The Sheltering Sky

The Sheltering Sky (1990)

  • 50% of critics liked it
    (24 reviews)

  • 77% of users liked it
    (5,196 ratings)

From director Bernardo Bertolucci, The Sheltering Sky is a filmed adaptation of the novel of the same name by Paul Bowles. Debra Winger and John Malkovich star as Kit and Port Moresby, a married American couple who globetrot to North Africa in the late '40s with the hopes of re-sparking their love… More

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R, 2 hr. 19 min.
Directed By
Bernardo Bertolucci
Genres
Drama, Action & Adventure
In Theaters
Jan 1, 1990 Wide
On DVD
May 14, 2002
Warner Home Video

Critic Reviews

  • Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader

    A disappointingly reductive adaptation of Paul Bowles's first novel.

  • Variety Staff, Variety

    Those who haven't read the book will be left bewildered.

  • Vincent Canby, New York Times

    A long, beautifully modulated cry of despair.

  • Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

    The book is so complete, so deep and so self-contained that it shuts the movie out. Bertolucci shows us the outsides and the surfaces, and a person seeing this movie without having read the book might ask what it is about.

  • Desson Thomson, Washington Post

    Bowles's gentle, avian features, the obvious wisdom of his years and his distinctive presence are practically worth the price of admission.

Read all 14 critic reviews

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

  • jay n


    The worst!!! When its finally over you find yourself asking, how can so many talented people make something this pretentious and odious.

  • Mike T


    I would feel like I was overlooking some considerable flaws if I called this movie perfect, but I am perfectly okay with saying that I loved it. Bertolucci's direction is as powerful as ever, controlling tone and atmosphere with the precision we expect from him. This is among his… More

  • Audrey L


    A painfully long movie...

  • Anthony V


    Bertolucci's worst film. I would rather tear my eyes out than see this again.

Cast

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Trailers & Clips

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