Released in 1999 and directed by Richard Attenborough, "Grey Owl" stars Pierce Brosnan as the real-life Archibald Belaney, known as Grey Owl. Claiming partial aboriginal American ancestry, Grey Owl lived as a fur trapper in Temagami, Ontario. Upon meeting the winsome civilized Mohawk, Gertrude Bernard, aka "Pony" (Annie Galipeau), he delved more seriously into writing and became a renowned conservationist in the early 1930s.
"Grey Owl" is the farthest thing from a conventional Western and could more aptly be described as a Wilderness Drama/Romance. People keep claiming that Belaney lived in Northern Ontario when Temagami Island and Bear Island are decidedly in Southern Ontario, about 200 miles north of Toronto. Simply being North of Toronto doesn't make it "Northern Ontario." As far as Brosnan goes, he is actually very fitting for the eponymous role because (1.) Belaney had a similar build/look and (2.) Belaney was at best half-British (the ending clears this up).
Someone claimed that the truth about Belaney wasn't discovered until after his death from pneumonia in 1938, his body weakened by habitual alcoholism. No, stories about his dubious identity had been circulating for years and, as shown in the movie, the North Bay Nugget held on to the revelatory story for three years before his death out of respect for the man's conservationist work, which the newspaper promptly printed after his decease.
In any case, to enjoy this film you have to be in the mode for a low-key drama "Western" with lots of romance. If not, you'll likely be bored to death. I found the first half rather dull, but the movie made up for it by Brosnan's stalwart depiction, Galipeau's unique beauty, the magnificent eastern Canada cinematography and the cute baby beavers. The second half, however, becomes more compelling, as the truth about Belaney is slowly revealed. Unfortunately, the movie fails to include two important points about Grey Owl: (1.) Belaney's known alcoholism and (2.) the fact that his wonderful relationship with Gertrude (as illustrated in the move, that is) ended roughly two years before his death.
The film runs 118 minutes and was shot in Quebec (Chelsea & Wakefield) & Prince Albert National Park, Saskatchewan, as well as Hastings, East Sussex, England. The script was written by William Nicholson.
GRADE: B or B- (6.5/10)
"Grey Owl" is the farthest thing from a conventional Western and could more aptly be described as a Wilderness Drama/Romance. People keep claiming that Belaney lived in Northern Ontario when Temagami Island and Bear Island are decidedly in Southern Ontario, about 200 miles north of Toronto. Simply being North of Toronto doesn't make it "Northern Ontario." As far as Brosnan goes, he is actually very fitting for the eponymous role because (1.) Belaney had a similar build/look and (2.) Belaney was at best half-British (the ending clears this up).
Someone claimed that the truth about Belaney wasn't discovered until after his death from pneumonia in 1938, his body weakened by habitual alcoholism. No, stories about his dubious identity had been circulating for years and, as shown in the movie, the North Bay Nugget held on to the revelatory story for three years before his death out of respect for the man's conservationist work, which the newspaper promptly printed after his decease.
In any case, to enjoy this film you have to be in the mode for a low-key drama "Western" with lots of romance. If not, you'll likely be bored to death. I found the first half rather dull, but the movie made up for it by Brosnan's stalwart depiction, Galipeau's unique beauty, the magnificent eastern Canada cinematography and the cute baby beavers. The second half, however, becomes more compelling, as the truth about Belaney is slowly revealed. Unfortunately, the movie fails to include two important points about Grey Owl: (1.) Belaney's known alcoholism and (2.) the fact that his wonderful relationship with Gertrude (as illustrated in the move, that is) ended roughly two years before his death.
The film runs 118 minutes and was shot in Quebec (Chelsea & Wakefield) & Prince Albert National Park, Saskatchewan, as well as Hastings, East Sussex, England. The script was written by William Nicholson.
GRADE: B or B- (6.5/10)