Beautiful, epic portrait of India's man of peace...but with qualms

Rating: 9/10 (11 May 2006)

This is a magnificent portrayal of the life of India's Mahatma Gandhi. The film begins with Gandhi's assassination by a fellow Hindu and his massively attended funeral. It then proceeds to chronicle his life over a half century, from his early years as a young lawyer, to his advocacy of non violent protest as his country's spiritual leader, resulting in the peaceful liberation of India from British rule.
Gandhi was an Indian attorney, educated in England, who went on to take up the cause of racial equality in South Africa. He then returned to India and struggled to bring about his country's independence from Britain through the use of nonviolent means. One of his major obstacles was the uniting of Hindu and Moslem Indians in this cause. He achieved his goal of independence but through the formation of two separate countries, India and Pakistan, with a further division of Pakistan later forming Bangladesh. In depicting Gandhi's life, the film paints a vivid portrait of racial discrimination, both in South Africa and in his native India. Gandhi is an important historical figure as other great leaders, such as Martin Luther King Jr. and Nelson Mandela, have employed his peaceful approach to causes of civil rights and racial equality in their own countries.
This was a simple & humble man without wealth, property, official title, or political position. Yet Gandhi is seen as India's greatest leader, a man who insisted that his followers achieve their goals through civil disobedience rather than violence. The film captures with equal brilliance his simple tasks, such as spinning cotton or scooping salt, and his dramatic methods, especially his fast unto death. Gandhi's commitment to his goals and his determined but peaceful pursuit of them are well portrayed, as he shows himself willing to suffer and possibly even die to achieve his ends.
Ben Kingsley, a British actor of paternal Indian origin himself, is masterful in his portrayal of the great Hindu leader, both during his years as a young lawyer in South Africa and later as the simple and modest man wearing wire rimmed glasses, a loin cloth, and shawl. He perfectly captures Gandhi's humility, intensity, dignity, and inner strength. Although Kingsley had a significant role in Schindler's List, for me he will always be Gandhi in the role he was born to play.
The wonderful star studded supporting cast includes John Gieguld as the Indian Viceroy (Lord Irwin) who ignores Gandhi, John Mills as the earlier Viceroy, Edward Fox as the cruel English General Dyer who ruthlessly fires on a crowd, Trevor Howard as the considerate and respectful Judge Broomfield, and Ian Charleston as a local Christian clergyman. Journalistic roles are portrayed by Candice Bergen as a photographer for Life magazine, and Marin Sheen a New York Times reporter.
The movie was filmed on location in India and has stunning cinematography throughout. The scenes of India (both countryside and crowded Calcutta) plus the dramatic funeral crowd depiction which features half a million extras, lend this film the impression of a sweeping epic. David Lean's only worthy rival is Richard Attenborough, who directed this picture. It fully deserved its numerous Oscars which include Best Picture, Actor, Director, Cinematography, and Costuming. This is an incredible movie which gives viewers of all nations and faiths an appreciation for the life and work of India's beloved Hindu leader.
However, I have some definite qualms about this epic. As is often the case with Hollywood, Christianity is not cast here in a particularly stellar light, Christians are generally depicted as bigots, and the clergyman is not personally very inspiring. Rev. Andrews seems to have a weak theology himself and is portrayed as rather pathetic compared with the wise & great Hindu leader. I have little knowledge of the movie's historical accuracy in its depiction of Gandhi. While one certainly should not cast aspersions upon the deceased, this picture appears to totally overlook any flaws Gandhi may have had. I am quite leery of putting people on pedestals and frankly, the Indian leader is elevated to a state approaching deity in this film. Certainly Gandhi made an enormous contribution to India's history and became an admirable model of peaceful resistance to injustice, but it is Christ who set the example of a life lived perfectly. He is another who lived humbly without wealth, property, title, or position and is the one on whom we should genuinely model our lives in every respect. Gandhi is unquestionably a stunning film, but I bear all this in mind.