HATARI - THE MOVIE

In the year 1960/61, the former Tanganyika, now Tanzania, hosted the production of the classic Hollywood movie, “HATARI!” by Howard Hawks. Hardy Krüger, a young fair-haired German actor, co-starred with John Wayne as a member of a professional animal capture team. In Willy's Jeeps and Chevrolet trucks, they raced over the open savannah around Lake Manyara and the Ngorongoro Crater, catching rhinos, giraffes and other large mammals, destined for zoos all over the world. The film portrays an era when capturing wild animals, in complete contrast to today, was still big business amongst rough and tough adventurers living all over Africa.  Unforgettably at the end of the film, three baby elephants march clumsily and excitedly through Arusha, then still a small, calm and quiet town - and as always, Hollywood portrayed a great “Happy-Ending”.