A Dry White Season (1989)

Ben du Toit is a schoolteacher who always has considered himself a man of caring and justice, at least on the individual level. When his gardener's son is brutally beaten up by the police ... See full summary »

Director:

Euzhan Palcy

Writers:

André P. Brink (novel) (as André Brink), Colin Welland (screenplay)

Stars:

Donald Sutherland, Janet Suzman, Zakes Mokae

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 1 win & 7 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Donald Sutherland	...	Ben
Janet Suzman	...	Susan
Zakes Mokae	...	Stanley
Jürgen Prochnow	...	Captain Stolz (as Jurgen Prochnow)
Susan Sarandon	...	Melanie
Marlon Brando	...	McKenzie
Winston Ntshona	...	Gordon
Thoko Ntshinga	...	Emily
Leonard Maguire	...	Bruwer
Gerard Thoolen	...	Col. Viljoen
Susannah Harker	...	Suzette
Andrew Whaley	...	Chris
Rowen Elmes	...	Johan
Stella Dickin	...	Susan's Mother
David de Keyser	...	Susan's Father (as David De Keyser)

Storyline

Ben du Toit is a schoolteacher who always has considered himself a man of caring and justice, at least on the individual level. When his gardener's son is brutally beaten up by the police at a demonstration by black school children, he gradually begins to realize his own society is built on a pillar of injustice and exploitation.

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Plot Keywords:

anti apartheid activist | state violence | tortured prisoners | gardener | south africa | 

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Genres:

Drama | Thriller

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

20 September 1989 (USA)

Also Known As:

A Dry White Season

Filming Locations:

Pinewood Studios, Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire, England, UK

Box Office

Gross USA:

$3,766,879

Company Credits

Production Co:

Davros Films,Star Partners II Ltd.,Sundance Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

107 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Website Wikipedia states that "Director Euzhan Palcy was so passionate about creating an accurate portrayal on film that she traveled to Soweto undercover, posing as a recording artist, to research the riots. Actor [Marlon] Brando was so moved by Palcy's commitment to social change that he came out of a self-imposed retirement to play the role of the human rights lawyer; he also agreed to work for union scale ([US] $4,000), far below his usual fee. The salaries of [actor Donald] Sutherland and [actress Susan] Sarandon were also reduced and the film was budgeted at only [US] $9 million."

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Goofs

When Susan walks in on Ben and Stanley on Christmas day, she is carrying 2 suitcases and does not have her jacket draped on her shoulders. In the next scene, she is leaving the room with the jacket around her shoulders, is carrying only 1 suitcase and it is different than either of the ones she was carrying initially.

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Quotes

Ian McKenzie: I will take your case if only to make it abundantly clear how justice in South Africa is misapplied when it comes to the question of race.

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Connections

Referenced in The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon: Miley Cyrus/Sam Rockwell/Chef Danny Bowien (2015)

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Soundtracks

UNOMATHEMBA
Written by Joseph Shabalala
Performed by Ladysmith Black Mambazo
Courtesy of Warner Bros. Records
Produced by Danny Lawson for Night After Night Ltd.

User Reviews

A reminder of the brutality of Apartheid

Having just seen it on the TV again after a number of years it is a stark reminder of the terror imposed on the black population by the security apparatus of S. Africa during the years of Apartheid.

The part with Marlon Brando as the human rights lawyers is particularly good exposing the ludicrous nature of a system that is completely repressive while maintaining the fiction that it is not.

This film should be compulsory viewing in any educational course studying recent African history

A personal reminiscence:-

I was living in Zimbabwe from 87-89 and I remember when the film was being shot on location there. They were shooting the scene at the end when it is raining but it was during the dry season in Zimbabwe in the local news they recorded the fact that they'd had to make their own rain with lots of hoses etc.