City of Gold (1957)

User Rating:

7.1/10   

Directors:

Wolf Koenig
Colin Low

Writers:

Roman Kroitor (story)
Pierre Berton (commentary)

Genre:

Documentary | Short | History

Plot:

Author Pierre Berton tells the history of his hometown of Dawson City at its heyday during the Klondike Gold Rush.

Plot Keywords:

Gold Rush | Gold | Klondike | Canada | Gold Prospector

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 2 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Pierre Berton

...

Narrator (voice)

Also Known As:

Capitale de l'or (Canada: French title)

Runtime:

22 min

Country:

Canada

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Sound Mix:

Mono

Company:

National Film Board of Canada (NFB)

Trivia:

Most of the still photos used to make this film had been preserved only because they were taken on glass plates, which were then used as windows in a greenhouse in Dawson City, Yukon, Canada. Pierre Berton, who wrote and reads the film's narration, lived in Dawson as a boy and walked past the greenhouse daily on his way to school.

Movie Connections:

Featured in The Magical Eye (1989)

Fascinating documentary about the history of a mining town during the Klondike Gold Rush

This short was nominated for an Academy Award for Live Action Short, one of two shorts produced by the National Film Board of Canada in the category. Using largely shots of still photography and a voice-over narration, it tells the story of Dawson City, a mining town during the Klondike Gold Rush. It's a fascinating look back at an era long gone and little remembered. Well worth tracking down. Turner Classic Movies ran this once as part of a celebration of the NFBC's 60th anniversary a few years back. Recommended.