The Offering is a Canadian romantic drama film, directed by David Secter and released in 1966.[1] One of the first Canadian films ever to depict an interracial relationship, the film portrays a romance between Mei-Lin (Kee Faun), a dancer with a touring Peking opera company, and Gordon (Ratch Wallace), a stagehand at the theatre in Toronto where the troupe is performing.[2] Philip Givens, the real-life mayor of Toronto at the time the film was made, appears in the film as himself;[3] the cast also includes Ellen Yamasaki and Marvin Goldhar.
| The Offering | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | David Secter |
| Written by | Iain Ewing Martin Lager Gillian Lennox Michael Ondaatje David Secter Jan Steen |
| Produced by | Robert Fresco John Labow Gillian Lennox Wayne Lum Clarke Mackey Michael Ondaatje David Secter |
| Starring | Kee Faun Ratch Wallace |
| Cinematography | Stan Lipinski |
| Edited by | Tony Lower |
| Music by | Paul Hoffert |
Production company | Secter Films |
| Distributed by | Columbia Pictures |
Release date |
|
Running time | 80 minutes |
| Country | Canada |
| Language | English |
The film was shot in part at Toronto's Royal Alexandra Theatre.[1]
The film was more poorly received than Secter's 1965 film Winter Kept Us Warm,[4] and because Secter had largely worked with non-union crew, the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees intervened to prevent the film from being screened theatrically anywhere outside of Toronto.[5]
Soon after the film's release, Secter abandoned most of his new projects and moved to New York City, where he joined a bohemian artists' commune and worked as a theatre director, and did not direct another film until the low-budget sex comedy Getting Together in 1976.
References
edit- ^ a b David Secter, "Director's postscript on The Offering". The Globe and Mail, November 26, 1966.
- ^ Martin Knelman, "He shoots The Offering in July". The Globe and Mail, May 19, 1966.
- ^ "The Mayor? As a film star?" The Globe and Mail, July 11, 1966.
- ^ Joan Fox, "Secter's latest offering contrived". The Globe and Mail, November 25, 1966.
- ^ "Stagehands' union tells Secter 'you talk too much'". The Globe and Mail, December 1, 1966.
External links
edit- The Offering at IMDb
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