in this African travelogue abouyt an international team of animals catchers, headed by John Wayne. Though plotless, the film is visually compelling.

February 6, 2007 Full Review Source: EmanuelLevy.Com

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Emanuel Levy

EmanuelLevy.Com Source: EmanuelLevy.Com

All in all, one of those rare films that genuinely constitutes a 'late masterpiece'.

June 24, 2006 Full Review Source: Time Out

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Derek Adams

Time Out

Overlong [!]

August 9, 2005 Full Review Source: Ozus' World Movie Reviews

| Comment

Dennis Schwartz

Ozus' World Movie Reviews

Exciting remake of Red Dust with exceptional African photography

July 7, 2005 Comment

Daniel Eagan

Film Journal International

The Duke dukes it out with African animals.

January 1, 2005 Full Review Source: StaciWilson.com

| Comment

Staci Layne Wilson

StaciWilson.com

Cute elephants.

November 23, 2004 Comment

Nell Minow

Movie Mom at Yahoo! Movies

Too long, but highly entertaining personality film

September 12, 2002 Comment

Ken Hanke

Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)

Corny but vastly entertaining with terrific wildlife photography and a great score by Henry Mancini

August 12, 2002 Comment

Robin Clifford

Reeling Reviews

John Wayne stars in an African travelogue.

August 1, 2001 Full Review Source: Apollo Guide

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Scott Weinberg

Apollo Guide

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Audience Reviews for Hatari!

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Howard Hawk's classic safari adventure may be set in Africa and have plenty of huge scenes of men in cars chasing down animals. If you take that away, it is basically a romantic comedy, though. It is highly amusing to see what men turn into when a new female enters their territory and the little fights that causes. The

July 1, 2006

Jens S.

Super Reviewer

I'd like to see a lot more John Wayne movies in the future, but for now this is the only one I know I've seen right off the bat, and I enjoyed it a lot. It has a sort of love story to it, but the parts I remember most are when Wayne and the others are chasing a bunch of animals. It's like a fast-paced African safari!

November 15, 2010

Jason Owens

Super Reviewer

Hatari! Quotes

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1. Sean Mercer: Oh you'll move around alright!
– Submitted by James H (6 months ago)
1. Sean Mercer: Let's go, start out easy.
– Submitted by James H (6 months ago)