Dancing in the Dark (1986 film)

Dancing in the Dark
Promotional film poster
Directed by Leon Marr
Produced by Anthony Kramreither
Don Haig (executive producer)
John Ryan (co-producer)
Screenplay by Leon Marr
Based on Dancing in the Dark
by Joan Barfoot
Starring Martha Henry
Neil Munro
Music by Erik Satie
Cinematography Vic Sarin
Edited by Thomas Berner
Production
company
Distributed by New World Pictures
Shapiro Entertainment
Release date
  • October 17, 1986 (1986-10-17)
Running time
 93 minutes
Country Canada
Language English
Budget $800,000[1]

Dancing in the Dark is a 1986 Canadian drama film. It was directed and written by Leon Marr and was produced by Anthony Kramreither, Don Haig and co-produced by John Ryan, with a screenplay that was written by Leon Marr based on the 1982 novel Dancing in the Dark by Joan Barfoot. This is a fictional film about Edna (Martha Henry) who's entire life revolves around her husband Henry (Neil Munro). Edna spends her days cleaning the house making sure that it looks spotless and fulfilling her husband's every need in the process. After Henry betrays Edna's trust she commits an unforgivable crime and finds herself in a psychiatric hospital where she relives her old life by writing in her journal.

Although the film is fiction it deals with very real issues that many women can relate to and is considered a feminist film. The story shows the legal system wavering in favour of Edna as she was placed in a psychiatric hospital instead of a prison after the murder of her husband.[2]

Dancing in the Dark was part of a festival series known as the Festival of Festivals' Perspectives Canada, which is now known as the Toronto International Film Festival.[3] It opened up the festival that consisted of 38 different film titles, on September 5, 1986. It was also shown in the New York Film Festival on September 25, 1986.[4]

Plot

The story begins as the present unfolds along with scenes from the past about Edna (Martha Henry), a woman in a hospital who each day writes down her memories. She is a devoted housewife, an excellent cook, and in love with her husband Harry (Neil Munro) who often compliments her on her cooking, fills their conversations with his life at work, and they seem quite normal if perhaps a little boring. Edna's attitude towards herself suddenly changes resulting in her ending her 20-year marriage by stabbing Harry with a kitchen knife. Edna cannot (or will not) talk to her doctor, and nurses have to take care of her basic needs. Edna's hospital surroundings give way to the bright colours of her home life as her memories of her past life surface as she writes.

Cast

  • Martha Henry as Edna
  • Neil Munro as Henry
  • Anne Butler as Beautician
  • Vince Metcalfe as Accountant and Party Guest
  • Janet Bailey as Night Nurse
  • Carole Galloway as Dottie Franklin
  • Marshall Margolis as Lawyer
  • Florence Catalatio-Carenza as Cleaning Lady
  • Barbara McMullen as Neighbour
  • Olwyn Chipman as Policewoman
  • Alan Rose as Policeman

Screen Time

Dancing in the Dark was first shown at the Cannes Film Festival in May 1986 in Cannes, France. It was premiered in the most prestigious category within the festival and because of this it was then picked up by many other film festivals across the world such as the Toronto International Film Festival and the New York Film Festival.[5]

Dancing in the Dark was shown at the Festival of Festival's in Toronto on September 5, 1986. The festival which has now been renamed the Toronto International Film Festival, consisted of thirty-eight different film titles, sixteen of which were feature-length documentaries. By being a part of the festival each film was automatically eligible to win $15,000 sponsored by the City of Toronto and City-TV.[6] Although they did not win the money, Martha Henry won the Best Canadian Feature Film - Special Jury Citation.

Dancing in the Dark was shown at the Alice Tully Hall in New York City at the New York Film Festival on September 25, 1986. It was also shown at a second screen time on September 27, 1986.[7]

Reaction

Before Dancing in the Dark Anthony Kramreither was not considered to be a prestigious producer and many critics would avoid going to see his work. After the release of Dancing in the Dark at the Cannes Film Festival in August 1986 critics sought out his work and were writing generous reviews about his films.[8]

There seemed to be mixed reviews about Dancing in the Dark. Canada where the film was filmed and written, spoke very highly of it. This was one of Leon Marr's first films that he directed and it put him in the running for up and coming directors after it premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival. The French also approved of the film. The French newspaper L'Humanité which at the time was a communist newspaper, wrote that the film was "fabulous" and "highly original".[9]

The American and the English did not appreciate the film. Derek Malcolm, a respected English film critic, said the film was "Terrible, embarrassingly sincere, and also embarrassingly inept".[10] Aside from being involved with the New York Film Festival the American's responded negatively to the release of Dancing in the Dark. Dave Kehr, who is an American film critic, spoke of the film saying that it was "like a second-rate film of the seventies".[11]

Recognition

References

  1. ↑ Base, Ron (October 11, 1986). "Leon Marr's a word-of-mouth success story". Toronto Star.
  2. ↑ Shaw, Ted (February 12, 1987). "Dancing in the Dark to be seen and savored". The Windsor Star.
  3. ↑ Scott, Jay (July 24, 1986). "Dancing in the Dark to open festival series". The Globe and Mail.
  4. ↑ Canby, Vincent (September 25, 1986). "Too-Perfect Housewife in 'Dancing in the Dark'". The New York Times. Retrieved 26 March 2018.
  5. ↑ Adilman, Sid (August 31, 1986). "Low-budget film maker a dark horse". Toronto Star.
  6. ↑ Scott, Jay (July 24, 1986). "Dancing in the Dark to open festival series". The Globe and Mail.
  7. ↑ Canby, Vincent (September 25, 1986). "Too-Perfect Housewife in 'Dancing in the Dark'". The New York Times. Retrieved 26 March 2018.
  8. ↑ Adilman, Sid (August 31, 1986). "Low-budget film-maker a dark horse". Toronto Star.
  9. ↑ Base, Ron (May 19, 1986). "Canes successes bolster Canadian movie industry". Toronto Star.
  10. ↑ Base, Ron (May 19, 1986). "Canes successes bolster Canadian movie industry". Toronto Star.
  11. ↑ Base, Ron (May 19, 1986). "Canes successes bolster Canadian movie industry". Toronto Star.
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