The original filming of the charming Sinclair Ross memory story.

20 years later, the National Film Board of Canada remade this well loved Sinclair Ross story with R.H. Thompson and a bit more action. However, the original black and white video, with it's low-key, realistic cast of simple farm folk and their emaciated visitor(Thompson is much too muscular for the role of the sickly musician) is a much more vivid account of what life on the prairies during the Dirty Thirties was like. The earlier film seems to be the easier of the two to locate through film catalogues. It is directed by Stanley Jackson, a jack of all trades for the NFB(he was the voice of the nerdy, nervous depositor in the Oscar nominated animated short "My Financial Career"). The film begins with a banner announcing the setting: a farm in Northern Saskatchewan. Indeed, the newer version seems to be set on the bare southern part of the province. The pine filled scenery of the 1963 version is also much truer to Sinclair Ross's life, having grown up in the Prince Albert area. I prefer the original film version but you decide. Watch them both or, better yet, read the short story. Sinclair Ross's character development and symbolism are lacking in both video versions.

The drama genre is a broad category that features stories portraying human experiences, emotions, conflicts, and relationships in a realistic and emotionally impactful way. Dramas delve into the complexities of human life, often exploring themes of love, loss, morality, societal issues, personal growth, with the aim to evoke an emotional response from the audience by presenting relatable and thought-provoking stories.

Mahershala Ali and Alex R. Hibbert in Moonlight (2016)

The family genre features stories specifically created to be suitable for a wide range of age groups within a family. Family-oriented content is designed to be enjoyed by both children and adults, often providing entertainment that is wholesome, relatable, and appropriate for all members of a family to watch or experience together.

Drew Barrymore and Pat Welsh in E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)

The short form refers to creative works characterized by their brevity and concise storytelling. Unlike full-length feature films, short films have a running time of less than 45 minutes, while TV shorts have a running time of less than 22 minutes.

Benedict Cumberbatch in The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar (2023)

A farm boy, to his parents' dismay, chooses a trumpet player for a harvest farm hand.

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