A Dry White Season **** (1989, Donald Sutherland, Janet Suzman, Zakes Mokae, Jürgen Prochnow, Susan Sarandon, Marlon Brando) – Classic Movie Review 6940

Co-writer/ director Euzhan Palcy (born on 13 January 1958 in Martinique, France) assembles an outstanding cast for her often moving, intelligent and powerful 1989 drama, based on a novel by André P Brink.

Donald Sutherland grabs hold of his chance in the meaty lead role as Ben du Toit, a caring Seventies South African schoolteacher who comes to understand the truth of Apartheid after police beat up his gardener’s young African son at a demonstration by black school children. [Spoiler alert] Later the boy is shot in the back while supposedly trying to escape.

And, for once, Marlon Brando’s cameo appearance as a lawyer called McKenzie who agrees to join the fight against Apartheid is a memorable asset to a movie. Indeed Brando was Oscar, Golden Globe and Bafta nominated as Best Actor in a Supporting Role.

Unfortunately, hesitancies in the story development and handling stop it short of being really satisfying, but it is still very good-hearted and really worthwhile. It is filmed in England at Pinewood Studios, Buckinghamshire, and in Zimbabwe.

Also in the cast are Janet Suzman, Zakes Mokae, Jürgen Prochnow, Susan Sarandon, Winston Ntshona, Thoko Ntshing, Susannah Harker, Leonard Maguire, Gerard Thoolen, Andrew Whaley, Rowen Elmes, Stella Dickin, David de Keyser, John Kani, Michael Gambon, Richard Wilson, Ronald Pickup, Paul Brooke, Stephen Hanly, Andrew Proctor and Kevin Johnson.

It has a 15 certificate in the UK and an R in the US. There are some four-letter words and disturbing scenes, including the brutally beating of the young African (his nose and two of his ribs are broken) and a torture sequence.

A Dry White Season is directed by Euzhan Palcy, runs 107 minutes, is made by Star Partners II, Davros, and Sundance, released by MGM, is written by Colin Welland and Euzhan Palcy, based on a novel by André P Brink, is shot by Kelvin Pike and Pierre-William Glenn, is produced by Paula Weinstein, is scored by Dave Grusin, and is designed by John Fenner.

© Derek Winnert 2018 Classic Movie Review 6940

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