Black Robe (1991)

In the 17th century, a Jesuit missionary nicknamed Black Robe by the natives and his small party of companions try reaching the Huron tribe in Canada all while facing mistrust, Iroquois warring parties and harsh winter conditions.

Director:

Bruce Beresford

Writers:

Brian Moore (screenplay), Brian Moore (novel)

Stars:

Lothaire Bluteau, Aden Young, Sandrine Holt

10 wins & 13 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Lothaire Bluteau	...	Laforgue
Aden Young	...	Daniel
Sandrine Holt	...	Annuka
August Schellenberg	...	Chomina
Tantoo Cardinal	...	Chomina's Wife
Billy Two Rivers	...	Ougebmat
Lawrence Bayne	...	Neehatin
Harrison Liu	...	Awondoie
Wesley Côté	...	Oujita
Frank Wilson	...	Father Jerome
François Tassé	...	Father Bourque
Jean Brousseau	...	Champlain
Yvan Labelle	...	Mestigoit
Raoul Max Trujillo	...	Kiotseaton (as Raoul Trujillo)
James Bobbish	...	Ondesson

Storyline

In the 17th century a Jesuit priest nicknamed Black Robe by the natives and his young companion are escorted through the wilderness of Quebec by a family of Algonquin Indians to find a distant mission in the dead of winter. Underneath the imposing and magnificent mountains, the Jesuit experiences a spiritual journey while his young companion falls in love with their Algonquin guide's beautiful daughter. Dread and death follows them upriver, however, as they face an Iroquois war party. Based on historical fiction novel.

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Plot Keywords:

1600s | christian missionary | conversion to christianity of native americans | conversion to christianity of first nations people in canada | historical fiction | 

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Taglines:

A journey to paradise.

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Genres:

Adventure | Drama | History | War

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for areas of strong violence and sensuality

Did You Know?

Trivia

Debut theatrical feature film acting credit of actor Aden Young.

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Goofs

When Mestigoit the Sorcerer meets Laforgue, Laforgue is reading the Breviary (daily prayer of a priest). The page is clearly at DOMINICA V POST PASCHA, the fifth Sunday of Easter which falls between 3rd May and 6th June. Yet the action is supposed to be taking place in the autumn-winter of 1634.

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Quotes

Champlain: 1,500 miles by canoe, in that country, at the beginning of the winter. Death is almost certain, Father Bourque.
Father Bourque: Death is not always a great evil, Monsieur Champlain.
Champlain: God should have made me a Jesuit. You have answers for everything.

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Connections

Featured in At the Movies: Beauty and the Beast/Black Robe/My Girl/Meeting Venus (1991)

User Reviews

Amazing

I'm a history student of second grade of a french canadian university. So, in a history point of view, I can assure you that this movie is simply amazing. The story is about a jesuite priest who wants to bring catholic faith to the Indians of the french colony Nouvelle-France (New France, the future Quebec of Canada) in the seventeen century. In fact, there was a lot of jesuite doing that by that time. The priest and his young translator ask the Algonquins natives to guide them to the Hurons natives. That is also exactly correct! But in their quest,they had some problems with the Iroquois natives. And that is exactly right! At the end, the priest reach the Hurons. The chief of the tribe tells that if they accept the god of the priest, they will become weak and their ennemies will kill them. And that's what's gonna happen! In fact, the Hurons were the first Indians of New France to accept catholic religion. I saw the movie with the french dubbing. The Indians of that time didn't knew how to prononce R. So, in the movie, they say : obe noie, instead of Robe Noire (Black Robe). I don't know if they said black obe in the English version. In one scence, the priest tells the Indian sorcerer that he is reading a breviaire (book of prayers). And the sorcerer said: beviaire, witout the R. The way the natives are dressed and wears their hairs is also very exact in an historical view. This is not only a great movie, but an amazing reconstitution. Natives actors are great, with August Schlleberg, the always good Tantoo Cardinal and the charming young Sandrine Holt. Lothaire Blutheau is one of the best french canadian actor (see him in Jesus of Montreal). This is absolutely a superb piece of work ! And some kind of perfect history book.

Details

Country:

Canada Australia

Language:

English Algonquin Mohawk Cree Latin French

Release Date:

4 October 1991 (USA)

Also Known As:

Black Robe

Filming Locations:

Lac Saint-Jean, Québec, Canada

Box Office

Budget:

AUD11,000,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$8,211,952

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$8,211,952

Company Credits

Production Co:

Alliance Communications Corporation, Samson Productions Pty. Ltd., Téléfilm Canada

Technical Specs

Runtime:

101 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1