The White Dawn

The White Dawn
File:The White Dawn 1974.jpg
Directed by	Philip Kaufman
Written by	novel James Houston adaptation Martin Ransohoff screenplay James Houston Thomas Rickman
Produced by	Martin Ransohoff
Starring	Warren Oates Timothy Bottoms Louis Gossett Jr.
Cinematography	Michael Chapman
Edited by	Douglas Stewart
Music by	Henry Mancini
Production companies	American Film Properties Filmways
Distributed by	Paramount Pictures
Release dates	21 July 1974 (New York City, New York)
Running time	110 minutes
Countries	United States Canada
Languages	English Inuit

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.

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. After an initial appeal, the MPAA did not revise the rating but later reduced it to a PG-Rating.

External links

• The White Dawn at IMDb
• The White Dawn at Rotten Tomatoes
• The White Dawn at AllMovie