Out of Africa (film)
Updated: 12/11/2025, 9:37:06 AM Wikipedia source
Out of Africa is a 1985 American epic romantic drama film directed and produced by Sydney Pollack, and starring Meryl Streep and Robert Redford. The film is based loosely on the 1937 autobiographical book Out of Africa written by Isak Dinesen (the pseudonym of Danish author Karen Blixen), with additional material from Dinesen's 1960 book Shadows on the Grass and other sources. The book was adapted into a screenplay by Kurt Luedtke, and this screenplay was filmed in 1984. Streep played Karen Blixen, Redford played Denys Finch Hatton, and Klaus Maria Brandauer played Baron Bror Blixen. Others in the film include Michael Kitchen as Berkeley Cole, Malick Bowens as Farah, Stephen Kinyanjui as the Chief, Michael Gough as Lord Delamere, Suzanna Hamilton as Felicity, and the model and actress Iman as Mariammo. The film received generally positive reviews from critics. It was also a commercial success and won seven Academy Awards including Best Picture and Best Director for Pollack.
Infobox
Directed by
Sydney Pollack
Screenplay by
Kurt Luedtke
Based on
mw- Out of Africa1937 novelby Isak Dinesen Isak Dinesen: The Life of a Story Teller1982 storyby Judith Thurman Silence Will Speak1977 novelby Errol Trzebinski
Produced by
Sydney PollackKim Jorgensen
Starring
Robert Redford Meryl Streep Klaus Maria Brandauer
Cinematography
David Watkin
Edited by
Fredric SteinkampWilliam SteinkampPembroke HerringSheldon Kahn
Music by
John Barry
Productioncompany
Mirage Enterprises
Distributed by
Universal Pictures
Release date
December 18, 1985 (1985-12-18)
Running time
161 minutes
Country
United States
Languages
EnglishSwahili
Budget
$31 million
Box office
$227.5 million
Tables
· Soundtrack › Charts
Australia (Kent Music Report)
Australia (Kent Music Report)
Chart (1986)
Australia (Kent Music Report)
Peakposition
29
| Chart (1986) | Peakposition |
| Australia (Kent Music Report) | 29 |
· Soundtrack › Certifications
Australia (ARIA)
Australia (ARIA)
Region
Australia (ARIA)
Certification
Gold
Certified units/sales
35,000^
France (SNEP)
France (SNEP)
Region
France (SNEP)
Certification
Gold
Certified units/sales
100,000*
Spain (PROMUSICAE)
Spain (PROMUSICAE)
Region
Spain (PROMUSICAE)
Certification
Platinum
Certified units/sales
100,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)
United Kingdom (BPI)
Region
United Kingdom (BPI)
Certification
Silver
Certified units/sales
60,000*
United States (RIAA)
United States (RIAA)
Region
United States (RIAA)
Certification
Gold
Certified units/sales
500,000^
Sales figures based on certification alone.^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
Sales figures based on certification alone.^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
Region
Sales figures based on certification alone.^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
| Australia (ARIA) | Gold | 35,000^ |
| France (SNEP) | Gold | 100,000* |
| Spain (PROMUSICAE) | Platinum | 100,000^ |
| United Kingdom (BPI) | Silver | 60,000* |
| United States (RIAA) | Gold | 500,000^ |
| Sales figures based on certification alone.^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. | ||
· Accolades
Academy Awards
Academy Awards
Award
Academy Awards
Category
Best Picture
Nominee(s)
Sydney Pollack
Result
Won
Best Director
Best Director
Award
Best Director
Category
Won
Best Actress
Best Actress
Award
Best Actress
Category
Meryl Streep
Nominee(s)
Nominated
Best Supporting Actor
Best Supporting Actor
Award
Best Supporting Actor
Category
Klaus Maria Brandauer
Nominee(s)
Nominated
Best Adapted Screenplay
Best Adapted Screenplay
Award
Best Adapted Screenplay
Category
Kurt Luedtke
Nominee(s)
Won
Best Art Direction
Best Art Direction
Award
Best Art Direction
Category
Art Direction: Stephen B. Grimes; Set Decoration: Josie MacAvin
Nominee(s)
Won
Best Cinematography
Best Cinematography
Award
Best Cinematography
Category
David Watkin
Nominee(s)
Won
Best Costume Design
Best Costume Design
Award
Best Costume Design
Category
Milena Canonero
Nominee(s)
Nominated
Best Film Editing
Best Film Editing
Award
Best Film Editing
Category
Fredric Steinkamp, William Steinkamp, Pembroke J. Herring, and Sheldon Kahn
Nominee(s)
Nominated
Best Original Score
Best Original Score
Award
Best Original Score
Category
John Barry
Nominee(s)
Won
Best Sound
Best Sound
Award
Best Sound
Category
Chris Jenkins, Gary Alexander, Larry Stensvold, and Peter Handford
Nominee(s)
Won
American Cinema Editors Awards
American Cinema Editors Awards
Award
American Cinema Editors Awards
Category
Best Edited Feature Film
Nominee(s)
Fredric Steinkamp, William Steinkamp, Pembroke J. Herring, and Sheldon Kahn
Result
Nominated
BMI Film & TV Awards
BMI Film & TV Awards
Award
BMI Film & TV Awards
Category
Film Music Award
Nominee(s)
John Barry
Result
Won
British Academy Film Awards
British Academy Film Awards
Award
British Academy Film Awards
Category
Best Actress in a Leading Role
Nominee(s)
Meryl Streep
Result
Nominated
Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Award
Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Category
Klaus Maria Brandauer
Nominee(s)
Nominated
Best Adapted Screenplay
Best Adapted Screenplay
Award
Best Adapted Screenplay
Category
Kurt Luedtke
Nominee(s)
Won
Best Cinematography
Best Cinematography
Award
Best Cinematography
Category
David Watkin
Nominee(s)
Won
Best Costume Design
Best Costume Design
Award
Best Costume Design
Category
Milena Canonero
Nominee(s)
Nominated
Best Original Music
Best Original Music
Award
Best Original Music
Category
John Barry
Nominee(s)
Nominated
Best Sound
Best Sound
Award
Best Sound
Category
Tom McCarthy Jr., Peter Handford, and Chris Jenkins
Nominee(s)
Won
British Society of Cinematographers Awards
British Society of Cinematographers Awards
Award
British Society of Cinematographers Awards
Category
Best Cinematography in a Theatrical Feature Film
Nominee(s)
David Watkin
Result
Won
César Awards
César Awards
Award
César Awards
Category
Best Foreign Film
Nominee(s)
Sydney Pollack
Result
Nominated
David di Donatello Awards
David di Donatello Awards
Award
David di Donatello Awards
Category
Best Foreign Film
Nominee(s)
Won
Best Foreign Producer
Best Foreign Producer
Award
Best Foreign Producer
Category
Nominated
Best Foreign Director
Best Foreign Director
Award
Best Foreign Director
Category
Nominated
Best Foreign Actor
Best Foreign Actor
Award
Best Foreign Actor
Category
Robert Redford
Nominee(s)
Nominated
Best Foreign Actress
Best Foreign Actress
Award
Best Foreign Actress
Category
Meryl Streep
Nominee(s)
Won
Best Foreign Screenplay
Best Foreign Screenplay
Award
Best Foreign Screenplay
Category
Kurt Luedtke
Nominee(s)
Nominated
Directors Guild of America Awards
Directors Guild of America Awards
Award
Directors Guild of America Awards
Category
Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures
Nominee(s)
Sydney Pollack
Result
Nominated
DVD Exclusive Awards
DVD Exclusive Awards
Award
DVD Exclusive Awards
Category
Best DVD Audio Commentary
Nominee(s)
Sydney Pollack (for the Collector's Edition)
Result
Nominated
Golden Globe Awards
Golden Globe Awards
Award
Golden Globe Awards
Category
Best Motion Picture – Drama
Nominee(s)
Won
Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama
Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama
Award
Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama
Category
Meryl Streep
Nominee(s)
Nominated
Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture
Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture
Award
Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture
Category
Klaus Maria Brandauer
Nominee(s)
Won
Best Director
Best Director
Award
Best Director
Category
Sydney Pollack
Nominee(s)
Nominated
Best Screenplay
Best Screenplay
Award
Best Screenplay
Category
Kurt Luedtke
Nominee(s)
Nominated
Best Original Score
Best Original Score
Award
Best Original Score
Category
John Barry
Nominee(s)
Won
Golden Screen Awards
Golden Screen Awards
Award
Golden Screen Awards
Category
Won
Guild of German Art House Cinemas Awards
Guild of German Art House Cinemas Awards
Award
Guild of German Art House Cinemas Awards
Category
Foreign Film
Nominee(s)
Sydney Pollack
Result
Won
Japan Academy Film Prize
Japan Academy Film Prize
Award
Japan Academy Film Prize
Category
Outstanding Foreign Language Film
Nominee(s)
Nominated
Joseph Plateau Awards
Joseph Plateau Awards
Award
Joseph Plateau Awards
Category
Best Score
Nominee(s)
John Barry
Result
Won
Kansas City Film Critics Circle Awards
Kansas City Film Critics Circle Awards
Award
Kansas City Film Critics Circle Awards
Category
Best Actress
Nominee(s)
Meryl Streep
Result
Won
Best Supporting Actor
Best Supporting Actor
Award
Best Supporting Actor
Category
Klaus Maria Brandauer
Nominee(s)
Won
London Critics Circle Film Awards
London Critics Circle Film Awards
Award
London Critics Circle Film Awards
Category
Special Achievement Award
Nominee(s)
John Barry
Result
Won
Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards
Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards
Award
Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards
Category
Best Film
Nominee(s)
Runner-up
Best Actress
Best Actress
Award
Best Actress
Category
Meryl Streep
Nominee(s)
Won
Best Cinematography
Best Cinematography
Award
Best Cinematography
Category
David Watkin
Nominee(s)
Won
Nastro d'Argento
Nastro d'Argento
Award
Nastro d'Argento
Category
Best Foreign Director
Nominee(s)
Sydney Pollack
Result
Won
Best Foreign Actress
Best Foreign Actress
Award
Best Foreign Actress
Category
Meryl Streep
Nominee(s)
Nominated
National Board of Review Awards
National Board of Review Awards
Award
National Board of Review Awards
Category
Top Ten Films
Nominee(s)
2nd Place
Best Supporting Actor
Best Supporting Actor
Award
Best Supporting Actor
Category
Klaus Maria Brandauer
Nominee(s)
Won
National Society of Film Critics Awards
National Society of Film Critics Awards
Award
National Society of Film Critics Awards
Category
Best Supporting Actor
Nominee(s)
4th Place
New York Film Critics Circle Awards
New York Film Critics Circle Awards
Award
New York Film Critics Circle Awards
Category
Best Film
Nominee(s)
3rd Place
Best Actress
Best Actress
Award
Best Actress
Category
Meryl Streep
Nominee(s)
2nd Place
Best Supporting Actor
Best Supporting Actor
Award
Best Supporting Actor
Category
Klaus Maria Brandauer
Nominee(s)
Won
Best Cinematographer
Best Cinematographer
Award
Best Cinematographer
Category
David Watkin
Nominee(s)
Won
Sant Jordi Awards
Sant Jordi Awards
Award
Sant Jordi Awards
Category
Best Foreign Actress
Nominee(s)
Meryl Streep
Result
Nominated
Writers Guild of America Awards
Writers Guild of America Awards
Award
Writers Guild of America Awards
Category
Best Screenplay – Based on Material from Another Medium
Nominee(s)
Kurt Luedtke
Result
Nominated
| Award | Category | Nominee(s) | Result |
| Academy Awards | Best Picture | Sydney Pollack | Won |
| Best Director | Won | ||
| Best Actress | Meryl Streep | Nominated | |
| Best Supporting Actor | Klaus Maria Brandauer | Nominated | |
| Best Adapted Screenplay | Kurt Luedtke | Won | |
| Best Art Direction | Art Direction: Stephen B. Grimes; Set Decoration: Josie MacAvin | Won | |
| Best Cinematography | David Watkin | Won | |
| Best Costume Design | Milena Canonero | Nominated | |
| Best Film Editing | Fredric Steinkamp, William Steinkamp, Pembroke J. Herring, and Sheldon Kahn | Nominated | |
| Best Original Score | John Barry | Won | |
| Best Sound | Chris Jenkins, Gary Alexander, Larry Stensvold, and Peter Handford | Won | |
| American Cinema Editors Awards | Best Edited Feature Film | Fredric Steinkamp, William Steinkamp, Pembroke J. Herring, and Sheldon Kahn | Nominated |
| BMI Film & TV Awards | Film Music Award | John Barry | Won |
| British Academy Film Awards | Best Actress in a Leading Role | Meryl Streep | Nominated |
| Best Actor in a Supporting Role | Klaus Maria Brandauer | Nominated | |
| Best Adapted Screenplay | Kurt Luedtke | Won | |
| Best Cinematography | David Watkin | Won | |
| Best Costume Design | Milena Canonero | Nominated | |
| Best Original Music | John Barry | Nominated | |
| Best Sound | Tom McCarthy Jr., Peter Handford, and Chris Jenkins | Won | |
| British Society of Cinematographers Awards | Best Cinematography in a Theatrical Feature Film | David Watkin | Won |
| César Awards | Best Foreign Film | Sydney Pollack | Nominated |
| David di Donatello Awards | Best Foreign Film | Won | |
| Best Foreign Producer | Nominated | ||
| Best Foreign Director | Nominated | ||
| Best Foreign Actor | Robert Redford | Nominated | |
| Best Foreign Actress | Meryl Streep | Won | |
| Best Foreign Screenplay | Kurt Luedtke | Nominated | |
| Directors Guild of America Awards | Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures | Sydney Pollack | Nominated |
| DVD Exclusive Awards | Best DVD Audio Commentary | Sydney Pollack (for the Collector's Edition) | Nominated |
| Golden Globe Awards | Best Motion Picture – Drama | Won | |
| Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama | Meryl Streep | Nominated | |
| Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture | Klaus Maria Brandauer | Won | |
| Best Director | Sydney Pollack | Nominated | |
| Best Screenplay | Kurt Luedtke | Nominated | |
| Best Original Score | John Barry | Won | |
| Golden Screen Awards | Won | ||
| Guild of German Art House Cinemas Awards | Foreign Film | Sydney Pollack | Won |
| Japan Academy Film Prize | Outstanding Foreign Language Film | Nominated | |
| Joseph Plateau Awards | Best Score | John Barry | Won |
| Kansas City Film Critics Circle Awards | Best Actress | Meryl Streep | Won |
| Best Supporting Actor | Klaus Maria Brandauer | Won | |
| London Critics Circle Film Awards | Special Achievement Award | John Barry | Won |
| Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards | Best Film | Runner-up | |
| Best Actress | Meryl Streep | Won | |
| Best Cinematography | David Watkin | Won | |
| Nastro d'Argento | Best Foreign Director | Sydney Pollack | Won |
| Best Foreign Actress | Meryl Streep | Nominated | |
| National Board of Review Awards | Top Ten Films | 2nd Place | |
References
- The New York Timeshttps://www.nytimes.com/1985/11/29/movies/at-the-movies.html
- Out of Africa at Box Office Mojohttps://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=outofafrica.htm
- Out of Africa, p. 252
- "Song of Africa", Out of Africa DVD
- www.nation.co.kehttp://www.nation.co.ke/Features/DN2/The-thinking-behind-Nairobis--grand-schools-/-/957860/1625562/-/128vpwfz/-/index.html
- "West Norfolk Film History"https://www.visitwestnorfolk.com/west-norfolk-film-history/
- Out of Africahttps://archive.org/embed/outofafrica0000dine
- The poetical works of S.T. Coleridge [microform] : including the dramas of Wallenstein, Remorse, and Zapola. In Three Volumes. Vol. II: The Rime of The Ancient Mariner. In Seven Partshttps://archive.org/details/poeticalworksst02colegoog
- AFI's 100 Years Of Film Scores Archived 2011-07-16 at the Wayback Machine at AFI.comhttp://connect.afi.com/site/DocServer/scores250.pdf?docID=221
- Out of Africa soundtrack review at Filmtracks.comhttp://www.filmtracks.com/titles/out_africa.html
- store.intrada.comhttps://store.intrada.com/s.nl/it.A/id.12772/.f
- Australian Chart Book 1970–1992
- Billboardhttps://books.google.com/books?id=UCQEAAAAMBAJ&q=out+of+africa+soundtrack+billboard&pg=PA68
- "French album certifications – B.O.F – Out of Africa"http://snepmusique.com/les-certifications/?categorie=Albums&interprete=B.O.F&titre=Out+of+Africa
- Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002http://www.mediafire.com/file/7q55521w7go6vh6/Spanish+Certifications+for+2000-2002.pdf
- "British album certifications – Original Soundtrack – Out of Africa"https://www.bpi.co.uk/award/11298-1140-2
- "American album certifications – John Barry – Out of Africa"https://www.riaa.com/gold-platinum/?tab_active=default-award&ar=John+Barry&ti=Out+of+Africa&format=Album&type=#search_section
- The Interpreter, DVD#25835, Universal Studios
- Out of Africahttps://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/out_of_africa
- Metacritichttps://www.metacritic.com/movie/out-of-africa
- The New York Timeshttps://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/18/movies/ed-mintz-dead.html
- RogerEbert.comhttps://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/out-of-africa-1985
- Canby, Vincent (December 18, 1985). "Screen: Out of Africa." The New York Times. C17.https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/packages/html/movies/bestpictures/africa-re.html?scp=3&sq=loews&st=cse
- Siskel, Gene (December 20, 1985). "Redford mars the beauty of 'Out of Africa'". Chicago Tribune. Section 7, p. A, M.
- Ansen, David (December 23, 1985). "Paradise Remembered". Newsweek. p. 72.
- Benson, Sheila (December 18, 1985). "Two Women of Substance in Unlikely Settings." Los Angeles Times. Part VI, p. 1.https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1985-12-18-ca-26572-story.html
- "Film Reviews: Out of Africa". Variety. December 11, 1985. 17.
- Kael, Pauline (December 30, 1985). "The Current Cinema". The New Yorker. 67, 68.
- Attanasio, Paul (December 20, 1985). "'Out of Africa': Redford & Streep in a Tropical Tupor." The Washington Post. C4.https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1985/12/20/out-of-africa-redford-38/a0147dd0-43c7-4d8c-ad6d-757602cee6f7/?noredirect=on
- Reelviewshttp://www.reelviews.net/reelviews/out-of-africa
- Variety
- oscars.orghttp://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1986
- The New York Timeshttps://web.archive.org/web/20120217043507/http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/36787/Out-of-Africa/awards