Gandhi (1982)

Gandhi (1982)

“I am a Muslim and a Hindu and a Christian and a Jew and so are all of you.”-Ben Kingsley.

The above quote, spoken by Ben Kingsley in the 1982 drama Gandhi, shows what kind of man Mahatma Gandhi was. In a harsh world filled with violence and racism, this one man became a prophet, a messiah if you will. He wanted to change the world for the better using non-violent tactics. He wanted to use nonviolence to end segregation against Indians in South Africa, to end British rule in India, to create a peaceful country for Muslims in a country today known as Pakistan. Through his methods, Gandhi achieved what only most people dream of achieving in their lifetimes. He was a man for the people and no matter who the person is or what kind of religion that person believes in, he loved you no matter what. In this long, sprawling epic, you will become a believer of this spiritual man. At least I did. This is the kind of man that we need in our world today. A man full of hope, compassion, love, nonmaterialistic-just to name a few adjectives.

Director Richard Attenborough had been wanting to make this film for decades prior to the films release. Attenborough had meetings set up with and approval from various key figures to make this film happen-but it was never meant to be at first. Also, David Lean wanted to make a film based on Gandhi’s life after he completed production on The Bridge on the River Kwai, but instead went to work on Lawrence of Arabia. Later on, David Lean met with Attenborough and you can see his influence in this epic. I saw portions of Arabia and Doctor Zhivago at times. Once Attenborough was able to get funding from the Indian Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi- he was able to make the film he wanted. Attenborough was the perfect director for the movie. He wanted to create a grand epic, but one with the feeling of a smaller film. He didn’t care too much about the landscapes or the scope of the film. All he wanted to do was focus on telling a careful, level-headed story about the person who changed the world for many-and he was able to do thanks to his sure-handed direction.

The film starts in 1893 with a young lawyer named Mohandas K. Gandhi (Ben Kingsley) traveling first-class on a South African train. He was not aware of any segregation laws and thus was thrown off the train. To combat these laws, he starts a non-violent protest against segregation of Indians in South Africa. These protests led in many arrests and global attention for Gandhi, but he still achieved victory in the end. After he returns to India, he is asked to assist in the independence of India from Great Britain’s rule. He agrees, but faces more issues such as imprisonment, violence against protestors, etc. But with England still suffering from World War 2, they granted India their freedom. However, there was still more work to do. There was internal conflict between the Hindus and the Muslims. Gandhi declares a hunger strike to stop these groups from fighting, in which he does eventually succeed. In addition to making many followers, Gandhi also made many enemies and that might make him a target.

The role of Gandhi was played to utter perfection by a newcomer named Ben Kingsley. Kingsley, who had Indian descent, was able to create the mannerisms and the style that made Gandhi one of the most important, influential figures of the twentieth century. This is one of the best acting performances you will ever see. Love it or hate it, there is no denying the power of Kingsley’s performance-which led him to claim the Best Actor Academy Award. The supporting cast does fill out nicely around Kingsley. There are some excellent British thespians such as John Gielgud and Trevor Howard. Some Americans- Martin Sheen and Candice Bergen deliver strong performances, although their characters were pushed away somewhat. Also, keep an eye out for young Daniel-Day Lewis!

Gandhi is a spellbinding tour-de-force epic with a lead acting performance that perfectly captures the essence of one of the most beloved and influential historical figures. The lush cinematography by Ronnie Taylor and the stirring music by Ravi Shankar adds an “epic” feeling seen in films like Lawrence of Arabia, but Attenborough was able to perfectly capture the intimate character moments that we know this man of. Whether it is watching Gandhi suffer from his hunger strike or seeing his followers shot down by the British-there is no shortage of powerful scenes. The movie does clock in well over three hours and it can be felt at times, but in no way in this movie boring. It is a movie well-deserved of its Best Picture victory. To help see the good in themselves, this is the perfect movie to see.

My Grade: A-