Samuel Lount

Back in 1837 in the Northwoods of Canada and beyond, a movement was started among the colonialists to demand the right to own property in the New World. This interesting docudrama follows the tragic outcome of that movement for one of its leaders, the pacifist and nearly beatific Samuel Lount. (Producer Elvira Lount must be a descendant, since this is the only film associated with her name.) The orator and journalist William Lyon Mackenzie stoked up the fire among the property-deprived, and a march on Toronto was begun. Lount was convinced to join the rebellion much against his better judgment — he belonged to the Children of Peace religious sect. Lount's own pacifism meant nothing to the authorities; they executed Lount for treason after crushing the rebellion. R.H. Thomson plays the title role in this low-budget but high-energy effort. — Eleanor Mannikka

Review

The historical account of the role blacksmith Samuel Lount played in the ill-dated rebellion launched by William Lyon Mackenzie in Upper Canada in 1837.
Laurence Keane's dry-bones film, featuring R.H. Thomson in the title role, is the kind of boring treatise that gives a bad name to Canadian history, making it seem as listless and dull as dirt.

Cast

Cedric Smith - William Lyon Mackenzie
R.H. Thomson - Samuel Lount
Malcolm Black as Peter Matthews
David Bolt as Dr. Rolph
Donald Davis as Bishop Strachan
George Dawson as Alderman Powell
Richard Donat as Sheriff Jarvis
David Fox as David Willson
Andrew Gillies as Sir Francis Bond Head
Linda Griffiths as Elizabeth Lount
Manu Lauzon as Daniel Lount
Jack Medley as Prime Minister of England

Production Credits

Directed by Laurence Keane
Writing credits Laurence Keane Phil Savath
Produced by Elvira Lount
Original music by Kitaro
Cinematography by Marc Champion
Film Editing by Richard Martin (I)
Production Design by Kim Steer (II)
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director Roman Buchok .... first assistant director
Sound Department Clark McCarron .... sound
Special Effects Gary Paller .... special effects
Production Companies
Moonshine Productions Ltd. (now Samuel Lount Productions Ltd.)
Distributors Utopia Pictures Ltd.

Awards/Presentations

Presented in the Perspective Canada series at the 1985 Toronto Festival of Festivals.