From the DVD Collection: A United Kingdom

I’ve enjoyed reading about Botswana in the No 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency novels by Alexander McCall Smith. It appears as a peaceful, stable country just over the border from South Africa, but I didn’t really know anything about its history. Then I came across this gem in the Library’s DVD collection: A United Kingdom (2017) starring David Oyelowo as law student, Seretse Khama, and Rosamund Pike as Ruth Williams, an office worker.

Seretse is from Bechuanaland, and the two meet at a church function for foreign students, other Africans mainly, developing a fondness for each other over their shared love of jazz. This is London, 1947, racism is the norm and mixed-race relationships are not readily accepted, certainly not by Ruth’s conservative parents. Meanwhile, Seretse is due to return to Bechuanaland – his uncle has been running ‘the family firm’ in Seretse’s absence, the family firm being rulership of the country. What Seretse is reluctant to tell Ruth is that he’s a prince, expected to take over as King of Bechuanaland – one of the poorest countries in the world.

The two marry despite outrage from both families, Ruth’s father disowning his daughter, while a political storm erupts in Bechuanaland. South Africa is in the process of setting Apartheid into law and Britain, as Protectorate of Bechuanaland, fears a diplomatic falling out. But Ruth and Seretse are determined to stay together no matter what. It’s a story full of drama and heartbreak with some brilliant performances.

Oyelowo (previously seen in Selma and the Les Miserables TV adaptation) is a captivating actor,

portraying both the sensitive, ordinary guy in love with his girl, and the man destined to be king with all the gravitas and charisma you could ask for. At first I wasn’t sure about Pike (Gone Girl, Beirut) playing Ruth – she’s pushing forty, playing someone in her twenties. But she does the business, nevertheless. There are more excellent performances here including Tom Felton (Malfoy in the Harry Potter movies) who plays District Commissioner Rufus Lancaster and Jack Davenport (numerous TV roles plus the Pirates of the Caribbean series) as Sir Alistair Canning. These two supercilious, bureaucratic nasties are fictional characters who personify the British government’s reaction to the couple, setting up roadblock after roadblock to prevent Ruth's and Seretse’s staying together.

Overall, the film seems to run fairly true to what really happened. Based on the Susan William’s book: Colour Bar: the Triumph of Seretse Khama and his Nation, this could be one of the greatest stories you’ve never heard of. It has everything really: romance, drama, power and politics, race and injustice, triumph over adversity. And the film has all of this plus the wonderful African landscape – giraffes, lions and all.

Posed by JAM

Catalogue link: A United Kingdom