Gandhi
Directed by Richard Attenborough
Written by John Bailey
1982/UK/India
IMDb page
Repeat viewing/YouTube rental
One of 1001 Movs
Gandhi: Whenever I despair, I remember that the way of truth and love has always won. There may be tyrants and murderers, and for a time, they may seem invincible, but in the end, they always fail. Think of it: always.
A reverent biopic covering the life of the man who started a revolution.
The story starts in 1893 South Africa where young lawyer Mohandas Gandhi had gone to represent a client. Almost immediately he is booted from a train for daring to sit in a first class compartment despite having the appropriate ticket. This fires him up to launch a non-violent protest challenging the country’s apartheid laws as applied to Indians. After Gandhi wins this battle he goes home to India to fight for the people’s rights and, eventually, for independence from British Rule.
We follow Gandhi’s life through his assassination in 1948. It is an impressive one in which he identifies himself with the common people and preaches non-violent resistance. Along the way, he spends several years in jail. Sadly, his success is marred in the end by religious warfare. With John Gielgud, Trevor Howard; John Mills and Edward Fox representing the British and Martin Sheen and Candice Bergen as American journalists.
This epic, complete with intermission, had Oscar bait written all over it and was appropriately rewarded. Its Gandhi is strictly saintly as could be expected as a project funded by the Indian Government. This does not make it a bad movie. In fact, loving care was applied to all aspects. I found it a bit bloated but engaging none the less. The scenery is to die for.
Gandhi won Academy Awards in the categories of Best Picture; Best Director; Best Actor; Best Original Screenplay; Best Cinematography; Best Art Direction/Set Decoration; and Best Costume Design. It was nominated in the categories of Best Sound; Best Film Editing; Best Original Score; and Best Makeup.
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