page_title: Rhodes of Africa
section_title: Plot
hierarchical_section_title: Rhodes of Africa / Plot
caption_attribution_description: English: Rhodes of Africa 1936-Rhodes explaining the future plans of his company to his workers
context_page_description: Rhodes of Africa is a 1936 British biographical film charting the life of Cecil Rhodes. It was directed by Berthold Viertel and starred Walter Huston, Oskar Homolka, Basil Sydney and Bernard Lee.
context_section_description: The movie begins with the captions: "The life of Cecil Rhodes is a drama of the man who set out single-handed to unite a continent. In the pursuit of this task he spared neither himself nor others. By some he was hailed as an inspired leader, by others he was reviled as an ambitious adventurer. But to the Matabele--the very people he had conquered--he was a Royal Warrior, who tempered conquest with the gift of ruling. At his death, they gave to him, alone of white men before or since, their Royal Salute Bayete! Perhaps these children of Africa came closest to understanding the heart of this extraordinary man" which explain that there is controversy about Cecil Rhodes: whether he was a hero and an inspirational figure or ambitious adventurer. But for the African nations he conquered, he was a royal warrior. And in his death, he was the only white man to be honoured with their royal salute.
  The film opens with an explanation of what South Africa's map looked like in the year 1870. After the explanation the film shows a family in the Cape Colony that have found a diamond. Following this, a complete diamond rush began. Then, Rhodes made his first appearance on the film, in the Kimberley Club. There, he meets his opponent who plans to buy all the Kimberley mines, and Rhodes said that's also what he plans to do. Then he goes to the doctor, and the doctor tells him he only has six more years to live. After they talk, the doctor claims that Rhodes has a desire to live, which is better than any medicine he can give.
  Ten years later – his doctor told that he doesn't believe and congratulates Rhodes for managing to purchase all the mines in Kimberly. Then, he says, ten years ago, he only gave him six more years to live, and Rhodes said he had even a spare moment to think about it ever since. After they had a little chat, Rhodes's opponent came in and said he didn't understand how Rhodes managed to win, and Rhodes explained to him that his employees spied on him, gave Rhodes all the inside info, and that's why Rhodes managed to win. After Rhodes's opponent gets less mad, Rhodes said he wants to invite him to work for his company.
  Rhodes shows the map of Africa to his employees at British South Africa Company, explaining that north of where they are, the Transvaal Republic has rich gold mines, and that this poor country is no longer poor. These mines are not available to them, but in the land north from Transvaal, who knows what they will find, gold, copper, coal, fertile land for agriculture. He explained that the diamonds they found could be over, so he had to expand. At first there was resistance, but then he was able to persuade them.
  The Transvaal President, his mother, and his friend - Henry talking about Rhodes with a woman who came to visit them. They are aware that Rhodes is planning to meet Lobengula, and Kroger (the Transvaal president) tells Henry that he must get there first and warn Lobengula. As Rhodes enters into the borders of the land of Lobengula, many local people surround him, bringing him to their king. At first, Lobengula is angry that all the white men who come to this country want something from him, saying that if he could have gotten rid of every one of them, he would have done it. His soldiers start aiming their javelins at him, but then Rhodes said he wants to talk to the king, and they took down the javelins. Rhodes told king Lobengula will not be able to get any rest from all the white people who come to bother him unless he makes a deal with one such person strong enough to protect him. After a little persuasion, he shows him a contract and Lobengula signs it.
  A few days later, Rhodes arrives to the house of the president of the Boers, informing him that he has managed to obtain the land of Lobengula. He says the two strongest countries in Africa need to work together, otherwise there will be war. Krueger says that if there was a war it would be the fault of the English and not his fault. Rhodes says it doesn't matter who it is, because if there is a war, it will destroy what Rhodes built and what Krug
caption: Rhodes talking to the employees the British South African Company
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