''Lions for Breakfast'' is a Canadian family drama film, directed by William Davidson and released in 1975.Bryan Johnson, "Heartwarming drama comes up cold". ''

The Globe and Mail ''The Globe and Mail'' is a Newspapers in Canada, Canadian newspaper printed in five cities in Western Canada, western and central Canada. With a weekly readership of more than 6 million in 2024, it is Canada's most widely read newspaper on week ...

'', November 25, 1975. The film centres on two brothers, 22-year old Trick (

Jim Henshaw Jim Henshaw (born September 28, 1949) is a Canadian actor, screenwriter and film and television producer. Early life and education Henshaw was born in Bassano, Alberta, Canada. He graduated from the University of Saskatchewan. Career A mai ...

) and ten-year-old Zanny (Danny Forbes), who are on a bus trip to find a new place to live after the death of their parents.Stephen Chesley, "William Davidson's Lions for Breakfast". ''

Cinema Canada ''Cinema Canada'' (1972–1989) is a defunct Canadian film magazine, which served as the trade journal of record for the Canadian film and television sector. The magazine had its origins in the Canadian Society of Cinematographers (CSC), which be ...

'', December 1975/January 1976 (Number 24). pp. 45-46. The supporting cast includes

Jan Rubeš Jan Ladislav Rubeš Order of Canada, CM (6 June 1920 – 29 June 2009) was a Czechs, Czech-Canadians, Canadian bass (voice type), bass opera singer and actor. Life and career Rubeš was born in Volyně, Czechoslovakia, to Ružena (née Kel ...

as Ivan, an older drifter the brothers connect with on the trip; Susan Petrie as Jenny, a young woman who becomes a love interest for Trick; and Paul Bradley as Charlie, a garage attendant. The film premiered on May 7, 1975 at the Guelph Spring Festival. It was a

Canadian Film Award The Canadian Film Awards were the leading Canadian cinema awards from 1949 until 1978. These honours were conducted annually, except in 1974 when a number of Quebec directors withdrew their participation and prompted a cancellation. In the 1970s ...

nominee for

Best Picture The following is a list of categories of awards commonly awarded through organizations that bestow film awards, including those presented by various films, festivals, and people's awards. Best Actor/Best Actress *See Best Actor#Film awards, Bes ...

at the 26th Canadian Film Awards, but did not win. It won the Canadian Film Award for Best Musical Score.

Wyndham Wise Wyndham Paul Wise is a Canadian film historian, critic, editor and publisher. He was the founder and editor-in-chief of the film magazine '' Take One: Film & Television in Canada'' (1992-2006). Career Born in London, England, Wyndham Wise was rai ...

, ''Take One's Essential Guide to Canadian Film''.

University of Toronto Press The University of Toronto Press is a Canadian university press. Although it was founded in 1901, the press did not actually publish any books until 1911. The press originally printed only examination books and the university calendar. Its first s ...

, 2001. . p. 262. The film was broadcast by

CBC Television CBC Television (also known as CBC TV, or simply CBC) is a Television in Canada, Canadian English-language terrestrial television, broadcast television network owned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, the national public broadcasting, p ...

on the '' CBC Film Festival'' series in 1980."CBC's films"
''

Regina Leader-Post The ''Regina Leader-Post'' is a broadsheet newspaper published in Regina, Saskatchewan, owned by Postmedia Network. Founding The newspaper was first published as ''The Leader'' in 1883 by Nicholas Flood Davin, soon after Edgar Dewdney, Lieutenan ...

'', May 30, 1980.

Critical response

Bryan Johnson of ''

'' gave the film a negative review, writing that "all it has going for it are its good intentions and the eager sincerity of the people behind it. And while that's enough to make you wish it were better, it's not nearly enough so you can pretend that it is." Stephen Chesley of ''

'' reviewed it more favourably, opining that "there's nothing flashy about the film, nor should there be: by proceeding in a straightforward line the creators have achieved exactly what they set out to do, and they've done it without resorting to too many cliches or to depressing cuteness."

References

External links

* 1975 films 1975 drama films Canadian children's drama films English-language Canadian films 1970s English-language films 1970s Canadian films {{1970s-Canada-film-stub