The White Dawn
The White Dawn is a 1974 Canadian-American film directed by Philip Kaufman and starring Warren Oates, Timothy Bottoms, and Louis Gossett, Jr. It portrays the conflict between aboriginal peoples' traditional way of life and Europeans' eagerness to take advantage of them. The film employs authentic Inuit language dialogue. It is based on the 1971 novel The White Dawn: An Eskimo Saga by James Archibald Houston, who co-wrote the screenplay.
| The White Dawn | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | Philip Kaufman |
| Produced by | Martin Ransohoff |
| Written by | novel James Houston adaptation Martin Ransohoff screenplay James Houston Thomas Rickman |
| Starring | Warren Oates Timothy Bottoms Louis Gossett Jr. |
| Music by | Henry Mancini |
| Cinematography | Michael Chapman |
| Edited by | Douglas Stewart |
Production company | American Film Properties Filmways |
| Distributed by | Paramount Pictures |
Release date | 21 July 1974 (New York City, New York) |
Running time | 110 minutes |
| Country | United States Canada |
| Language | English Inuktut |
Premise
When three whalers become stranded in Northern Canada's Arctic in 1896, they are rescued by Inuit. In the beginning, the Inuit accept the strangers' European ways, but as this increasingly influences and affects their customs, things slowly fall apart and cultural tension grows until the climax.
Cast
- Warren Oates – Billy
- Timothy Bottoms – Daggett
- Louis Gossett, Jr. – Portagee
- Joanasie Salomonie – Kangiak
- Pilitak – Neevee
- Simonie Kopapik – Sarkak
- Namonai Ashoona – Nowya
- Tchomalai – Ratchepa
- Higa Ipeelie – Evaloo
- Oolipika Joamie – Mia
- Meetook Mallee – Ikuma
- Neelak – Panee
- Seemee Nookiguak – Avinga
Release
The film featured nudity of the female Inuit and scenes of hunting and was initially given an R rating in the United States which Vincent Canby of The New York Times called absurd and baffled other people in the industry, with the Movie Report, which advised young people and parents on the content of films, telling its readers to ignore the rating.[1] After an initial appeal, the MPAA did not revise the rating[1] but later reduced it to a PG-Rating.[2]
References
- "National Film Digest Blasts R Rating For 'White Dawn,' Asks MPAA's Tags Be Ignored". Daily Variety. 31 July 1974. p. 1.
- "White Dawn (1974)". www.filmratings.com. Retrieved 16 May 2020.