Home 1960s 1963 Movies Drylanders

Drylanders

108

69 minutes – Drama
Release date: April 1963
Canadian distributor: National Film Boatrd of Canada

Drylanders, shot on a budget of $218,000, was the National Film Board of Canada’s first English-language feature film. It is an epic story of the hardships faced by settlers attempting to farm the dry land of the Canadian prairies at the beginning of the 20th century. Set between 1907 and 1938, it chronicles the trials of the Greer family as they struggle to survive bitterly cold winters, scorching hot summers, unrelenting drought and the Great Depression in Saskatchewan.

The poster for Drylanders was scanned from an original in the Northernstars Collection.

Crew:

Producer:

Peter Jones

Associate Producer:

David Haber

Director:

Don Haldane

Screenwriter:

M. Charles Cohen

Cinematographer:

Reginald H. Morris

Editor:

Kirk Jones
John Kemeny

Composer:

Eldon Rathburn

Cast: Roles:

Frances Hyland
James Douglas
William Fruet
Don Francks
Lester Nixon
Mary Savage
Iréna Mayeska
Jonathan Little
William Weintraub

Liza Greer
Daniel Greer
Colin
Russel
Bob McPherson
Ada McPherson
Thora

Narrator