One woman's true story of love and courage can give all people hope

Based on a true story, this film follows the trials and tragedies that befall Walter Reamer (Tom Skerritt) and his wife, Olive (Ellen Burstyn), as they struggle to create a home and raise a family in the brutal Canadian frontier of 1919.


Silence of the North is a 1981 semi-autobiographical Canadian film of author Olive Frederickson, taken from the book of the same name. The film stars Tom Skerritt as her first husband Walter Roemer who was killed, Gordon Pinsent as her second husband John Frederickson, and Ellen Burstyn as Olive. All three main actors were nominated for Genie Awards, as was the director, Allan King.
Originally, the movie was set to share the title of its theme song, "Comes a Time" (Neil Young) performed in a cover by country singer Lacy J. Dalton, but at the last minute, the title of the book was retained for the film.
The film was a box office flop upon its' original theatrical release, but a combination of the song winning an award and pay-TV service SelecTV picking it up 18 months later for its evening lineup, allowed the film to develop a cult following which remains to this day.


Release Date: October 23, 1981

Distrib: Universal


Boxoffice: $1,622,898 2013: $4,699,400