June 17 - A Dry White Season

Today’s movie is a political drama with a scene that happens on June 17. I hope you will watch this movie tonight and enjoy it.

A DRY WHITE SEASON             

        

In apartheid era South Africa, when Jonathan, the son of teacher Ben du Toit’s gardener is swept up in a police action against black protestors, du Toit tells his gardener Gordon Ngubene to “let it go”.  Jonathan and his classmates want to be taught in English not Afrikaans, so they engage in further, peaceful protest. The police open fire on them and many people  are killed. Jonathan is arrested. His father searches for him, but can’t find him. Mr. du Toit finds out that Jonathan is dead. On June 17, 1976 Mr. du Toit reads about the riots and is upset. [19:37 to 20:49]. One of Jonathan’s friends is released and tells his father that Jonathan was tortured by the police. Gordon is arrested. Du Toit tries to get Gordon released, but the police torture Gordon instead. Du Toit finally gets so upset that he sends Gordon’s wife to an attorney. Du Toit gets the word that Gordon is dead in police custody, supposedly a “suicide”. After seeing the body du Toit is convinced Gordon was murdered. Du Toit convinces a barrister, McKenzie to represent Emily at an inquest. Captain Stoltz perjures himself on the stand  to cover up what really happened. The judge rules the death a suicide.  Du Toit starts to work with Melanie Bruwer, a reporter. He starts to feel pressure at work and has problems with his wife.  Du Toit and Bruwer gather evidence. Du Toit comes to the attention of the police, who search his house. Emily gets deported to Zululand and is later killed by the police. Du Toit’ s son gets roughed up, but he tells his father not to stop. Du Toit gets fired and he and his wife separate.   The police don’t find the evidence. Melanie Bruwer goes to Zambia to get an affidavit and is deported on her return. Du Toit’s own daughter hands over what she thinks is the evidence to the police, but his son delivers the real evidence to Bruwer’s newspaper. Stoltz kills du Toit, but Stanley, who had been du Toit’s contact in the black community kills Stoltz.

A brutally honest depiction of apartheid era South Africa. Du Toit finally learns that “Evil flourishes when good men do nothing”. He finally does something and unfortunately pays for it with his life.

Date given in film at 19:38 on a newspaper.

Awards – The film was nominated for the Best Supporting Actor(Brando) Oscar at the 62^nd Academy 

                 Awards. 

Producers - Paula Weinstein, Tim Hampton and Mary Selway

Screenplay - Colin Welland and Euzhan Palcy

Director - Euzhan Palcy                              

Runtime - 1 hour 37 minutes      

                                

Released - September 22, 1989                                   

Starring –

Donald Sutherland as Ben du Toit

Janet Suzman as Susan du Toit

Jürgen Prochnow as Captain Stolz

Marlon Brando as Ian McKenzie

Susannah Harker as Suzette du Toit

Zakes Mokae as Stanley Makhaya

Susan Sarandon as Melanie Bruwer

Copyright by Ivan Walters 2014.