Introduction

White Elephant is an American action film directed by Jesse V. Johnson and written by Johnson and Erik Martinez, based on a story by Johnson.

It stars Michael Rooker, Bruce Willis, Olga Kurylenko, and John Malkovich.

Outline

Gabriel Tancredi, a former US Marine turned mob enforcer, breaks his code of conduct to save a police officer, Vanessa, who witnessed a failed assassination attempt ordered by Arnold Solomon, his friend and ruthless mob boss.

Cast

• Michael Rooker as Gabriel Tancredi
• Bruce Willis as Arnold Solomon
• Olga Kurylenko as Vanessa Flynn
• John Malkovich as Glen Follett
• Vadhir Derbez as Carlos Garcia
• Josef Cannon as Jim
• Lauren Buglioli as Tomi
• Lorenzo Antonucci as K.I.M
• Louie Ski Carr as Luis Velasquez
• Michael Rose as Walter Koschek
• Chris Cleveland as Daley

Production

The film was shot in the state of Georgia, beginning in April 2021. White Elephant is one of the last films to star Bruce Willis, who retired from acting because he was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia. Director Jesse V. Johnson, who previously worked with Willis when he himself was a stuntman, told the Los Angeles Times that “it was clear that he was not the Bruce I remembered”. Willis’s lines were filmed at a quicker pace at the suggestion of his assistant, Stephen J. Eads. Several crew members recalled Willis appearing confused on set. One of the crew members said, “It was less of an annoyance and more like: ‘How do we not make Bruce look bad?’. Someone would give him a line and he didn’t understand what it meant. He was just being puppeted.” Production supervisor Terri Martin said, “He just looked so lost, and he would say, ‘I’ll do my best.’ He always tried his best.” Johnson would later be asked if he wanted to film another movie with Willis but the director declined the offer, stating, “it was decided as a team that we would not do another. We are all Bruce Willis fans, and the arrangement felt wrong and ultimately a rather sad end to an incredible career, one that none of us felt comfortable with.”

Release

The film was released in select theaters in the United States by RLJE Films and on streaming on AMC+ on 03 June 2022.

Box Office

As of 26 May 2023, White Elephant grossed $49,477 in the United Arab Emirates, Russia, and Portugal.

Trivia

• At 51:30, Gabe and his young partner Carlos are outside a movie theater showing a Lee Marvin double feature.
  • Lee Marvin appeared as a hit man with his young partner played by Clu Gulager in The Killers (1964).
• Cameraman visible in the side of the car just before Vanessa talks to the corrupt policeman.

Production & Filming Details

• Director(s):
  • Jesse V. Johnson
• Producer(s):
  • Jordan Beckerman … executive producer
  • Gordon Bijelonic … executive producer
  • Jeff Bowler … executive producer
  • Grady Craig … executive producer
  • Deborah Del Prete … executive producer
  • Mike Donovan … co-executive producer
  • David Gendron … executive producer
  • Matthew Helderman … executive producer
  • Phil Hunt … executive producer
  • Ali Jazayeri … executive producer
  • Alexander Kane … co-executive producer
  • Jon Keeyes … co-producer
  • Corey Large … producer (produced by)
  • Jordan Yale Levine … executive producer
  • Mandi Murro … co-producer
  • Sean Patrick O’Reilly … executive producer
  • Nina Podolska … executive producer
  • Compton Ross … executive producer
  • Bret Saxon … executive producer
  • Luke Taylor … executive producer
  • Giovanna Trischitta … executive producer
  • Ravi Walia … executive producer
• Writer(s):
  • Jesse V. Johnson … (co-writer)
  • Erik Martinez
  • Katharine Lee McEwan … (additional dialogue by)
• Music:
  • Sean Murray
• Cinematography:
  • Jonathan Hall
• Editor(s):
  • Matthew Lorentz
• Production:
  • 308 Ent
  • BondIt Media Capital
• Distributor(s):
  • Kaskad (Russia, 2022)(theatrical)
  • RLJE Films (United States, 2022)(theatrical)
  • Dazzler Media (United Kingdom, 2023)(DVD)
  • Dolphin Medien (Germany, 2023)(Blu-ray)
  • Dolphin Medien (Germany, 2023)(DVD)
  • Eagle Films (Non-US)(Middle East)
  • NOS Audiovisuais (Portugal, 2023)
  • The Exchange (Non-US)
  • Three Lines Pictures (Belgium, 2022)(DVD)
  • Three Lines Pictures (Netherlands, 2022)(DVD)
  • Three Lines Pictures (Netherlands, 2022)(VOD, video)
  • Vesta (Russia, 2022)(video)
• Release Date: 03 June 2022 (US, internet).
• Running Time: 92 minutes.
• Rating: 15.
• Country: US.
• Language: English.

Video Link(s)