Straw Dogs

Name: Straw Dogs
Genre: Drama, Thriller, Crime
Released: 1971-11-25
Duration: 1 h 56 min
Rating: 7.5
Cast: Dustin Hoffman, Susan George, Peter Vaughan, T. P. McKenna, Del Henney

In the Face of Every Coward Burns a Straw Dog.

Straw Dogs (1971)

Timing: 1:56 (116 min)

7.5/10
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Everything about the movie

Video 6

Photo 65

Actors and characters

Video for the film Straw Dogs — Straw Dogs (1971) ORIGINAL TRAILER [HQ]

0:59

Photo 65

Release date

1971-11-25

Country

United States, United Kingdom

Production

ABC Pictures, Talent Associates, Amerbroco Films

Genre

Drama, Thriller, Crime

Budget

$3 251 794

Box office

$288

Website

Director

Sam Peckinpah

Actors

Dustin Hoffman, Susan George, Peter Vaughan, T. P. McKenna, Del Henney, Jim Norton, Donald Webster, Ken Hutchison, Len Jones, Sally Thomsett
All actors and roles (10)

Scenario

Producer

Daniel Melnick

Camera operator

John Coquillon

Composer

Jerry Fielding

Artist

Ray Simm

Audition

Miriam Brickman

Editing

Roger Spottiswoode, Tony Lawson, Paul Davies
Whole Team (37)

Short description

David Sumner, a mild-mannered academic from the United States, marries Amy, an Englishwoman. In order to escape a hectic stateside lifestyle, David and his wife relocate to the small town in rural Cornwall where Amy was raised. There, David is ostracized by the brutish men of the village, including Amy's old flame, Charlie. Eventually the taunts escalate.

What's left behind the scenes

T.P. McKenna's (1929-2011) character has his arm in a sling. This was not in the script; the actor had actually broken his arm at a party hosted by director Peckinpah.
Before filming began, Sam Peckinpah made Dustin Hoffman and Susan George live together for two weeks, and they were joined by the second screenwriter, David Zelag Goodman (1930-2011). Some of their lines from that period were included in the script.
T.P. McKenny's (1929-2011) character keeps his hand on a bandage. This was not in the script. The actor actually broke his hand at a party organized by director Peckinpah.
In the scene where Dustin Hoffman's character first appears in a local diner, director Sam Peckinpah (1925-1984) was dissatisfied with the other characters' reactions to his arrival, which they viewed as an intrusion into their own little world. In one of the takes, he decided to try filming Hoffman's character entering without trousers. This time, everyone reacted exactly as he wanted.
Coconut shells were used in the scene where Dustin Hoffman's character beats a man to death.
The film's title was taken by the authors from a well-known saying by the ancient Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu: “Heaven and Earth are not merciful – people are to them merely straw dogs.” The saying originates from the ancient Chinese tradition of decorating religious holidays with images of dogs made of straw, which were discarded or burned at the end of the ceremony. Currently, especially in English, the term 'straw dogs' is a euphemism for something unnecessary or created with the sole purpose of being destroyed.
Ken Hutchinson made his debut in this film.
The full version of the film has a runtime of 118 minutes.
Filming took place in a village, and local residents who had no idea what the film was about were cast in some minor roles. Upon the film's release, they were shocked to see their participation in a film that so sharply contradicted their own moral principles.
Henry Niles' limp was not written into the script. Actor David Warner broke his leg shortly before filming began, but was able to move with a cane by the time it started. Due to the fracture, he was refused insurance, and consequently, his name was not included in the credits.
Gordon Williams (1934-2017) was so disappointed with this adaptation that he vowed never to sell the film rights to his works to Americans again.
Henry Niles' limp was not written into the script. Actor David Warner broke his leg shortly before filming began, but by the time production started, he was able to move around with a cane. Because of the fracture, he was refused insurance, and consequently, his name was omitted from the credits.
When Sam Peckinpah was planning the rape scene involving Susan George, he absolutely refused to tell the actress beforehand how he intended to shoot it. The actress insisted that he tell her everything, and Peckinpah explained exactly what was going to happen, informing her that he intended to show her entire naked body on screen. George refused and even threatened to leave the project, after which Peckinpah filmed only her eyes and face in that scene.
The completion of filming was jeopardized when one of the scriptwriters and director Sam Peckinpah contracted pneumonia after a night-long drinking bout with Ken Hutchinson. He was treated in London, and only returned to the director's chair after a firm promise not to drink for the remainder of the shoot.
When Sam Peckinpah was planning the rape scene involving Susan George's character, he categorically refused to tell the actress in advance exactly how he intended to shoot it. The actress insisted on knowing, so Peckinpah explained exactly how it would happen and informed her that he intended to show her entire naked body on screen. George refused and even threatened to leave the project, after which Peckinpah filmed only her eyes and face for the scene.
Donald Sutherland, Jack Nicholson, and Sidney Poitier auditioned for the lead male role. For the lead female role, candidates included Diana Rigg, Charlotte Rampling, and Helen Mirren. Dustin Hoffman, who was ultimately cast, actually hates violence in cinema and once admitted that he only agreed to the role for the money.
In the scene where Dustin Hoffman's character first appears in the local diner, director Sam Peckinpah (1925-1984) disliked the reaction of the other characters to his arrival, which they perceived as an intrusion into their own little world. In one of the takes, he decided to try filming Hoffman's character entering without pants. This time, everyone reacted as he needed them to.
Before filming began, Sam Peckinpah made Dustin Hoffman and Susan George live together for two weeks, accompanied by the second screenwriter, David Zellag Goodman (1930-2011). Some of their dialogue from this period was incorporated into the script.
The completion of filming was jeopardized when one of the screenwriters and director Sam Peckinpah contracted pneumonia after an all-night drinking binge with Ken Hutchinson. He was treated in London and was only allowed back in the director's chair after a firm promise to remain sober until the end of production.
Donald Sutherland, Jack Nicholson, and Sidney Poitier auditioned for the lead male role. Diana Rigg, Charlotte Rampling, and Helen Mirren auditioned for the lead female role. Dustin Hoffman, who was ultimately cast, actually hates violence in films and once admitted that he only agreed to the role because of the money.