Deep Divisions in A United Kingdom
Directed by Amma Asante, A United Kingdom (2016) tells the true origin story of the southern African nation of Botswana and how the love between an African prince and a British office worker exposed repugnant racial divides not far beneath the surface.
Based on Susan Williams’ book Colour Bar and Guy Hibbert’s screenplay, A United Kingdom looks and feels like a love-conquers-all story at heart. But wrapped around that heart are toxic layers of racism, masculine privilege, female marginalization, imperialism, and capitalist greed.
Beginning in 1947, the film bounces between the opulence of the British government offices and social clubs and the vast, orange-hued landscapes of southern Africa. Driven by love and motivated by the mantra that “No man is free who is not master of himself,” Seretse Khama (David Oyelowo) and Ruth Williams (Rosamund Pike) embark on a simple quest: to be in love and live in peace.
Standing in their way, however, are a host of villains including Seretse’s uncle Tshekedi (Vusi Kunene) who rejects Seretse and Ruth’s marriage out of concern for tradition and, by extension, for the survival of his people. The white Brits, led by Sir Alistair Canning (Jack Davenport) and Rufus Lancaster(TomFelton)–non-historical characters invented for the film – come across as pompous, evil caricatures reflecting the cartoonish buffoonery of the racist mind. The end credits attest to Asante’s intent with the reference to the three white thugs who assault Seretse and Ruth on the street in the beginning of the film as “The Idiots.”
The acting throughout the film is strong but not overpowering. There are no juggernaut performances. Pike and Oyelowo have excellent chemistry. Together they imbue their characters with charisma and earnestness. It would have been easy for Asante to direct her leads as giddy, star-crossed lovers, hell-bent on defying tradition for the sake of infatuation or as some social experiment. Instead, Ruth and Seretse are portrayed as serious and intelligent. They are plagued by uncertainty about everything around them – how their friends and families will react, how their governments will interfere – everything except their love and their genuine respect for one another.
Though the strictly linear narrative loses some momentum when Seretse and Ruth are separated about an hour into the film, that separation is in keeping with the pervasive theme of apartheid (literally “apartness”). It is clear from the opening scene, a narrator’s voice and the image of a pen on paper, that this is a story that is being told.
This film does not deliver an inspirational message of triumph over adversity. No one is redeemed. The uncle and the white British officials surrender their opposition
A United Kingdom will be shown Tuesday at 7 p.m., Friday at 6:30 p.m., Sunday at 7 p.m. The Grandfather of All Treaties will be shown Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. for National Aboriginal Day! Churchill will be shown Thursday at 7 p.m. Saturday at 6:30 p.m. The Lure will be shown Friday at 9 p.m. Zarafa will be shown Saturday at 4 p.m. Pat Garrett and Bill The Kid will be shown Sunday at 4 p.m. as part of the Western Film series
for the sake of political expediency. They never change their hearts. Everything takes a back seat to fear, ignorance, and ideology. In the end, it is the discovery of diamonds in Bechunaland (later Botswana) and Seretse’s political maneuvering that enables the lovers to return home and to live together. Amidst the dysfunctional national love triangle between England, South Africa, and Botswana, the only united kingdom is the uncompromising love between Seretse and Ruth.
These are characters and a history worth knowing, and this is a film worth watching. ASK AMY
I dated a man two years ago who lied to me about who he was.
When I learned the truth about him, he stole my car and disappeared.
Some months later, he returned. He was apologetic and wanted to be back in the relationship, but I caught him lying a few more times. Even though we weren’t seeing each other like a regular couple, he cheated on me.
Now he is in jail and he needs me to help him.
He professes to be in love with me, says that he won’t cheat again and swears he will be true to me, but there is another woman he knows who is in love with him. He states that he does not love her in the way that he loves me. He says that she is like family.
She is helping him out with legal issues. I know for a fact that he doesn’t love her in a romantic way.
The problem is, she has told me that she loves him. She knows that he won’t love her the way she expects him to, but she still does things for him.
This makes me feel like I’m not doing enough for him, and that at some point she might win him over. He recently introduced me to his mother, which makes me think that he might actually be sincere this time, but I don’t know how to handle this other relationship.
I would love for us to coexist happily, with her as a friend, but she feels threatened by me and does not wish to have any relationship with me, other than to communicate his messages to me about how to help in resolving his legal issues.
How would you advise me to deal with this issue?
— ONCE AND FUTURE GIRLFRIEND
First, a quick question for you: What kind of sneakers do you have? My cursory research shows that Nike and Adidas are both good choices for super-fast footwear.
My advice is for you to lace up your fastest track shoes and run as fast and as far away from this mess as you can. If you are feeling generous, you might grab your guy’s other girlfriend and pull a
But please — at the very least, save yourself.
The man you are so concerned about is (by your account) a liar, a cheater, a manipulator, and a convicted criminal.
He is successfully playing you from his jail cell.
A man I once knew declared, very confidently, that, “Any man can get any woman.” I argued passionately that this was not true. Please, don’t prove him right.