I Heard the Owl Call My Name (TV 1973)

A young priest named mark is sent as a vicar to a native American village in B.C. Canada, there he learns of faith and humanity, as he watches their culture being torn to shreds.

Director:

Daryl Duke

Writers:

Gerald Di Pego (teleplay by), Margaret Craven (based upon the book by: "I Heard The Owl Call My Name")

Stars:

Tom Courtenay, Dean Jagger, Paul Stanley

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Tom Courtenay	...	Mark Brian
Dean Jagger	...	Bishop
Paul Stanley	...	Jim Wallace
Marianne Jones	...	Keetah
George Clutesi	...	George P. Hudson
Keith Pepper	...	Spencer
Margaret Atleo	...	Marta

Storyline

A young priest is sent by his bishop deep into the seacoast wilds of British Columbia to a parish of Kwakiutl Native Americans called Kingcome. The Tsawataineuk live in an inlet village and take their sustenance from the sea and from the forest. The bishop has not told him this, but the priest has only two years left to live. Among these vanishing Indians, Mark Brian learns enough of the meaning of life not to fear death. Through is faith and humanity, he becomes part of the village, of the Indians themselves, and witness to their rituals and beliefs and the gradual destruction of a culture. Then, on a cold winter evening, when he hears the owl in the forest call his name, he understands what is going to happen.

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Plot Keywords:

priest | canada | native canadian | american abroad | bishop | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

18 December 1973 (USA)

Filming Locations:

British Columbia, Canada

Company Credits

Production Co:

Tomorrow Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

User Reviews

Tom Courtenay plays the young vicar

I have just re-read the book which has been sitting on my shelf for years. I thoroughly enjoyed it. The movie is a faithful attempt to convey how well the young vicar( played by Tom Courtenay) was suited to the task of living amongst the Canadian Indians because he was sensitive to the way they lived their daily lives, while still modelling servanthood as required by his religion. It shows how right Jesus was when he said we needed to be servants to help others. The book was written in 1967 so I wonder what has has happened to the area in which the book was set and to the Indian tribes whose young people were going to schools outside the area.