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IMDbPro

Snow Falling on Cedars

  • 1999
  • PG-13
  • 2h 7m
IMDb RATING
6.7/10
14K
YOUR RATING
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.
Play trailer2:21
1 Video
99+ Photos
DramaMysteryRomance

A Japanese-American fisherman is accused of killing his neighbor at sea. In the 1950s, race figures into the trial. So does reporter Ishmael.A Japanese-American fisherman is accused of killing his neighbor at sea. In the 1950s, race figures into the trial. So does reporter Ishmael.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
    • Ron Bass
    • Scott Hicks
  • Stars
    • Ethan Hawke
    • Max von Sydow
    • Yûki Kudô
  • See production, box office & company info
  • IMDb RATING
    6.7/10
    14K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Scott Hicks
    • Writers
      • David Guterson
      • Ron Bass
      • Scott Hicks
    • Stars
      • Ethan Hawke
      • Max von Sydow
      • Yûki Kudô
    • 202User reviews
    • 95Critic reviews
    • 44Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 1 Oscar
      • 5 wins & 11 nominations total

    Videos1

    Official Trailer
    Trailer 2:21
    Watch Official Trailer

    Photos103

    Rick Yune co-stars as Kazuo
    Ethan Hawke stars as Ishmael
    Ishmael & Hatsue
    Young Ishmael with his father, Arthur
    Ethan Hawke stars as Ishmael Chambers
    Director Scott Hicks
    Director Scott Hicks with Max von Sydow
    11 x 17 Mini Movie Poster
    Snow Falling on Cedars (1999)
    Snow Falling on Cedars (1999)
    Snow Falling on Cedars (1999)
    Snow Falling on Cedars (1999)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Ethan Hawke
    Ethan Hawke
    • Ishmael Chambers
    Max von Sydow
    Max von Sydow
    • Nels Gudmundsson
    • (as Max Von Sydow)
    Yûki Kudô
    Yûki Kudô
    • Hatsue Miyamoto
    • (as Youki Kudoh)
    Reeve Carney
    Reeve Carney
    • Young Ishmael Chambers
    Anne Suzuki
    Anne Suzuki
    • Young Hatsue Imada
    Rick Yune
    Rick Yune
    • Kazuo Miyamoto
    James Rebhorn
    James Rebhorn
    • Alvin Hooks
    James Cromwell
    James Cromwell
    • Judge Fielding
    Richard Jenkins
    Richard Jenkins
    • Sheriff Art Moran
    Arija Bareikis
    Arija Bareikis
    • Susan Marie Heine
    Eric Thal
    Eric Thal
    • Carl Heine Jr.
    Celia Weston
    Celia Weston
    • Etta Heine
    Daniel von Bargen
    Daniel von Bargen
    • Carl Heine Sr.
    • (as Daniel Von Bargen)
    Akira Takayama
    • Hisao Imada
    Ako
    Ako
    • Fujiko Imada
    Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa
    Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa
    • Zenhichi Miyamoto
    Zak Orth
    Zak Orth
    • Deputy Abel Martinson
    Max Wright
    Max Wright
    • Horace Whaley
    • Director
      • Scott Hicks
    • Writers
      • David Guterson
      • Ron Bass
      • Scott Hicks
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      When the Japanese-Americans are sent to internment camps, many of the extras were Japanese-Americans who had actually been sent to the camps in the 1940s.
    • Goofs
      The American flag shown has 50 stars. At the time, the flag had 48 stars.
    • Quotes

      Nels Gudmundsson: It takes a rare thing, a turning point, to free oneself from any obsession. Be it prejudice or hate, or, even love.

    • Crazy credits
      Jan Rubes and Sheila Moore are on the credits despite their scenes being deleted.
    • Connections
      Featured in Siskel & Ebert: Double Jeopardy/Jakob the Liar/Mumford (1999)
    • Soundtracks
      Moon over Burma
      Written by Friedrich Hollaender (as Frederick Hollander), Frank Loesser

      Performed by Dorothy Lamour

      Courtesy of the RCA Records Label of BMG Entertainment

    User reviews202

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    9/10
    It's "Stand By Me" and "To Kill A Mockingbird" blended into one.
    A tightly wound and dynamic thriller that centers around a local news reporter (Ethan Hawke) who runs into an old childhood flame part friend (Youri Kudoh) during a murder trial in a small Washington town during the early 1950s. Director Scott Hicks, who made a name for himself and actor Geoffrey Rush in "Shine", takes an interesting approach in putting plenty of flashbacks that go back to the late 1930s and it works wonderfully. The film's best (and the saddest) flashback scene is witnessing every Japanese person being hauled off in (trucks or trains) to special camps. The courtroom scenes are excellent and watching the devoted prosecutor (James Rebhorn) and an aging, but determined defense attorney (Max von Sydow, who should have snatched a nod for Best Supporting Actor) make their cases is almost perfect. The film is backed by Robert Richardson's terrific cinematography and composer James Newton Howard's gentle and moving score. It's "Stand By Me" meets "To Kill A Mockingbird".
    helpful•16
    6
    • mhasheider
    • Jun 25, 2001

    Top picks

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • January 7, 2000 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official sites
      • Universal Pictures Home Entertainment
      • Universal Studios - Site Index (United States)
    • Languages
      • English
      • Japanese
      • German
    • Also known as
      • Засніжені кедри
    • Filming locations
      • Fort Ebey State Park, Whidbey Island, Washington, USA
    • Production companies
      • Universal Pictures
      • The Kennedy/Marshall Company
      • Soundfirm
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $35,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $14,417,593
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $32,135
      • Dec 26, 1999
    • Gross worldwide
      • $23,049,593
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      2 hours 7 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • DTS
      • Dolby Digital
      • SDDS
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.39 : 1

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