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Gandhi

'Gandhi' is a great movie, and I cannot think anyone better then Ben Kingsley to play his role.( The guy IS perfect in the movie. So perfect, that I read in the trivia part of IMDb that many people in India actually thought that Ben was Gandhi's ghost!) Gandhi was murdered in 1948 by an Indian rebel, when he was going to make one of his prayers. This great and simple little man made the India Independent and was against all types of prejudices existent, since racial prejudice until the religion's one. He started his anger with the British Empire when he was going to South Africa, and was throw away from the train because he was in the first class, and the prejudice of that time could not allow any non white man,specially being Indian or black to have the same rights as the white men. From that time, until his death, he made people from India and the English to think about the prejudice and the fact that all people should have the same rights. He was also followed by many white people, in the movie showing the clergyman Charlie Andrews and Miss Slade. PS:A thing that I discovered watching this movie was the fact that Gandhi was an attorney...I would never imagine that the peaceful leader made Law School!

The life of the legendary man from India (dominant Oscar-winner Ben Kingsley, who was a total unknown theatrical newcomer at the time) who gave up work as an attorney to defy British rule throughout the first half of the 20th Century before falling to an assassin's bullet in 1948. Long, opulent, breath-taking and completely memorable take on one of the most important historical figures the world has ever known. Oscar-winning director Richard Attenborough obviously studied David Lean's epic film-making masterpieces from the 1950s and 1960s as we have similarities galore with "The Bridge on the River Kwai" and much more importantly "Lawrence of Arabia". An all-star cast of very old-time Hollywood legends (John Gielgud, Trevor Howard, John Mills) and relative newcomers who were on the rise (Candice Bergen, Martin Sheen, Edward Fox, Nigel Hawthorne and a super quick glance of a very young Daniel Day-Lewis) blend in a desert landscape of cinematic brilliance. Make no mistake of it though, "Gandhi" works because of Kingsley as he weaves a colorful tapestry of cinematic performing ungodliness with a totally convincing take on his role and the complex subject matter. Running nearly 190 minutes, "Gandhi" still just uses flash-points to under-score the importance and significance of the major topics within. Those familiar with advanced world history will likely get more out of the film, but still a movie whose glitter continues to shine as bright as ever. 5 stars out of 5.

this movie did. seeing how gandhi sacrificed his all and still never gave in to hate or violence changed me. i now choose to practice peace and understanding in my life. that's how good this movie is. it is probably the greatest film ever made

THE BAD - Another overt Liberal homage to a "religious" man who isn't Christian. Hollywood loves to heap loving praise on Gandhi, the Dali Lama, Buddha, etc. But Jesus Christ? Forget it, says Hollywood. Let Mel Gibson spend his own money on the movie. Candance Bergen and Martin Sheen, two ultra-liberals, make appearances here showing overdone reverence for the "great man." If the film was re-made today, we would have Barbra Streisand, Michael Moore and George Clooney all visiting Gandhi. There are several scenes early on when the filmmakers go out of their way to paint Christians as the bad guys and major perpetrators of prejudice. However, in a good-but-not that good instance, we have one Christian minister, played by Ian Charleson, who appears early on as one of the Gandhi's supporters but his theology is a little weak, of course. In fact, Gandhi shows more support for a statement Jesus made than the minister did! Ghandi, who was a good man with incredible inner strength, of course, had his flaws like all of us, but those aren't really pictured since this film is so biased. (Gandi advised England to let Germany run over them without a fight. He also had alleged pedophile instincts. None of these things were remotely touched on....only the good. That certainly wouldn't have been the case if Gandhi was a Christian leader. Those flaws and innuendos would have been front-and--center.) THE GOOD - Politics-aside, the film is interesting all the way, which says a lot since it's a 3-hour film.. Ben Kingsley is superb as Gandhi and the Indian actors do a fine job in their roles. Too bad they don't get any billing on the video box. Although some of Gandhi's statements go against Scripture, with his meekness, love and wonderful gentle attitude, he presents a strong case for the secular argument, which was the obvious intent of the filmmakers. The man presents an outstanding example of a human being devoted to living in peace with everyone and willing to die to help stop violence. It's beautifully filmed and a must to be seen on a widescreen format.

There is a sanctimonious air to the films of Sir Richard Samuel Attenborough: the earnest desire that fair play is seen to be done… Attenborough attempts to humanize his personage by exposing the widening gaps between India's two main religious communities, but he seemed to be quite forced to ignore some of the Indian characters in favor of Western ones, as some of the very important episodes of the film were seen through the eyes of two American reporters... Attenborough, a filmmaker who can rival David Lean for the big set piece without losing a sense of human scale, presents the political events with real dramatic impact...His big challenge was to give the film an epic quality… Still, while Attenborough's endless seas of extras testify to his ability to order crowds, his fine motion picture was seen very believable and realistic, with enough insight either into its sublimely serene hero's mind or into the complex realities of Indian history and politics British actor Ben Kingsley portrays the spiritual leader with deep simplicity... Kingsley's Mahatma is amazing, so beautiful in its honesty... Kingsley burns with a strong and purer flame, particularly in the way he ages across the five decades which the film depicts... His wetly blazing eyes as a young lawyer in South Africa, his black hair and immense energy, gives way to the bald small modest man, in shawl, loin cloth, steel-rimmed glasses, frequently thrown in jail by the British authorities... Kingsley takes the qualities and details instructed by Attenborough: Gandhi's fiercely intelligent aura; Gandhi's rational and calm reaction to inflamed emotion; Gandhi's unshaken beliefs and principles; Gandhi's warm smile... A distinguished cast of characters surround Academy Award-Winning Ben Kingsley as Gandhi: Candice Bergen, the Life magazine American photographer whom Gandhi conveys with a sense of humor; John Gielgud, the Viceroy who decides to ignore the man in loin cloth; Edward Fox, the brutal English general who orders his troops to fire at the thickest part of the crowds; Trevor Howard, the Judge who behaves with great consideration, standing and nodding respectfully to Gandhi in the dock before taking his seat; Geraldine James, the adopted daughter, blinded by love for Ghandi; and Martin Sheen, the American reporter of the New York Times who makes Gandhi laugh: 'It would be uncivil for us to let you make the long trip for nothing.' "Gandhi" has a rare combination of deep character penetration and enormous epic sweep with "Lawrence of Arabia." But while 'Lawrence of Arabia' is about a solitary adventurer, 'Gandhi' is a moving portrait of a character with a disarming humility, who spins cotton, walks the country roads, meditates in front of the ocean, or scoops salt from the beach... Throughout the picture, which takes place over a half century, one has a sense of a man discovering his own unique dimensions... Perhaps this is the secret of Attenborough's 'Gandhi,' that at the bottom of all the tumultuous action is a remarkable protagonist, an incredible individual about whom one cares, and feels attract to...

In her diary entry of Saturday, February 27, 1943, Anne Frank wrote in passing (translated from the Dutch): "The freedom-loving Gandhi of India is holding his umpteenth fast." It's a comment at once mildly comical and respectfully admiring, one I think the Mahatma would have appreciated with a twinkle and a laugh. He and Miss Frank are linked with the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr., as the civil rights spokesperson-giants of the 20th century. And civil rights, and the reversal of the institutionalized violation of the same, are a large part of what the last century's politics were all about. Movie viewers are apt to find in the diary remark a distillation of their experience of the Richard Attenborough film. A recommendation is that it be followed by rentals of Saving Private Ryan and The Long Walk Home, which together convey the investment put into the respective causes the trio represented. At the beginning of Gandhi we confront these words: "No man's life can be encompassed in one telling. There is no way to give each year its allotted weight, to include each event, each person who helped to shape a lifetime. What can be done is to be faithful in spirit to the record, and to try to find one's way to the heart of the man...." John Briley's screenplay accomplishes that faithfulness, and one probably has to be a scholar of the subject to sort out what is his and what is Gandhi's. Not that it really is of relevance, given what we learn from the movie about the value of eclecticism. Looking out over the bay at Porbandar, Gandhi (Ben Kingsley) tells Walker (Martin Sheen): "The temple where you were yesterday is of my family's sect, the Pranami. It was Hindu of course, but the priests used to read from the Muslim Koran and the Hindu Gita, moving from one to the other as though it mattered not at all which book was read as long as God was worshipped." In a preceding scene, similarly, confronted by young toughs on a South African street, Gandhi defends for his Christian friend Charlie (Ian Charleson) the New Testament intelligence of turning the other cheek. A worried Charlie states, "I think perhaps the phrase was used metaphorically. I don't think our Lord meant...," and is interrupted by a movie shot of the approaching menace. Gandhi replies calmly, "I'm not so certain. I have thought about it a great deal. I suspect he meant you must show courage--be willing to take a blow--several blows--to show you will not strike back--nor will you be turned aside.... And when you do that it calls upon something...that makes...hate for you diminish and...respect increase. I think Christ grasped that and I...have seen it work." The script is replete with these kinds of memorable words, and with others that reflect its subject's political acumen and strategical cleverness. Kingsley is sublime in the lead role. Saeed Jaffrey, Roshan Seth, and Alyque Padamsee do well as Gandhi's pro-independence collaborators. Ditto, Athol Fugard ("Assuming we are in agreement?") and John Gielgud ("Salt?") as two of his adversaries. Charleson, in his clerical collar, looks like he has walked in off the set of the preceding year's Academy Award winner, Chariots of Fire (where he played the Scottish sprinter-missionary, Eric Liddell). This movie won eight Oscars, with Attenborough, Briley, and Kingsley all earning honors. No other film biography I ever have seen works so well. It will stand the test of time and inform multiple generations. One doubts remakes will be necessary.

Thinking back, I suppose I have now seen many (sometimes good) films that follow the same recipe: One man makes a difference. But this film is an exception in so many ways: 1) It was made in 1982, so it came before many of them. 2) It has amazingly well-displayed historical significance. 3) Great performances in a near-flawless, frank scrpit. This film does not bother the viewer with an opening montage of scenes of the main character at various ages ("Dragon", I'm looking at you). This is an amazing film that anyone of any religion, race, or nationality can and should appreciate. With its subtle relevance to today's situations in that part of the world, this is a history buff must-see. Watch this film and see great performances (an obvious oscar went to Ben Kingsly), excellent cinematography, and a wonderful inspiring story, whose essence soars well above the corny, do-gooder mentality of other pitiful efforts of "bio-pics". 10/10