An epic historical drama worth seeing

A motion picture about South Africa's racial and political unrest during the tyrannical apartheid years, 1987's Cry Freedom is a stirring epic drama with an important story to tell, even if minor historical liberties are taken. Based on the books "Biko" and "Asking for Trouble" by journalist Donald Woods, Cry Freedom is to date the only movie which explores the life and legacy of Bantu Stephen Biko, an important political figure in South Africa's fight to end apartheid. The movie was directed by the late Richard Attenborough, who is no stranger to films of such scope or historical importance, having previously cut his teeth helming the likes of A Bridge Too Far and Gandhi. Even though Cry Freedom clocks in at an intimidating 157 minutes, Attenborough's confident sense of pacing staves off abject boredom, though it will not exactly enrapture viewers who prefer action-packed blockbusters. Indeed, the film requires patience, but it's a rewarding watch for those with the appropriate attention span.

In South Africa during the turbulent 1970s, white liberal Donald Woods (Kevin Kline) works as the editor of the Daily Dispatch newspaper, and is not shy about condemning the ideologies and actions of black anti-apartheid activist Steve Biko (Denzel Washington). However, Woods accepts Biko's invitation to visit the freedom fighter's impoverished black township, to witness first-hand the effects of the government's apartheid restrictions. Woods and Biko develop a fast friendship, with Woods coming to understand the blacks' point of view and later publishing articles in support of Biko's cause. When Biko abruptly dies in custody, officials are tight-lipped and deceptive, leaving Woods determined to expose the truth to the public. But this attracts unwanted attention and harassment from the South African authorities, threatening the safety of Woods and his family, including wife Wendy (Penelope Wilton) and their five children. Deciding to publish his book which reveals the South African government's racist and corrupt nature, Woods plans to flee the country and seek political asylum overseas.

Scripted by Gandhi scribe John Briley, Cry Freedom is broken into two distinct halves, initially chronicling the blossoming friendship between Woods and Biko as the newspaper editor learns to empathise with the black South Africans, while the second half traces Woods' risky mission as he endeavours to escape the country with his family. Commendably, Briley avoids the well-worn biopic structure, resisting the temptation to portray the life story of either Biko or Woods, instead remaining focused on portraying this important period stretching over a few years. Admittedly, the film is somewhat stodgy in its early stages, but things soon pick up once Biko and Woods begin spending time together, shining a light on South Africa's racial injustices and the need for change. Perhaps Cry Freedom feels a tad routine during Woods' escape from the country, but the craftsmanship is nevertheless commendable despite the third act's conventional disposition, and though there are moments of nail-biting tension, the events are not played up to a ridiculous extent for the sake of making things more exciting. (There is certainly no bullet dodging or any shootouts.)

Although Cry Freedom continues to draw criticism for its ostensible "white saviour" narrative since Woods is the protagonist, this angle actually makes the most sense. Aside from the story being true, filtering the narrative through Woods' eyes turns him into the audience surrogate, as he originally opposes Biko before becoming drawn into the activist's world and understanding his viewpoint. Furthermore, and perhaps more importantly, this approach lets Attenborough depict Biko's posthumous legacy, with Woods growing increasingly determined to publish his book and spread the truth, motivating him to flee the country he calls home. In other words, this is the most complete and cohesive story about Biko and Woods to tell within the time restrictions of a motion picture. Admittedly, some plot points and events feel slightly underdone, particularly the escalation of Biko's treatment in custody, which occurs off-screen, but one supposes that Attenborough chose to keep the material PG for wider consumption, rather than devolving into extended sequences of torture. On that note, the rating is certainly pushed to its boundaries during a violent dramatisation of the Soweto uprising late into the film, but Attenborough maintains an appropriate sense of tact amid the brutality.

Cry Freedom is an old-fashioned actors' movie, and an ideal cast fills out the ensemble. In the first role to earn him an Academy Award nomination, Washington is superb as Biko, espousing an unfailingly convincing accent and delivering a credible performance. Washington is riveting and above all magnetic in every frame, and he is sorely missed when Biko dies at the halfway mark. Luckily, however, a few flashbacks pepper the film's second half, which deepen both the story and the characters' relationships, in addition to providing more welcome screen-time for Washington. Matching Washington at every step is Kline (who won an Oscar for A Fish Called Wanda a year later), who's sublimely low-key and even-tempered, yet clearly conveys Woods' strong resolve and passion for the political cause. Kline's accent is credible and consistent, and he makes for a charismatic leading man. Meanwhile, Penelope Wilton (Shaun of the Dead) brings her trademark gravitas to the role of Wendy Woods, denoting another fine addition to the cast.

Despite the movie's political machinations and prolonged running time, Cry Freedom does not feel like a dreary history lesson, or like unwelcome homework. On the contrary, Attenborough stages an involving and edifying political drama, anchored by exceptional performances across the board and arresting visuals. Cinematography by the late Ronnie Taylor (Gandhi) is striking and eye-catching, while the generous $29 million budget results in authentic-feeling locations and sets. (The movie was primarily shot on location in Zimbabwe and Kenya.) Although Cry Freedom was poised to sweep the Academy Awards upon its release in 1987, it failed to make much of a mark, while it sank like a stone at the box office, with a final gross falling just short of $6 million. In spite of this, and despite the film ultimately fading into obscurity, Cry Freedom is well worth your time.