Main Cast: Donald Sutherland, Winston Ntshona, Zakes Mokae, Jürgen Prochnow, Susan Sarandon, Marlon Brando
Release Year: 1989
Country: UK/US
Run Time: 105 minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Plot
Schoolteacher Ben du Toit (Donald Sutherland) has been insulated all his life from the horrors of apartheid in his native South Africa. Perhaps he really didn't want to know. When the son of his black gardener is arrested and beaten as a result of a schoolboy protest in Soweto, at first he imagines the police must have had their reasons. However, the boy is picked up again, and this time he doesn't come back. Ben promises his servant that he will look into the incident, and discovers that the boy was killed simply to gratify the violent urges of Captain Stolz (Jurgen Prochnow), a "special branch" policeman. At long last he has gotten a glimpse into the truly arbitrary and violent nature of the system he has so long benefitted from, and he hires Ian Mackenzie (Marlon Brando) to prosecute the killer. It is a foregone conclusion that Stolz will not be punished, but Mackenzie rises to new heights of withering sarcasm and irony in the courtroom. This situation turns Ben into a radical firebrand, which alienates him from his white friends and neighbors, as well as members of his family. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
Janet Suzman - Susan du Toit; Leonard Maguire - Mr. Bruwer; Rowen Elmes - Johan du Toit; Gerard Thoolen - Colonel Viljoen; Stella Dickin - Susan's Mother; David de Keyser - Susan's Father; Andrew Whaley - Chris; John Kani - Julius; Sophie Mgcina - Margaret; Bekhithemba Mpofu - Jonathan; Tinashe Makoni - Robert; Precious Thiri - Wellington; Richard Wilson - Cloete; Derek Hanekom - Viviers; Michael Gambon - Magistrate; Paul Brooke - Dr. Herzog; Susannah Harker - Suzette du Toit; Rosemary Martin - Mrs. Beachley; Hugh Masekela; Thoko Ntshinga - Emily Ngubene; Ronald Pickup - Louw; Mercia Davids - Sadie; Grant Davidson - Lieutenant Venter; Mannie de Villiers - Police Commandant; Ndu Gumede - Douma; Stephen Hanly - Sgt. Van Zyl; Kevin Johnson - Gert; Sello Maake - Johnson Seroke; Anna Manimanzi - Soweto Girl; Ernest Ndlovu - Archibald Mabaso; Charles Pillai - Dr. Hassiem; Andre Proctor - Jaimie; Willie Zweni - Aubrey Kunene
Credit
Michael Phillips - Art Director, Alan Tomkins - Art Director, Lionel Ngakane - Consultant/advisor, Michel Cheyko - First Assistant Director, Euzhan Palcy - Director, Sam O'Steen - Editor, Glenn Cunningham - Editor, Tim Hampton - Executive Producer, Dave Grusin - Composer (Music Score), Tommie Manderson - Makeup, John Fenner - Production Designer, Pierre-Wiliam Glenn - Cinematographer, Kelvin Pike - Cinematographer, Rory Kilalea - Production Manager, Paula Weinstein - Producer, Mary Selway - Producer, Peter James - Set Designer, David Harris - Special Effects, Marc Boyle - Stunts, Euzhan Palcy - Screenwriter, Colin Welland - Screenwriter, Alison Cross - Screenwriter, Andre Brink - Book Author
A Dry White Season is a film which 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 of the same name. Robert Bolt also contributed uncredited revisions of the screenplay.[1]
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 1994.
The story begins when a janitor at Ben's school, a black man named Gordon, 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 the dead body of Gordon at the morgue not long after being tortured at the hands of the secret, corrupt government police. Gordon's wife, Emily, is also killed later, and also under suspicious circumstances.
Upset by this turn of events, Ben 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. Eventually, Ben Du Toit pays the ultimate price for standing up to a corrupt government, standing up for basic human rights and equality. He pays with his own life, which was allegedly lost in a car accident.
