Lions for Breakfast

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Lions for Breakfast
Directed byWilliam Davidson
Written byMartin Lager
Produced by Anthony Kramreither
Starring Jim Henshaw
Danny Forbes
Jan Rubeš
Susan Petrie
CinematographyRobert Brooks
Edited byTony Lower
Music byCliff Edward
Production
company
Burg Productions
Release date
  • May 7, 1975 (1975-05-07)
Running time
103 minutes
CountryCanada
LanguageEnglish

Lions for Breakfast is a Canadian family drama film, directed by William Davidson and released in 1975. [1] The film centres on two brothers, 22-year old Trick (Jim Henshaw) and ten-year-old Zanny (Danny Forbes), who are on a bus trip to find a new place to live after the death of their parents. [2] The supporting cast includes Jan Rubeš as Ivan, an older drifter the brothers connect with on the trip; Susan Petrie as Jenny, a young woman who becomes a love interest for Trick; and Paul Bradley as Charlie, a garage attendant.

Contents

The film premiered on May 7, 1975 at the Guelph Spring Festival. [3]

It was a Canadian Film Award nominee for Best Picture at the 26th Canadian Film Awards, [4] but did not win. It won the Canadian Film Award for Best Musical Score. [5]

The film was broadcast by CBC Television on the CBC Film Festival series in 1980. [6]

Critical response

Bryan Johnson of The Globe and Mail gave the film a negative review, writing that "all it has going for it are its good intentions and the eager sincerity of the people behind it. And while that's enough to make you wish it were better, it's not nearly enough so you can pretend that it is." [1] Stephen Chesley of Cinema Canada reviewed it more favourably, opining that "there's nothing flashy about the film, nor should there be: by proceeding in a straightforward line the creators have achieved exactly what they set out to do, and they've done it without resorting to too many cliches or to depressing cuteness." [2]

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References

  1. 1 2 Bryan Johnson, "Heartwarming drama comes up cold". The Globe and Mail , November 25, 1975.
  2. 1 2 Stephen Chesley, "William Davidson's Lions for Breakfast". Cinema Canada , December 1975/January 1976 (Number 24). pp. 45-46.
  3. ↑ "Guelph Festival". The Globe and Mail , May 7, 1975.
  4. ↑ Martin Knelman, "Rebirth of the film awards". The Globe and Mail , October 2, 1975.
  5. ↑ Wyndham Wise, Take One's Essential Guide to Canadian Film. University of Toronto Press, 2001. ISBN   9780802083982. p. 262.
  6. ↑ "CBC's films". Regina Leader-Post , May 30, 1980.


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