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Set in Canada at the turn of the century, Drylanders stars James Douglas as a veteran of the Boer War. Returning home, Douglas finds city life not to his liking, so he opts for the life of a wheat farmer. At first prosperous, Douglas' farm falls victim to a nationwide drought. He struggles to keep the business afloat, but dies before rain comes; his wife (Frances Hyland) valiantly carries on her husband's work. Originally written for television by M. Charles Cohen, Drylanders was prepared for theatrical release through Columbia Pictures--and thus became the first non-documentary feature ever produced by the Film Board of Canada.