Synopsis: Set in Montreal, Mike is a neo-Nazi skinhead who is on trial for the racially motivated murder of a Pakistani man. Danny is a liberal Jewish lawyer appointed by the court to defend him. The story delves into the intense and fiery relationship that develops between these two men.

Cast:
David Strathairn .... Danny Dunckelman
Andrew Walker .... Mike
Marina Orsini .... Anna Dunkelman
Joel Miller .... Danny's father

Notes:
• Steel Toes is based off of David Gow's play, Cherry Docs. David played Danny in the U.S. premiere of this play in Philadelphia from May - June, 2000.
• Steel Toes had its world premiere screening at the Festival Rendez-Vous Du Cinema Quebecois in Montreal, Canada on February 22, 2006. It had its international premiere in Shanghai, China at the 9th Shanghai International Film Festival on June 21 and 22, 2006 and its U.S./East Coast premiere at the Woodstock Film Festival on October 13 and 15, 2006.
• For his brilliant performance, David was nominated for the Standard Pacific Homes Award for Best Supporting Actor at the 2007 Method Fest. Co-star Andrew Walker won the Best Actor Award at the Whistler Film Festival for his performance.
• The film has won numerous festival awards, including the Alex and Ruth Dworkin Prize for the Promotion of Tolerance, Best New Film (Detriot Jewish Film Festival), and Best Screenplay (Method Fest).

Production Notes:
(Download the Production Notes from Monterey Media)

Critical Praise & Commentary:
• "David Strathairn plays a Jewish lawyer who is pushed to the limit when he agrees to defend a neo-Nazi skinhead charged with murder. Strathairn, the recent Oscar Best Actor nominee for Good Night, and Good Luck, cuts through the play's grandstanding to emphasize an essential point. It takes more than laws to battle hate and intolerance--it takes love too." -Jason Anderson, The Globe and Mail

• "The one element that distinguishes this Canadian drama about the difficult relationship between a skinhead murderer (Andrew Walker) and his court-appointed lawyer is the fact that the lawyer is played by the impeccable David Strathairn (We Are Marshall, The Sopranos). With his nuanced portrayal of the Jewish lawyer who struggles with his true feelings about his racist client, Strathairn is able to elevate Steel Toes from being a standard-issue TV movie 'message drama.'" -Ed Grant, Video Business

• "In Steel Toes (Monterey Video), the wonderful actor David Strathairn is a liberal Jewish lawyer appointed to represent a Neo-Nazi skinhead (Andrew Walker) on trial for the murder of an East Indian. Provocative? You bet." -Robert J. Hawkins, Bend Weekly

• "...the picture boasts Oscar-nominated David Strathairn (for George Clooney's Good Night and Good Luck) in a sizable and interesting lead role. ...an engrossing portrayal by Strathairn shows the testing of Danny's innate liberal values against the reality of his worst fears." -Anne Mann, Bowen Film

• "Strathairn, with his expressive eyes and tremulous voice, is good at suggesting confidence tinged with doubt, and he's well matched by Walker, who brings menace and danger to his role as the defendant." -Glenn Sumi, NOW Magazine

• "Strathairn, though, is the real ace in the hole for Steel Toes. A consistently great character actor who finally got proper due with his portrayal of Edward R. Murrow in Good Night and Good Luck, he makes the most of his role here. Danny is a good-hearted man of principle but Strathairn and the film aren't afraid to show how sticking to that principle has its toll, and that even as Danny helps Mike rid himself of the darkness that grips him, some of it can't help but infect Danny as well." -Rob Thomas, The Capital Times

• "Strathairn, an Oscar nominee for Good Night, and Good Luck, lets us glimpse the anger beneath the lawyer's tolerant facade..." -Joe Williams, STLtoday.com

• "An engrossing portrayal by David Strathairn." -Variety

(David On His Role:)
• "I did the play a couple of years ago in Philadelphia and told David (Gow) it would make a great, potent film and to call me if there was ever a chance to get it made. He did, and it was." -David Strathairn, 2006

• "This is a story that resonates with ordinary people living ordinary lives every single day. And there are no easy answers. That David [Gow] took it by the horns and told it to as wide an audience as possible--more power to him." -David Strathairn, 2006

(David Gow On David:)
• "Jiri Zizka, the artistic director of the theatre, asked David S. to look at the play, and David agreed to do it. The play is a huge workout for both actors, as is the film. In the film, we also have other performances, the play is only two actors. David S. greatly influenced the development of the character that you see in the film. It is uniquely his interpretation, and it is a different animal altogether to that which he created onstage. David inhabits a character very fully, and the character also seems to live in him. It was a great process altogether and wonderful to work with him in both mediums. Onstage, David was directed by Jiri Zizka. At that time, David told me, if you ever make a film based on this...and so we did." -David Gow, director/writer

Related Links:
Official U.S. Site (off site)
Monterey Media (off site)
Telefilm Canada - Steel Toes (off site)
Gala Film (off site)
Benoit Groulx (composer) - Steel Toes (off site)