Review: A Dry White Season (1989)
'No one is free until all are free.'
★★★★
Donald Sutherland and Marlon Brando in "A Dry White Season (1989)."
"A Dry White Season (1989)" is a beautifully crafted political film that is so intensely felt that it manages to be morally elegant. The film covers the sensitive topic of apartheid, which was a huge conflict in South Africa and is now a significant issue in Palestine.
The film takes place in South Africa in 1976, and straight from the get-go, we are introduced to what South Africa was like during those days of apartheid. Ben du Toit (Donald Sutherland), a white man living in South Africa, has a gardener working for him named Gordon Ngubene (Winston Ntshona). Gordon comes to Ben to inform him about what the police have done to his son, Jonathan Ngubene (Bekhithemba Mpofu). Ben says there is nothing that can be done. With no other choice, Gordon takes his son home and tells him to continue attending school and not participate in the protest. Unfortunately, Jonathan does attend the protest and ends up getting arrested for the second time. Frustrated, Gordon goes with Stanley Makhaya (Zakes Mokae) to the police department to find out where his son is. The police lie and say he isn't there. So, Gordon approaches Ben for assistance. After Ben refuses to help because he trusts the authorities, Gordon is apprehended and tortured by Captain Stolz (Jürgen Prochnow). Against the wishes of his wife Susan (Janet Suzman) and daughter Suzette (Susannah Harker), Ben attempts to learn more about his gardener's disappearance on his own. Following the discovery that the police murdered both Gordon and his son, Ben chooses to take the case to court with Ian McKenzie (Marlon Brando) as his lawyer, but loses. Following that, he continues to operate independently and assists a small number of black people, including his driver Stanley Makhaya, in interviewing others to promote social change.
The plot of this film is very moving, effective, emotional, angry, and subtle. It shouldn't be ignored, especially since it covers apartheid, a significant conflict that occurred in South Africa and is now in Palestine. This film's message is very, very powerful, and that's a good thing about it. Most political films like to tell the story "from a certain point of view," with a touch of lies, but this film covers the topic and idea with a historically accurate plot featuring fictional families.
The acting is top-notch here. Donald Sutherland, who unfortunately passed away on June 20, 2024, Marlon Brando, Susan Sarandon, and Winston Ntshona all give fantastic performances. Prior to this film, I had never seen Donald Sutherland in any film. This was my introduction to him, and I understand why everyone considered him a great actor. He is the heart and soul of this picture, embodying what humanity should be. Marlon Brando is also great; even though he has a limited amount of screen time, his scene in the court is some of his best acting. It was great that The Academy recognized Brando's performance, but not Sutherland's. How and why is beyond me, but they were still great performances nonetheless.
One of the best lines is said by Marlon Brando: "I will take your case if only to make it abundantly clear how justice in South Africa is misapplied when it comes to the question of race." This is not only great writing, but it also sounds like it is coming from Brando's heart, as he was a supporter of human rights and believed in peace for all races, not only for African-Americans but also for Native Americans, Latinos, Arabs, and Asians.
Ben's son, Johan, is an example of how much a parent can influence their child. He stuck by his father's side, even after his mother and sister abandoned them. He's also a very smart kid. I loved how he hid the papers himself because, after he found out his sister saw where they were, he took into account that his sister might have told the authorities. Ben's face when his son, Johan, told him about his little plan was such a heartwarming scene. You can see the sense of relief Ben had. Donald Sutherland and Rowan Elmes had great chemistry and truly felt like a father and son.
This is a film that shouldn't be overlooked or ignored. It needs to be talked about and brought up in every way possible.