A film about the history and fate of the Metis rebel leader who opposed the Canadian government in two seperate rebellions.
Acting
Plummer devours scenery as Macdonald; Cloutier's haunted eyes never lie
Production
Surprisingly ambitious scale for 1979 CBC television
Director
George Bloomfield
Raymond Cloutier
Louis Riel
Christopher Plummer
Prime Minister John A. Macdonald
Maury Chaykin
Howard
Barry Morse
William Mactavish
Leslie Nielsen
Major Leif Newry Fitzroy Crozier
Dave Thomas
Militia Captain
William Shatner
The Barker
Donald Harron
Donald Smith
Chris Wiggins
General Frederick Dobson Middleton
John Neville
General Garnet Wolseley
Lloyd Bochner
Dr. John Christian Schultz
James Bradford
Captain Bradshaw
Marcel Sabourin
Joseph-Noël Ritchot
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Leslie Nielsen plays it completely straight here—no jokes, just stiff colonial authority—making his later comedy career even more delightful.
The 1979 release coincided with growing Métis political organizing; Riel's rehabilitation from 'madman' to 'Father of Manitoba' was very much in progress.
CA
