Mandela and de Klerk (1997) (TV)

User Rating:

7.2/10   

Director:

Joseph Sargent

Writer (WGA):

Richard Wesley (written by)

Release Date:

16 February 1997 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

On June 12, 1964, Nelson Mandela, along with a number of political detainees, was sentenced to life...

Plot Keywords:

South Africa | Nelson Mandela | African National Congress | Apartheid | Prison

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 7 nominations

Cast

Sidney Poitier	...	Nelson Mandela
Michael Caine	...	F.W. de Klerk
Tina Lifford	...	Winnie Mandela
Gerry Maritz	...	P.W. Botha
Ian Roberts	...	Kobie Cotzee
Ben Kruger	...	James Gregory
Jerry Mofokeng	...	Walter Sisulu
Owen Sejake	...	Miangeni
Andre Jacobs	...	Niels Barnard (as André Jacobs)
Tertius Meintjes	...	Kykendal
John Carson	...	Willem de Klerk
David Fortune	...	Mhalaba
Farouk Valley-Omar	...	Kathadra
Terry Norton	...	Marike de Klerk
Bankole Omotoso	...	Mbrki

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for disturbing images of political violence.

Runtime:

114 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Afrikaans

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Ultra Stereo

Certification:

UK:15 (video premiere) | USA:PG-13

Filming Locations:

Cape Town, South Africa

Company:

Film Afrika Worldwide

Movie Connections:

Featured in "American Masters: Sidney Poitier: One Bright Light" (2000)

Good biopic combining actual footage and great performances

This is a well-structured, easy to follow "short version" of the Mandela miracle. The actual events were of course much more complex, as was the cast of important characters. But weaving actual footage with the close ups of Poitier(Mandela) and Caine (DeKlerk) produced a better documentary of this historic process than other "actual" documentaries. Poitier has played Mandela and South African heroes so often and so well, we may be mixing fact and fiction here. Caine also gave a great performance, perhaps the finest dramatic portrayal of his career. I'm convinced that the relatively low rating the movie has received in your base is due to the high number of South African voters. Though casting Caine as DeKlerk was necessary to attract viewers (and the bald Caine actually bore a good resemblance to DeKlerk), the choice was obviously not well received by Afrikaaanerdom and South Africans in general. How can the last important Afrikaaner ever be portrayed by his historical nemesis, an Englishman? Makes sense, but otherwise the film was great as biopics go.