The Snow Goose (film)

The Snow Goose is a 1971 British television drama film based on the 1941 novella The Snow Goose: A Story of Dunkirk by Paul Gallico. The film is primarily set in Essex, immediately prior to World War II and during the Dunkirk evacuation (1940). A reclusive lighthouse keeper (and amateur painter) takes care of an orphan girl and her wounded snow goose, until joining the rescue efforts for the British Expeditionary Force. When the lighthouse keeper is killed in the effort, the girl only manages to rescue one of his paintings. The others are destroyed by a German bombing.

The Snow Goose
Directed byPatrick Garland
Written byPaul Gallico
Based onThe Snow Goose: A Story of Dunkirk by Paul Gallico
StarringRichard Harris
Jenny Agutter
Music byCarl Davis
Production
companies
Distributed byBBC
Release date
November 15, 1971 (USA)
Running time
50 mins
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish

It won a Golden Globe Award for Best Television Film and was nominated for a British Academy Television Award for Best Drama Production. It was also nominated for a nine Primetime Emmy Awards, winning one for Jenny Agutter for Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Drama. The film was shown in the United States on 15 November 1971 as part of the anthology series Hallmark Hall of Fame.[1]

Plot

The film follows the relationship between Fritha (Jenny Agutter), an orphaned young girl, and Philip Rhayader (Richard Harris), a lighthouse keeper in the fishing village Great Marsh in Essex. The two meet as Rhayader helps Fritha care for a snow goose she has found, despite his solitary lifestyle. The bird has been injured by hunters shooting at it.

Set at the beginning of World War II, the film uses the backdrop of the ongoing political events and battles throughout the narrative. As the goose heals, Fritha and the goose leave Rhayader. Rhayader once again becomes reclusive and confines himself to his lighthouse lodging.

As Germany invades Poland and the war begins, Rhayader applies to the Observer Corps, but is denied due to his disabilities. Fritha and the goose eventually return to Rhayader, but Rhayader ventures out to help rescue the British Expeditionary Force, trapped on the beaches of Dunkirk. He is killed during the Dunkirk evacuation, and the goose returns to Fritha, who is now grown up. She realises she had come to love Rhayader and is able to save one of the paintings he had made of her, as a child with the wounded goose, before the lighthouse and all other artwork are obliterated by a German pilot.

Cast

Awards and nominations
Award Category Nominee(s) Result Ref.
British Academy Television Awards Best Drama Production Patrick Garland Nominated [2]
Golden Globe Awards Best Television Film Won [3]
Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Single Program – Drama or Comedy Frank O'Connor Nominated [4]
Outstanding Single Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role Richard Harris Nominated
Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Drama Jenny Agutter Won
Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Drama – A Single Program Patrick Garland Nominated
Outstanding Writing Achievement in Drama – Adaptation Paul Gallico Nominated
Outstanding Achievement in Art Direction or Scenic Design – For a Dramatic Program or Feature Length Film Made for Television, a Single Program of a Series or
a Special Program		 Stanley Morris Nominated
Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography for Entertainment Programming – For a Special or Feature Length Program Made for Television Ray Henman Nominated
Outstanding Achievement in Film Editing for Entertainment Programming – For a Special or Feature Length Program Made for Television Ken Pearce Nominated
Outstanding Achievement in Music Composition – For a Special Program Carl Davis Nominated

References
  1. "The Snow Goose (TV Movie 1971)". IMDB. Retrieved 9 November 2018.
  2. "BAFTA Awards: Television in 1972". BAFTA. 1972. Retrieved 16 September 2016.
  3. "The Snow Goose". HFPA. Retrieved 5 July 2021.
  4. "The Snow Goose – Hallmark Hall of Fame". Emmys.com. Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved 13 July 2021.
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