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The White Dawn

Play trailer Poster for The White Dawn PG 1974 1h 50m Adventure Play Trailer Watchlist
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Tomatometer 3 Reviews 83% Popcornmeter 1,000+ Ratings
In 1896, three American whalers are taken in by an Eskimo village in the Arctic after getting stranded in the ice during a hunt. While condescending officer Billy (Warren Oates) introduces the Inuit to gambling, black harpooner Portagee (Louis Gossett Jr.) grows closer to the villagers as he gets used to a life without racism. Cabin boy Daggett (Timothy Bottoms) becomes the most integrated in the community, falling in love with the clan leader's youngest wife.
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The White Dawn

Critics Reviews

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Dick Lochte Los Angeles Free Press 12/12/2019
We're presented with no specific point of view, forced into the position of mainly unaffected observers. Go to Full Review
Emanuel Levy EmanuelLevy.Com 08/15/2005
B-
Mary Ann Brussat Spirituality & Practice 01/18/2004
One of those unforgettable film experiences where everything — cinematography, music, acting — coheres in a unified and rewarding work of art Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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delysid d 05/25/2021 "Quite a poor movie to say the least..... Certainly not worth the time to watch it." what a dumb comment. this film was great. it was filmed on location on baffin island with a real-life canadian inuit tribe. these are not actors, the film shows amazing footage of a real 1970s inuit family making igloos, killing polar bears, using kayak and dogsled. also features one of the greatest actors of his time, Warren Oates, who could not LOVE this movie? See more 04/14/2016 Three whalers get shipwrecked in the Canadian Arctic in 1869 and are saved and taken in by Eskimo people. Interesting to learn a bit more about the way of life of the Eskimo and how they survive. The food options and bathing facilities appear limited but otherwise it could be worse for the three sailors. See more 03/05/2016 Three whalers become marooned in the deep Arctic late in the 19th century, rescued and taken in by Eskimo community. Culture clash never mends leading to a tragic end. Filmed on location in Baffin Island with real Inuit people and language. A film that deserved a wider audience; would be interested in stories on the making of this film. See more 06/08/2015 Think of it as a darker, colder version of 'Dances with Wolves'. White Dawn takes us to the other side of the world to tell a story of a group of Americans sailors who slowly corrupt the isolated Inuit community that has rescued them. It's a lost film that should be rediscovered See more Steve S 04/12/2014 ★★★ (out of four) Not a great film, but an earnest one. It shows us a world in all its bleakness that we don't often get to see. I got cold just watching it! Louis Gossett Jr, Warren Oates, and Timothy Bottoms play three whalers who run into trouble while on a fishing trip. they become trapped in the Artic Circle with their chances of survival dwindling. They are rescued by a tribe of Eskimos. They live in the village, but it soon becomes a clash of cultures as the three men introduce many worldly things to the Eskimos including gambling, stealing, and strange sexual behavior. The tribe finally rebels against them. Fascinating and disturbing with some very uncomfortable realism. [IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v48/Zeppo1/WhiteDawnThe_zps3f105ce7.jpg[/IMG] See more 03/14/2014 Pretty good one based on James Houston's book. I find this to be a little bland and not too exciting but other than that, it's still a good one. See more Read all reviews
The White Dawn

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Movie Info

Synopsis In 1896, three American whalers are taken in by an Eskimo village in the Arctic after getting stranded in the ice during a hunt. While condescending officer Billy (Warren Oates) introduces the Inuit to gambling, black harpooner Portagee (Louis Gossett Jr.) grows closer to the villagers as he gets used to a life without racism. Cabin boy Daggett (Timothy Bottoms) becomes the most integrated in the community, falling in love with the clan leader's youngest wife.
Director
Philip Kaufman
Production Co
Paramount Pictures, Filmways Pictures
Rating
PG
Genre
Adventure
Original Language
English
Release Date (Streaming)
Jul 1, 2013
Runtime
1h 50m
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