The Sheltering Sky

(Great Britain/Italy/USA, 1990, 137 minutes)

Just after WWII, a New York couple travels into Saharan Africa in search of what's missing in their lives. Magnificently filmed but dramatically dull melodrama.

A Jeremy Thomas presentation/production, in association with The Aldrich Group; financed by Film Trustees with Shochiku-Fuji Company, Pierson Heldring & Pierson, Guinness Mahon & Co and Creditverein Bankanstalt; made by The Sahara Company and Tao Film in association with Recorded Picture Company (Productions). Starring Debra Winger, John Malkovich; Campbell Scott, Jill Bennett, Timothy Spall; Paul Bowles as the narrator; and introducing Eric Vu-An. Directed by Bernardo Bertolucci; produced by Jeremy Thomas; screenplay by Mark Peploe with Bernardo Bertolucci, based on the novel The Sheltering Sky by Paul Bowles; music by Ryuichi Sakamoto; original North African music by Richard Horowitz; director of photography (Technicolor, Eastman Color, Technovision), Vittorio Storaro; production designer, Gianni Silvestri; costume designer, James Acheson; film editor, Gabriella Cristiani.