Wikipedia article
'The Offering' is a Canadian romantic drama film, directed by David Secter and released in 1966.[David Secter, "Director's postscript on The Offering". 'The Globe and Mail', November 26, 1966.] One of the first Canadian films ever to depict an interracial relationship, the film portrays a romance between Mei-Lin (Kee Faun), a dancer with a touring Peking opera company, and Gordon (Ratch Wallace), a stagehand at the theatre in Toronto where the troupe is performing.[Martin Knelman, "He shoots The Offering in July". 'The Globe and Mail', May 19, 1966.] Philip Givens, the real-life mayor of Toronto at the time the film was made, appears in the film as himself;["The Mayor? As a film star?" 'The Globe and Mail', July 11, 1966.] the cast also includes Ellen Yamasaki and Marvin Goldhar.
The film was shot in part at Toronto's Royal Alexandra Theatre.[
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The film was more poorly received than Secter's 1965 film 'Winter Kept Us Warm',[Joan Fox, "Secter's latest offering contrived". 'The Globe and Mail', November 25, 1966.] and because Secter had largely worked with non-union crew, the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees intervened to prevent the film from being screened theatrically anywhere outside of Toronto.["Stagehands' union tells Secter 'you talk too much'". 'The Globe and Mail', December 1, 1966.]
Soon after the film's release, Secter abandoned most of his new projects and moved to New York City, where he joined a bohemian artists' commune and worked as a theatre director, and did not direct another film until the low-budget sex comedy 'Getting Together' in 1976.
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