Universal - Dean Spanley

Dean Spanley is a New Zealand and British comedy drama directed by Toa Fraser and based on the classic novel by Lord Dunsany. A father and son in Edwardian England, who could not be more dissimilar, meet once a week driven by a sense of obligation. Young Fisk is charged each week to find interesting distractions for his father, to entertain them both and help the day pass with relative enjoyment. One such activity, a talk with a swami, leaves the pair with yet another difference of opinion, but in one of life’s curious twists, could this be the key to salvaging their relationship? 

Available on DVD now!

Reincarnation and reconciliation form the heart of DEAN SPANLEY, a new feature comedy-drama inspired by the 1936 novella My Talks With Dean Spanley by Lord Dunsany. Set in Edwardian England, it follows a father and son as they encounter the eponymous eccentric, a man-of-the-cloth who claims to have had a rather strange past life.

Adapted by Alan Sharp (Rob Roy), DEAN SPANLEY is directed by UK-born, NZ raised Toa Fraser (No.2). A truly impressive international cast is led by eight-time Academy Award nominee Peter O’Toole (Venus, Lawrence of Arabia) and also features Jeremy Northam (The Winslow Boy, Gosford Park), Bryan Brown (Cocktail, Gorillas In The Mist) and Sam Neill (Jurassic Park, My Brilliant Career).

Shot in England and New Zealand, in late 2007 and early 2008, the film is producedby Matthew Metcalfe, of General Film Corporation, and Alan Harris, of Atlantic Film  Productions. The cinematographer is Leon Narbey (Whale Rider). The costume designer is Odile Dicks-Mireaux (10,000 BC) and the production designer is Andrew McAlpine (The Beach). Executive producers are David Parfitt (Shakespeare in Love) and Finola Dwyer (Backbeat).

General Film Corporation and Atlantic Film Productions present a Matthew Metcalfe production of a film directed by Toa Fraser, DEAN SPANLEY. This UK-New Zealand co-production is financed by Aramid Capital Partners, the NZ Film Production Fund, the NZ Film Commission, Lipsync Productions and regional screen agency Screen East. International Sales are by NZ Film.

Published 18th Nov 2009

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