A Whale for the Killing
“Nature betrayed it. Whalers wanted it. And a whole town is ready to kill it.”
Synopsis
A conservationst, stranded with his family at a Newfoundland coastal resort, flies in the face of custom and fights an entire community to prevent a trapped whale's slaughter with only the support of his wife and one of the locals.
Top Cast
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Peter Strauss
Charles Landon
Dee Wallace
Janet Landon
Kathryn Walker
Dr. Linda McFarland
Bruce McGill
Glenn
Ken James
Lorne
David Ferry
Johnny Goodenough
Richard Widmark
Tom Goodenough
David Hollander
Stevie Landon
Bill Calvert
Tony Landon
Larry Reynolds
George Merner
Reuven Bar-Yotam
Kent Barrett
Arthur Rosenberg
Tommy Sexton
Colin Fox
Vicki Whitten
Jeannie
Jack Jozefson
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Richard T. Heffron
- Screenplay & Story
- Lionel Chetwynd, Farley Mowat
- Original Score
- Basil Poledouris
- Original Title
- A Whale for the Killing
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 2h 25m
- Production Studios
- Playboy Enterprises, Beowulf Productions
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Richard T. Heffron
Lionel Chetwynd, Farley Mowat
Basil Poledouris
Edmond L. Koons
Michael Eliot, Robert Florio
Robert Lovenheim, Edward L. Rissien, Hugh Hefner
Department Leadership Roster
Richard T. Heffron
Director
Lionel Chetwynd
Writer
Robert Lovenheim
Producer
Edmond L. Koons
Director of Photography
Michael Eliot
Editor
Robert Florio
Editor
Vincent Joseph Cresciman
Production Design
Basil Poledouris
Original Music Composer
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
NR: Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.
International Certification Matrix
Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for A Whale for the Killing.
Featured In Curated Collections
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Frequently Asked Questions About A Whale for the Killing
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is A Whale for the Killing about?
A conservationst, stranded with his family at a Newfoundland coastal resort, flies in the face of custom and fights an entire community to prevent a trapped whale's slaughter with only the support of his wife and one of the locals.
Who directed A Whale for the Killing?
A Whale for the Killing was directed by Richard T. Heffron.
Who stars in A Whale for the Killing?
The principal cast of A Whale for the Killing includes Peter Strauss, Dee Wallace, Kathryn Walker, Bruce McGill, Ken James.
When was A Whale for the Killing released and how long is it?
A Whale for the Killing was released in 1981 with a total runtime of 2h 25m.
Who composed the musical score for A Whale for the Killing?
The original motion picture soundtrack for A Whale for the Killing was composed by Basil Poledouris.
What is the age rating and content advisory for A Whale for the Killing?
A Whale for the Killing holds official age classifications: US: NR (Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.).