A Deeply Moving Film!

Rating: 9/10 (13 December 2019)

"Gandhi" is the story of Indian legend Mohatma Gandhi (Ben Kingsley) and his non-violent crusades for the rights of Indians in South Africa and his fight to gain independence for India from English colonial rule. It covers the period in Gandhi's life from 1893 to 1948.
The 190 minute film is divided into two parts. Part I deals mostly with Gandhi's time as a lawyer in South Africa. It starts with his being literally thrown off of a train for doing the unspeakable thing of travelling in a first class compartment. He immediately takes up the cause fighting for equal rights for Indians which he achieves over the ensuing twenty years.
Becoming somewhat of a legend back home, he is asked to take up the cause of obtaining India's independence from England. This fight takes up Part two of the film. He meets firm opposition from the British to the point that he winds up being thrown into prison many times. He goes on lengthy fasts to bring home his point of non-violence. Unfortunately, some violent happenings occur. The Amritsar massacre of 1919 results in several hundred Indian protestors being slaughtered. Another event occurs when police brutality results in a revolt against authority.
Violence among the Hindus and Muslims follows and seems unending until Gandhi mounts a long fast to the point of near death. Finally, he achieves his goal and sections of land are ceded to the Muslims in what now is known as Pakistan. India is granted it's independence from England in 1947 and becomes a full member of the British Commonwealth of Nations. Unfortunately, dissidents assassinate the elder statesman on January 30, 1948.
Director Richard Attenborough gives us a grand scale of the life of this great man. He populates his cast with several veteran and new performers. Ben Kingsley, who was largely unknown internationally, gives a mesmerizing performance as Gandhi. He was so convincing in the role that several native Indians saw him as a second coming. Rohini Hattangadi as Ghandhi's wife is equally outstanding.
Also in in the cast in roles of varying sizes are: Candice Bergen as Life reporter Margaret Bourke-White, Edward Fox as General Dyer the perpetrator of the Amritsar Massacre, John Geilgud, John Mills, Trevor Howard, Ian Bannen, Michael Hordern and Nigel Hawthorne as various authoritive figures, Ian Charleson as Charlie Andrews Ghandi's cleric co-patriot, Martin Sheen as a New York reporter and Geraldine James as Mirabehn an admiral's daughter who joins Ghandhi's crusade and becomes his adopted daughter.
Also watch for Daniel Day-Lewis as Colin the youth who confrons Kingsley and Charleson in South Africa and John Ratzenberger as Bergen's driver.
A magnificent film.