Snow Falling on Cedars (1999)

User Rating:

6.7/10   

Director:

Scott Hicks

Writers (WGA):

David Guterson (novel)
Ronald Bass (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

7 January 2000 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Mystery | Romance | Thriller

Tagline:

First loves last. Forever.

Plot:

A Japanese-American fisherman may have killed his neighbor Carl at sea. In the 1950's, race figures in the trial. So does reporter Ishmael.

Plot Keywords:

Japanese American | 1950s | Reporter | Murder | Small Town

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 5 wins & 8 nominations

Cast

Ethan Hawke	...	Ishmael Chambers
Youki Kudoh	...	Hatsue Miyamoto
Reeve Carney	...	Young Ishmael Chambers
Anne Suzuki	...	Young Hatsue Imada
Rick Yune	...	Kazuo Miyamoto
Max von Sydow	...	Nels Gudmundsson (as Max Von Sydow)
James Rebhorn	...	Alvin Hooks
James Cromwell	...	Judge Fielding
Richard Jenkins	...	Sheriff Art Moran
Arija Bareikis	...	Susan Marie Heine
Eric Thal	...	Carl Heine Jr.
Celia Weston	...	Etta Heine
Daniel von Bargen	...	Carl Heine Sr. (as Daniel Von Bargen)
Akira Takayama	...	Hisao Imada
Ako	...	Fujiko Imada

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for disturbing images, sensuality and brief strong language.

Runtime:

127 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Japanese | German

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Finland:S | Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) | Canada:14A (Alberta/British Columbia) | Canada:AA (Ontario) | Canada:G (Quebec) | Canada:PG (Manitoba) | Australia:M | Iceland:12 | Singapore:M18 | South Korea:12 | Argentina:13 | Denmark:11 | France:U | Germany:12 (bw) | Ireland:15 | Netherlands:12 | New Zealand:M | Sweden:11 | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | UK:15 | USA:PG-13 (936516) | Norway:11 | Philippines:PG-13

Filming Locations:

Cathlamet, Washington, USA

Company:

Universal Pictures

Trivia:

Ishmael never once pronounces the love-of-his-life's name correctly. He always calls her "Hat-sue" not by her real Japanese name "Ha-Tsu-E".

Goofs:

Factual errors: The guests are wearing black ties at the wedding. In Japan, a black tie signifies a funeral. The guests should be wearing white ties.

Quotes:

Nels Gudmundsson: Accident rules every corner of the universe... except perhaps the chambers of the human heart.

Movie Connections:

Featured in The 72nd Annual Academy Awards (2000) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Washington Post

The Good & Bad Of 'Snow Falling On Cedars'

As the referees say on pro football TV games, "On further review......" That's the way I thought after my second viewing of this movie.

GOOD NEWS - On the first look, I was totally blown away and dazzled at the fabulous cinematography. Man, this is one of the prettiest movies I've ever seen.....and that's important for my entertainment. Scene after scene looks like some picture postcard. I also enjoyed the two lawyers in this film, played by James Rebhorn and Max VonSydow. Sometimes those two were riveting to watch.

BAD NEWS - Most of the story was anything but riveting, way too slow and with way too much time used on flashbacks. This story could have been told in a much more presentable way which could have kept the audience's attention. It's also a little too politically-correct. We were beaten over the head with the prejudice against Japanese. Everyone here, except the Liberal newspaper editor and his son, is portrayed as extremely bigoted.

Overall, a spectacular visual film - one of the best ever - but a story that takes interminably long to tell.....too long.