Rent A Dry White Season (1989)
3.6 of 5 from 77 ratings
1h 42min
- General info
- Available formats
- Synopsis:
- South Africa, 1976. The police ruled Gordan Ngubene's death a suicide. But when Afrikaans schoolteacher Ben du Toit (Donald Sutherland) saw the body he knew his friend of 15 years was the victim of police torture. Seeking justice, Ben hires barrister Ian McKenzie (Marlon Brando) to represent the Ngubene family at the inquest, but the judge ignores the evidence and exonerates the police. Refusing to "give it up", Ben risks his family and career as he takes on a system run by racists, thugs and murderers. For if you're not with the Afrikaners, you're against them. And choosing the wrong side could get you killed.
- Actors:
- Donald Sutherland, Janet Suzman, Zakes Mokae, Jürgen Prochnow, Susan Sarandon, Marlon Brando, Winston Ntshona, Thoko Ntshinga, Leonard Maguire, Gerard Thoolen, Susannah Harker, Andrew Whaley, Rowen Elmes, Stella Dickin, David De Keyser
- Directors:
- Euzhan Palcy
- Producers:
- Paula Weinstein
- Writers:
- Andre Brink, Colin Welland, Euzhan Palcy
- Studio:
- MGM
- Genres:
- Drama, Thrillers
- Collections:
- Award Winners, Brando: A Centenary Celebration, Getting to Know..., Getting to Know: Susan Sarandon, Oscar's Two-Time Club, People of the Pictures, Remembering Donald Sutherland, Remembering Michael Gambon
- BBFC:
- Release Date:
- 17/06/2024
- Run Time:
- 107 minutes
- Languages:
- Afrikaans LPCM Stereo, English LPCM Stereo, Zulu LPCM Stereo
- Subtitles:
- English Audio Description
- Formats:
- Pal
- Aspect Ratio:
- Widescreen 1.85:1
- Colour:
- Colour
- BLU-RAY Regions:
- B
- Bonus:
- 'A Dry White Season' intro and Q&A (2019, 36 mins): director Euzhan Paley talks to Lydia Ogwang following a 30th anniversary screening at TIFF
- Andre Brink (1990, 19 mins): the author discusses his novel, the film adaptation and his own political awakening
- Jemima + Johnny (1966, 30 mins): a short film by South African activist and filmmaker Lionel Ngakane, featuring a cameo by Zakes Mokae
- The Burning (1968, 32 mins): Stephen Frears' debut film depicts apartheid-era South Africa through the eyes of a young boy
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Reviews (3) of A Dry White Season
An Excellent Film on the Awful Subject of Apartheid - A Dry White Season review by Cato
This film is about South Africa at the awful time when the Afrikaners ran their repulsive system of punishing, and indeed killing black people because of the colour of their skin. At times the violence is awful, and I wouldn't recommend the film to anyone who is at all squeamish at the sight of blood. The acting is first rate, particularly from Marlon Brando, who plays a lawyer who defends the victims of the awful punishment. It is not a long part, perhaps only fifteen minutes,, but in that time his genius shines out. Brilliant. Donald Sutherland gives a sensitive performance as the teacher who stands up for the poor people being besieged, and pays an awful price for his struggles. Well worth watching, if only for Brando's performance.
1 out of 1 members found this review helpful.
Brilliant, Terrible, and True - A Dry White Season review by CH
I am not sure how widely this well-made film is known. It has excellent pacing, characterisation, all of it unflinching - with a cameo by Marlon Brando, who brings something of Rumpole to the part. Also the child actors are excellent.
1 out of 1 members found this review helpful.
Shocking Drama, Great Cast. - A Dry White Season review by GI
A compelling and at times shocking drama set in apartheid era South Africa. and one of the significant films made that exposed the racist regime and it's casual human rights violations. Ben (Donald Sutherland) is a white school teacher, a caring and gentle man but one who has routinely believed the propaganda of his government. When his black gardener Gordon (Winston Ntshona) comes to him to help find his son who has been arrested at a demonstration Ben finds that enquiries are met with a deep suspicion by the police and he soon finds his life is turned upside down as those he seeks to help turn up dead. The film has some unpleasant scenes of torture and violence including the random shooting of children by the state police but which are used to highlight the issues the film sought to raise. It was certainly a film that the South African government were keen to suppress! There's wonderful cast that includes Susan Sarandon as a journalist, Jürgen Prochnow as a ruthless police officer, Michael Gambon, and Marlon Brando as a barrister. At the time of it's release this was clearly a controversial and challenging film as the apartheid policy in South Africa was still alive and well, viewed today this remains a strong and disturbing story and a film well worth discovering if you haven't seen it.
0 out of 0 members found this review helpful.