Grey Owl (1999)

Director:

Richard Attenborough

Writer:

William Nicholson (screenplay)

Release Date:

10 September 1999 (Spain)

Genre:

Biography | Drama | Western

Tagline:

He Fought To Change The World

Plot:

The story of the life and work of the Canadian fur trapper turned conservationist who claimed to be a Native American.

Plot Keywords:

Trapper | Beaver | Canada | Native American | Lecture

Awards:

1 win & 5 nominations

Cast

Pierce Brosnan	...	Archie Grey Owl
Stewart Bick	...	Cyrus Finney
Vlasta Vrana	...	Harry Champlin
Annie Galipeau	...	Pony
Neil Kroetsch	...	First Hunter
Serge Houde	...	Second Hunter
Peter Colvey	...	Hotel Guest
Nathaniel Arcand	...	Ned White Bear
Jacques Lussier	...	Hotel Manager
Lee-Roy Jacobs	...	Hotel Porter
Jimmy Herman	...	Chief Pete Misebi
John Dunn-Hill	...	Sim Hancock
Graham Greene	...	Jim Bernard
Gordon Masten	...	Gus Mitchell
Chip Chuipka	...	First Trapper
John Walsh	...	Second Trapper
David Fox	...	Jim Wood
Annabelle Torsein	...	Hiker
Marcel Jeannin	...	Hiker
Kent McQuaid	...	Hiker
Matthew Sharp	...	Hiker Hawkins
Charles Edwin Powell	...	Walter Perry (as Charles Powell)
Seann Gallagher	...	Bill Oliver
James Bradford	...	Tom Walker
Noel Burton	...	Southampton Reporter
Renée Asherson	...	Carrie Belaney
Stephanie Cole	...	Ada Belaney
Richard Jutras	...	Halifax Reporter
Art Kitching	...	Halifax Reporter
Pierre Lenoir	...	Halifax Reporter
Norris Domingue	...	Halifax Reporter
Al Vandecruys	...	Immigration Officer (as Al Vandercruys)
Floyd 'Red Crow' Westerman	...	Pow Wow Chief (as Floyd Crow Westerman)
Saginaw Grant	...	Pow Wow Chief
Gene Blackbird	...	Wabiken Lodge Dancer
Lindsey Cote	...	Wabiken Lodge Dancer
Arnold Jocks	...	Wabiken Lodge Dancer
Tahatie Montour	...	Wabiken Lodge Dancer
Rene Tonda Splicer Kiepprien	...	Wabiken Lodge Dancer
Donald J. White	...	Wabiken Lodge Dancer
Kevin Peltier	...	Wabiken Lodge Dancer
Donald Swamp	...	Wabiken Lodge Dancer
Gerald McDonald	...	Lead Wabiken Lodge Drummer
Michael MacDonald	...	Wabiken Lodge Drummer
Narcisse Kakegabon	...	Wabiken Lodge Drummer
Timothy Eashappie	...	Lead Pow Wow Dancer
Frank Buswa	...	Pow Wow Dancer
Vernon Cardinal	...	Pow Wow Dancer
Josie Cox	...	Pow Wow Dancer
Donald Dowd	...	Pow Wow Dancer
Hilliard Friday	...	Pow Wow Dancer
Les Harper	...	Pow Wow Dancer
David Herman	...	Pow Wow Dancer
Joseph McLeod	...	Pow Wow Dancer
Dylan Manitopyes	...	Pow Wow Dancer
Brian Moore	...	Pow Wow Dancer
Gordie Odjig	...	Pow Wow Dancer
Gary Parker	...	Pow Wow Dancer
Ron Ranville	...	Pow Wow Dancer
Steve Sands	...	Pow Wow Dancer
Dwight 'Bucko' Teeple	...	Pow Wow Dancer
Denis Whiteye	...	Pow Wow Dancer
Larry Yazzie	...	Pow Wow Dancer
Steve Wood	...	Lead Pow Wow Drummer
Elmer Baptiste	...	Pow Wow Drummer
Shane Dion	...	Pow Wow Drummer
Aaron McGilvery	...	Pow Wow Drummer
Bradley McGilvery	...	Pow Wow Drummer
Ferlin McGilvery	...	Pow Wow Drummer
Cecil Nepoose	...	Pow Wow Drummer
Leroy Whitstone	...	Pow Wow Drummer
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
John Canoe	...	Mohawk Nation Member
Craig Gauthier	...	Hiker
King George VI	...	Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)
Jeffrey Lee	...	Chief's Counselman (Ending Scene) (uncredited)
Princess Margaret	...	Herself (with her parents) (archive footage) (uncredited)
Queen Elizabeth II	...	Herself (with her parents) (uncredited)
Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother	...	Herself (archive footage) (uncredited)

Directed by
Richard Attenborough

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
William Nicholson		screenplay

Produced by
Richard Attenborough	....	producer
Jake Eberts	....	producer
Diana Hawkins	....	co-producer
Claude Léger	....	producer: Canada
Josette Perrotta	....	co-producer
Barr B. Potter	....	executive producer (as Barr Potter)
Lenny Young	....	executive producer

Original Music by
George Fenton

Cinematography by
Roger Pratt

Film Editing by
Lesley Walker

Casting by
Rene Haynes
Vera Miller
Nadia Rona

Production Design by
Anthony Pratt

Art Direction by
Claude Paré		(supervising art director)

Set Decoration by
Marie-Claude Gosselin
Bruno Sorel
Joanne Woollard		(uncredited)

Costume Design by
Renée April

Makeup Department
Jocelyne Bellemare	....	key makeup artist
Nathalie Garon	....	assistant hair stylist
Martin Lapointe	....	hair stylist: extras
Marcelo Padovani	....	key hair stylist
Bron Roylance	....	makeup artist: Mr. Brosnan

Production Management
Michel Chauvin	....	production manager
Jean-Yves Dolbec	....	unit manager
Hugh Harlow	....	production manager: UK

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Erik Ajduk	....	additional third assistant director
Anne Alloucherie	....	assistant director
Stéphane Bourdeau	....	assistant director
Isabelle Brutus	....	first assistant director: second unit
Patrick Clayton	....	assistant director
Buck Deachman	....	second assistant director
Richard Fletcher	....	trainee assistant director
Jean-Sébastien Lord	....	first assistant director: second unit
Trevor Puckle	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Francis Back	....	storyboard artist
Rejean Brochu	....	construction coordinator
Louis Dandonneau	....	assistant set dresser
Nicolas Fering	....	art swing gang
Denis Hamel	....	property master
Rohan Harris	....	model maker
Jean-François Kelahear	....	stand-by scenic painter
Eric Lafrance	....	lead carpenter
Michele Laliberte	....	assistant art director
Carl Lessard	....	graphic designer
Robert Parle	....	assistant set dresser
Pippa Rawlinson	....	art department researcher: UK
Doris Simard	....	art department coordinator
Jean Simard	....	assistant property master
Bruno Sorel	....	set dresser

Sound Department
Jonathan Bates	....	sound
Annie Gould	....	assistant dialogue editor
Kevin Holt	....	assistant foley editor
Gerry Humphreys	....	sound
Nick Lowe	....	dialogue editor
Patrick Rousseau	....	sound mixer
Alastair Sirkett	....	assistant sound editor
Mark Kenna	....	consultant: Dolby film sound (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Francis Choquette	....	special effects technician
Louis Craig	....	special effects supervisor
Pierre Côté	....	special effects technician
Mario Dumont	....	special effects senior technician
Normand Gobeille	....	special effects assistant
André Laforest	....	special effects technician
Francis Marleau	....	effects runner
Eric-André Paquin	....	special effects technician
Philippe Roberge	....	special effects technician
Martin Williams	....	special effects technician

Visual Effects by
Angus Cameron	....	digital effects supervisor
Nicolas Cotta	....	visual effects artist
Antony Hunt	....	executive producer: The Magic Camera Company
Sébastien Moreau	....	Inferno compositor: Hybride
Daniel Pettipher	....	2D digital supervisor: The Magic Camera Company

Stunts
Jim Dunn	....	stunt double: Pierce Bronson
David McKeown	....	stunt coordinator
Michael Scherer	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Benoît Alarie	....	grip
David Appleby	....	grip
Alex Bailey	....	still photographer
Pierre Beaulieu	....	electrician
Sylvain Brault	....	second camera operator
Ciro Candia	....	second assistant camera: UK
Andy Chmura	....	camera operator
Carla Clarke	....	first assistant camera: "a" camera, second unit
Jean Courteau	....	chief lighting technician
Robert Courtemanche	....	key grip: second unit
Jean-Yves Denis	....	grip
Bertrand Dupuis	....	grip
Gilles Fortier	....	best boy electric
Julie Garceau	....	video assist operator
Jean-Patrick Joseph	....	second assistant camera
Denis Lamothe	....	chief rigging lighting technician
Martine Leclerc	....	additional focus puller
Christian Lemay	....	second assistant camera
Nicolas Marion	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera
Clyde Miller	....	assistant camera: aerials and Wescam camera
Michel Périard	....	key grip
Marc Simpson-Threlford	....	second assistant camera: second unit
Michel St. Martin	....	grip
David Uloth	....	crane operator
Jonathan Wenk	....	still photographer: winter

Casting Department
Louis Elman	....	adr voice casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Sophie Beasse	....	key dresser
Mariane Carter	....	costume supervisor (as Marianne Carter)

Editorial Department
Claire Ferguson	....	assistant editor
Jeremy Hume	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Geoff Alexander	....	orchestrator (as Geoffrey Alexander)
Jeff Atmajian	....	orchestrator
George Fenton	....	conductor
David Lawson	....	composer: additional music
Veronika Rentsch	....	music coordinator
Graham Sutton	....	music editor
Gavyn Wright	....	orchestra leader

Transportation Department
Christian Biron	....	transportation
Jasmine Lewandowski	....	driver: cast
Charlie Zed	....	driver

Other crew
Nick Barker	....	assistant location manager
Charles-André Bertrand	....	second unit coordinator
Danielle Boucher	....	production coordinator
Guylaine Boucher	....	assistant production coordinator
Bertrand Calmeau	....	production assistant
William H. Carrick	....	wildlife consultant
Nikki Clapp	....	continuity
Susan d'Arcy	....	unit publicist
Céline Daignault	....	location manager
Jessica Drake	....	dialect coach
Paul Dupont	....	safety coordinator
Drew H. Fash	....	historical consultant
Jo Gregory	....	production accountant
Pierre Guay	....	aerial coordinator
Agnieszka Kroskowska	....	personal assistant: Pierce Brosnan
Donna Noonan	....	consultant: First Nations
Sylvie Normandin	....	assistant to executive producer
Bobby Prince	....	security manager
Brent Radford	....	weapons handler
Mark Somner	....	location manager
Gerry Therrien	....	animal coordinator
Dominic Thiffault	....	production assistant
Joyce Turner	....	production coordinator: UK
Luca Ward	....	voice dubbing: Pierce Brosnan
Chris Warren	....	video coordinator: UK
Judy Wasdell	....	production associate
Pete White	....	animal wrangler
Kelly Whitlock	....	beaver handler
Hap Wilson	....	advisor: period canoe technique

Production Companies

• Beaver Productions (co-production)
• Ajawaan Productions (co-production)
• Canadian Film or Video Production Tax Credit (CPTC) (with the participation of)
• The Government of Quebec Income Tax Credit Program (with the participation of)
• Allied Filmmakers (uncredited)
• Largo Entertainment (presents)
• Transfilm (presented in association with)

Distributors

• Alliance Atlantis Communications (2001) (Canada) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox of Germany (Germany)
• Alliance Atlantis Home Video (2003) (Canada) (DVD)
• Concorde Home Entertainment (2007) (Germany) (DVD)
• Europa Filmes (1999) (Brazil) (all media)
• New City Releasing
• Remstar Distribution (Canada)
• TriPictures (Spain)
• Universal Pictures Benelux (2001) (Netherlands) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Hybride Technologies (visual effects)
• Intrigue (special effects)

Other Companies

• Cinepool  grip and lighting equipment
• Reeltime Creative  trailer music
• Sapex Scripts  post-production script services
• Sylvia Wheeler Film Services  negative cutting

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for some sensuality/nudity

Runtime:

Canada:117 min | Spain:120 min | UK:118 min

Country:

UK | Canada

Language:

English | Ojibwa | Sioux | French

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Certification:

Germany:o.Al. | Spain:T | UK:PG | USA:PG-13 | Finland:K-7 | Australia:PG | South Korea:12 | Singapore:NC-16 | Sweden:Btl (DVD rating)

Filming Locations:

Chelsea, Québec, Canada

Company:

Beaver Productions

Trivia:

Filmed in 1998, but not released until the end of 2000.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: When Grey Owl's publisher Champlin arrives by airplane, to convince Grey Owl to go on tour in England, the airplane shown is clearly a DeHavilland DHC-2 "Beaver" on floats. This scene is set in approximately 1935, but the DeHavilland Beaver did not make its first flight until 1947.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Holiday (2006)

Worthy and graceful

I saw the British premiere of this in Bridgend, South Wales - Richard Attenborough was met with generous applause, his film with polite applause. It is a film equally of the heart and of the head, with emotions and affecting performances never quite being allowed to get in the way of the beautiful photography.

Charming in its own way and with a fascinating tale to tell, Grey Owl never quite gets fired up in the same way as historical rivals like Braveheart and Titanic. And this, possibly shamefully, probably just ironically, would seem to be due to the very thing that Attenborough is keen to sell his own movie on - its lack of violence, action, sex and, above all, excitement.

Still, a graceful and involving film - one which deserves the tag 'worthy' more than many others.