Well made movie

Rating: 10/10 (12 March 2006)

On the night of the 71st Academy Awards (1999), Norman Jewison, who received the Irving Thalberg Award told movie-makers to "just tell stories that move us to laughter or tears and perhaps tell us a bit about ourselves." This movie is a hagiography...a worshipful or idealizing biography. Sir Richard picked his scenes well off the storyboard of Mahatma Gandhi's life. He tried to build up a life history treading two tracks..non-violence and India's freedom struggle. Otherwise, he left out many important facts that could be found given prominence in the man's autobiography. Plus, the short comings of the man were not dealt with.
Sir Richard knew too well to leave out the minuses. I give him full marks for his deliberate attempt at hagiography. He is a master story teller...not a critic. Storytellers tell stories that catch your attention from "once upon a time..." to "thus ends the tale". He used his people well...he would want none less than Nana Palsikar (a revered Indian actor from the yester-years) to play a minuscule but moving role of an old farmer dying of hunger. He created a gripping short story out of the intense Om Puri and his little role. Sir Richard packed too many people into the movie without losing the grip, the story or the simplicity. So much that each time I watch the movie (23 times so far!), I find someone I know whom I had not seen on the movie before.
There is one important tool to visual story-telling...editing. This movie is a text book on movie-editing. The one reason I watch it again and again is because of this. The editor (John Bloom) deserves the Oscar. He made the story simple and dramatic at the same time. Sir Richard used symbolism to the best to narrate the movie. He creates the impact at the beginning itself, with Bloom snipping the film at the right moments. Gandhi's assassination in 3 short scenes and the abrupt break to a massive funeral that starts off with the slow-steps of soldiers accompanying the mortal remains of Gandhi on his final journey. It's dramatic and raises your anticipation. Cut to South Africa...the train and you know, the story is unwinding to tell you why that man shot the old man. That is storytelling.
How do you narrate the passing of time and with it the increased popularity of a man in a movie? The scene where Gandhi arrives at Champaran. The soldier tells the police officer..."He is coming!" (Not exactly, but something similar). No name...no elaborate words to explain who is coming and what his story is. Just these few words and the movie positions Gandhi. Again...story telling.
Another symbolism...the scene where Gandhi meets the Viceroy at the Viceregal House (now the Presidential Palace in India). Just one car with a motor cycle outrider that deposits its sole passenger who ascends the wide steps all alone, in a slow and poised gait, head slightly bowed. There is no one else save for two guards who stand to attention as the man in simple loin cloth and a wrap nears the final step. The scene lasts 20 seconds. It depicts the ascendancy of a simple man...yet another master piece from the movie. A scene with its own short story...
Critics and analysts may go and watch something else. This is a movie for those who grew up reading stories and have not got over it. No wonder this movie has its immense following. It is a simple story of a man.
PS: This one is for fellow Indians...want some comedy tips?...Watch out Sardar Patel's (Saeed Jaffrey) role carefully...he takes harmless but witty side-shots at Gandhi and his quotes...puts up naughty little faces too. Follow his eyes especially when Jinnah is around...looks of a cunning fox that measures up the lion against the tiger and takes sides accordingly. "If I fast I die, if you fast, we will take all sorts of trouble to keep you alive".
Also Check out Nehru's role too...how the selfishness takes over...especially towards the end. In the scene after the riots Gandhi, Nehru and Patel are in conference. As Gandhi gets up to leave, Nehru utters "Bapu, please where are you going?" the tone sounds remonstrative. "Why must I read news like this in the paper?" he says (angrily) upon reading Gandhi's fast unto death. He waits for four days before he goes to Calcutta to meet the fasting Gandhi...why...to wait for his death??????