Snow Falling on Cedars (1999)

A Japanese-American fisherman is accused of killing his neighbor at sea. In the 1950s, race figures into the trial. So does reporter Ishmael.

Director:

Scott Hicks

Writers:

David Guterson (novel), Ronald Bass (screenplay) (as Ron Bass)

Stars:

Ethan Hawke, Max von Sydow, Yûki Kudô

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 5 wins & 9 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Ethan Hawke	...	Ishmael Chambers
Yûki Kudô	...	Hatsue Miyamoto (as Youki Kudoh)
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

Storyline

It's 1950 on San Pedro Island in the American Pacific Northwest. Commercial fisher Carl Heine Jr.'s dead body is pulled out of the water in a fishing net by his crew, he who died of head trauma. Kazuo Miyamoto is charged with his murder. Carl and Kazuo were once friends, had known each other since childhood, but WWII has placed a strain on any sort of relationship between the ethic Japanese and Caucasian populations of the area, the Japanese population which was and is still substantial on the island. Carl had motive regarding a land dispute between the two families, land which Carl's mother eventually sold from under the Miyamotos and which Carl had just repurchased. Evidence also points to Kazuo being on the water with Carl probably sometime during his last voyage, evidence which Kazuo knew would put him in a bad light, adding on top of being Japanese, and thus decided not to disclose to the investigating sheriff at the time he was questioned. Kazuo and his wife Hatsue's fear come ...

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Plot Keywords:

injustice | japanese | fisherman | island | 1950s | 

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Taglines:

First loves last. Forever.

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Genres:

Drama | Mystery | Romance | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

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

Details

Official Sites:

Universal Pictures Home Entertainment Universal Studios - Site Index [United States]

Country:

USA

Language:

English Japanese German

Release Date:

7 January 2000 (USA)

Also Known As:

Mientras nieva sobre los cedros

Filming Locations:

Cathlamet, Washington, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$35,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$32,135, 26 December 1999, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$14,378,353, 12 March 2000

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal Pictures, The Kennedy/Marshall Company, Soundfirm

Technical Specs

Runtime:

127 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.39 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Achieving the kind of coherent vision took exceptional effort on the part of the entire filmmaking group. To get it all right, each kept certain primary realities in the forefront of their minds: the Pacific Northwest is a "character" in and of itself; there must be historical verisimilitude and accuracy; and information was meted out very gradually.

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Goofs

A Coast Guard form (reporting weather and shipping messages) shown in the lighthouse scene lists the Coast Guard as part of the Department of Transportation. The Coast Guard was under the Department of the Treasury until 1967.

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Quotes

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

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Crazy Credits

Jan Rubes and Sheila Moore are on the credits despite their scenes being deleted.

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Connections

Featured in At the Movies: Play It to the Bone/Girl, Interrupted/Angela's Ashes/Snow Falling on Cedars (2000)

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Soundtracks

Washington Post
Written by John Philip Sousa

User Reviews

Love in the Cold

Snow Falling on Cedars

Nominated for best cinematography, this film deserved to give American Beauty a better run for its money. Sadly savaged by many critics, who seemed to fail to grasp the depth of the story and the beauty with which it was told because they were too busy analyzing the parts. Snow Falling on Cedars follows a mixed race love that is complicated by the onset of war. The reactions of the two principle characters betrays not only how human love can transcend itself into something greater but how those involved can find fulfillment in themselves through its sacrifice. The exquisite symbolism (you could write a book on the different things snow could symbolize after watching this) is never overplayed - in other words, the viewer can enjoy the film as entertainment without having "deeper meanings" rammed down their throat - but they are there in abundance, from the way the scenery is developed to small details such as the main character's name ("Ishmael" - meaning "He whom God hears").