Canada's Sweetheart: The Saga of Hal C. Banks
Encyclopedia
Canada's Sweetheart: The Saga of Hal C. Banks is a Canadian
docudrama
, written and produced by Donald Brittain
. It aired in 1985 on CBC Television
.
The film was about Hal C. Banks
, a controversial American
labour union leader who came to Canada in 1949 to lead a sectarian fight between rival shipping
unions. Banks left Canada in 1962 after being brought up on criminal charges.
Banks appeared before the Norris Commission, which was set up to investigate his strongarm tactics and links to beatings of opposition unions, and non signed shipping companies. In particular was the ULS and the Maritime Union run by his former lieutenant Michael Sheehan, who had testified before the Norris Commission against Banks, and led the push to loosen the SIU grip on the Great Lakes.
Maury Chaykin
played the role of Banks in dramatic reenactments.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
docudrama
Docudrama
In film, television programming and staged theatre, docudrama is a documentary-style genre that features dramatized re-enactments of actual historical events. As a neologism, the term is often confused with docufiction....
, written and produced by Donald Brittain
Donald Brittain
Donald Brittain, O.C. was a film director and producer with the National Film Board of Canada.Fields of Sacrifice is considered Brittain's first major film as director....
. It aired in 1985 on CBC Television
CBC Television
CBC Television is a Canadian television network owned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, the national public broadcaster.Although the CBC is supported by public funding, the television network supplements this funding with commercial advertising revenue, in contrast to CBC Radio which are...
.
The film was about Hal C. Banks
Hal C. Banks
Harold Chamberlain "Hal" Banks from Waterloo, Iowa was a controversial labour union leader in Canada...
, a controversial American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
labour union leader who came to Canada in 1949 to lead a sectarian fight between rival shipping
Shipping
Shipping has multiple meanings. It can be a physical process of transporting commodities and merchandise goods and cargo, by land, air, and sea. It also can describe the movement of objects by ship.Land or "ground" shipping can be by train or by truck...
unions. Banks left Canada in 1962 after being brought up on criminal charges.
Banks appeared before the Norris Commission, which was set up to investigate his strongarm tactics and links to beatings of opposition unions, and non signed shipping companies. In particular was the ULS and the Maritime Union run by his former lieutenant Michael Sheehan, who had testified before the Norris Commission against Banks, and led the push to loosen the SIU grip on the Great Lakes.
Maury Chaykin
Maury Chaykin
Maury Alan Chaykin was an American-born Canadian actor. Best known for his portrayal of detective Nero Wolfe, he was also known for his work as a character actor in many films and on television programs.-Personal life:...
played the role of Banks in dramatic reenactments.
Awards
Winner of five awards, including Gemini Awards for best screenplay and best direction.http://www.nfb.ca/collection/films/fiche/?id=16132#ff-prixExternal links
- NFB Web page
- Canadian Film Encyclopedia [A publication of The Film Reference Library/a division of the Toronto International Film Festival Group]