| Canada's Sweetheart: The Saga of Hal C. Banks | |
|---|---|
| Written by | Donald Brittain Richard Nielsen |
| Directed by | Donald Brittain |
| Starring | Maury Chaykin |
| Narrated by | Donald Brittain |
| Music by | Eldon Rathburn |
| Country of origin | Canada |
| Original language | English |
| Production | |
| Producers | Donald Brittain Adam Symansky |
| Cinematography | Andreas Poulsson |
| Editors | Rita Roy Richard Todd |
| Running time | 115 minutes |
| Production company | National Film Board of Canada |
| Original release | |
| Network | CBC Television |
| Release | October 27, 1985 |
| Infobox instructions (only shown in preview) | |
Canada's Sweetheart: The Saga of Hal C. Banks is a Canadian docudrama film directed, written and produced by Donald Brittain.[1]
The film was about Hal C. Banks, a controversial American labour union leader who came to Canada in 1949 to help bust the purportedly Communist-controlled Canadian Seaman's Union and establish the Seafarers International Union as their replacement. Banks left Canada in 1962 after being brought up on criminal charges. Banks appeared before the Norris Commission, which was set up to investigate his strongarm tactics and links to beatings of opposition unions, and non signed shipping companies. In particular was the ULS and the Maritime Union run by his former lieutenant Michael Sheehan, who had testified before the Norris Commission against Banks, and led the push to loosen the SIU grip on the Great Lakes.[2]
Maury Chaykin played the role of Banks in dramatic reenactments, alongside a supporting cast that included Peter Boretski, Jason Dean, Marie-Hélène Fontaine, Colin Fox, Sean McCann, Gary Reineke, Larry Reynolds, Chuck Shamata, Barry Stevens, R. H. Thomson and Jonathan Welsh.
The film premiered at the 1985 Festival of Festivals,[3] but was distributed primarily as a CBC Television broadcast rather than theatrically. It was broadcast by CBC on October 27, 1985.[4]
- ^ Jim Bawden, "Banks a rip-roaring drama". Toronto Star, October 27, 1985.
- ^ Rick Groen, "Portrait of Banks as a brutish amoral artist". The Globe and Mail, October 26, 1985.
- ^ "Film festival reels in Plenty". The Globe and Mail, August 16, 1985.
- ^ Noel Taylor, "Film-maker ready for flak over Hal Banks story". Ottawa Citizen, October 26, 1985.