A Dry White Season

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A Dry White Season was created in 1989 by Davros Films and Sundance Productions and distributed by MGM. It was directed by Euzhan Palcy and produced by Paula Weinstein, Mary Selway and Tim Hampton. The screenplay was by Colin Welland and Euzhan Palcy, based upon André Brink's novel with the same name. Robert Bolt also contributed uncredited revisions of the screenplay.

The film stars Donald Sutherland, Janet Suzman, Zakes Mokae, Jürgen Prochnow, Susan Sarandon and Marlon Brando (who was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor). It is set in South Africa, and deals with the subject of apartheid.

Production

The film was shot at Pinewood Studios, Buckinghamshire, England and on location in Zimbabwe.

Synopsis

In A Dry White Season, Donald Sutherland portrays the character of Ben Du Toit, a South African school teacher. The story takes place during the Apartheid movement that lasted from 1948 until 1993.

The story begins when Ben's gardener, a black man, seeks his help while investigating the death of his son. Like many South African whites, Ben refuses to get involved in the racial divides that have been tearing the country apart, thinking that Gordon's claims against the white minority government are unfounded. Things change when Ben sees firsthand the brutality by his own race against blacks, particularly when he sees Gordon being tortured at the hands of the local police. The brutal acts eventually result in Gordon's death. Gordon's wife Emily also is killed later, and also under suspicious circumstances.

Upset by this turn of events, he retains Ian Mackenzie (Marlon Brando), a human rights attorney to assist him with the case. Ben's political awakening is so complete by this time that his crusade to bring those responsible for the deaths of Gordon and his family members eventually take their toll on his own family. Ultimately, when his case goes to trial, the court rules against them. This is when Ben Du Toit decides to take more aggressive action, and begins a civil suit against the police. In the end, Captain Stolz, a leader of Apartheid, runs over Ben with his car, killing him. Stanley, Gordon's family friend, goes to the captain's house as he is getting into his car and shoots him. The captain dies. Afterwards, the newspapers reveal that high ranking officers, including Captain Stolz, were involved in committing acts of murder.

External links

• Movie stills

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