I Heard the Owl Call My Name

This film was first shown in the United States as a special as part of the CBS television network's "GE Theater" series in December of 1973. It was so profoundly moving and a beautiful and faithful adaptation of Margaret Craven's acclaimed novel, I'm amazed that it did not receive even one Emmy nomination for quality television programming. The remarkable British stage and film actor Tom Courtenay ("Doctor Zhivago") stars as Father Mark Brian, a young Anglican priest sent by his superior (the late Dean Jagger, in a fine performance) to minister to the inhabitants of a remote native American village in British Columbia, where the movie was filmed on location utilizing local residents. What he learns during his short time there (about his charges and about himself) makes for an unforgettable viewing experience. Native American actors Paul Stanley and Marianne Jones give wonderfully understated performances, and Courtenay has never been better. The use of the hymn "Amazing Grace" adds poignance to the music score. Daryl Duke directed for Tomorrow Entertainment, Inc. Highly recommended.