A great man gets the great bio he deserves

Rating: 10/10 (2 November 2009)

Ben Kingsley is "Gandhi" in Richard Attenborough's masterpiece of 1982, a sweeping, meticulously constructed story of one of the greatest men of the last - or any - century. The film begins with Gandhi, a young attorney called to work in South Africa, ordered to move to third class despite his ticket, because he is Indian. He refuses and is thrown off the train. Thus began Gandhi's life of sacrifice and service to his cause - to get India its independence from England, but to do so without violence. He points out, rightly, that there are many more Indians than British in India. With a little organization, independence will be theirs.
Unfortunately for Gandhi, human nature being what it is, India no sooner wins its independence than its citizens turn around and start killing one another. How devastating that must of been for a man who devoted his life to the cause of freedom. He responds nonviolently, ov course, by fasting until the conflagration stops. He was such a treasure to the people that fear of his death could make them stop fighting.
Richard Attenborough filmed in India and assembled a splendid cast that includes: John Gielgud, Trevor Howard, Candace Bergen, Edward Fox, John Mills, Martin Sheen, Athol Fugard, Nigel Hawthorne, even then newcomer Daniel Day-Lewis in a small role.
Writer John Briley fashioned a magnificent script and probably worked through tons of material in order to do it.
Now we come to Ben Kingsley. When Kingsley filmed this role, he was interviewed by Jack Kroll of Newsweek, and I transcribed the entire interview. It was fascinating to hear this man speak so intelligently and analytically about Gandhi, about religion, and about the process of acting. But of course, Kingsley doesn't "act" Gandhi. He is Gandhi. I am unclear about the newsreel footage, whether it was a "Zelig" type composite or not - I suspect the footage is real and of the actual Gandhi. Frankly, it's hard to tell. It's not so much Kingsley's physical appearance - a thin man shaves his head, darkens his skin, and puts on Gandhi garb - you've got Gandhi. It's in the way Kingsley walks, his mannerisms, the way he sits, smiles, and speaks, that gives us a full characterization.
The eight Oscars won by this film were richly deserved. Someone on the message board asked if this is a true story, reminding me of "Thirteen Days," when one of the reviewers on this site thought that Kenny O'Donnell, JFK's top aide, was fictional. The level of education in this country is extremely sad. Mahatma Gandhi is the pioneer of resistance to tyranny through mass civil disobedience, copied by leaders all over the world. If you're not learning about him in school -there's a problem.
Great, great film that enlightens and inspires.