Hawk and a Handsaw
- Synopsis
- In episode 12 of Season 1, Fraser investigates strange occurences in a private mental institution by posing as a madman. Hamlet’s "I am but mad north-north-west. When the wind is southerly, I know a hawk from a handsaw" (II.ii.379-380) is the crucial tenet in this episode which seems to be all about learning to face painful truths.
- Series
- Due South
- Language
- English
- Country
- Canada
- Medium
- Television
- Technical information
- Colour / Sound
- Transmission details
- 19 Jan 1995 (Channel: CTV)
- Duration
- 45 mins
Credits
- Director
- George Bloomfield
- Producer
- Paul Haggis
- Writer
- David Shore; Paul Haggis
- Cast
Additional Details
- Production type
- Television and Radio Drama
- Plays
- Hamlet
- Keywords
- Shakespeare, William (1564-1616)
Notes
- Notes
- The episode is available on DVD as part of the Complete First Series set. Transmission time of the original broadcast of this episode unknown.
- General
- DUE SOUTH is an award-winning cop and comedy series that follows the adventures of Canadian Mountie Benton Fraser. The overall plot seems to be loosely based on Shakespeare’s Hamlet: Fraser moves to Chicago to solve the murder of his father, whose ghost regularly returns to haunt him. The title of this episode is a quote from Hamlet II ii, in which Hamlet tells Polonius: "I am but mad north-north-west. When the wind is southerly, I know a hawk from a handsaw" (II.ii.379-380).
- History
- DUE SOUTH made its debut as a one-off television drama which was transmitted on CTV in Canada and CBS in the United States on April 23, 1994. Due to its success with viewers, it was turned into a drama series which was launched on CBS in September 1994. According to Wikipedia, "It was the first Canadian-made series to earn a prime-time slot on a major U.S. network". In Britain the series was launched on BBC1 in May 1995. The BBC Online website lists it as a cult show (http://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/duesouth/).
- Awards
- The series won 15 Gemini nominations, including Best Dramatic TV Series and Best Writing in a Dramatic Series.
- Reviews
- Wikipedia entry for DUE SOUTH: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Due_South (accessed on 2 November 2006)
Production Company
Archive
- Name
BFI National Archive
- Web
- http://www.bfi.org.uk/archive-collections/searching-access-collections/research-viewing-services External site opens in new window
- Phone
- 020 7255 1444
- Fax
- 020 7436 0165
- Address
- 21 Stephen Street
London
W1T 1LN
Distributor (Sale)
- Name
Retail outlets
How to cite this record
Shakespeare, "Hawk and a Handsaw". https://learningonscreen.ac.uk/shakespeare/search/index.php/title/av66847 (Accessed 26 Nov 2024)