Barry John Movies
- 1986
This tragedy is about a man caught at the crosshairs where British colonial rule stifled Indian freedoms, told from the Indian point of view. Francis Massey (Raghuvir Yadav) works as a secretary for a British government officer in central India. The time is the end of the 1920s and a long way from independence. Francis tries to out-British his superior in every way. He dresses British and even marries British, in the sense that he has a church wedding. He is not the most efficient or talented worker, and his boss, the Commissioner Charles Adam (Barry John), often intercedes on his behalf. Massey's ironic destiny, however, is quite beyond the Commissioner's intercession. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Barry John, Arundhati Roy, (more)
It was Richard Attenborough's lifelong dream to bring the life story of Indian political and spiritual leader Mahatma Gandhi to the screen. When it finally reached fruition in 1982, the 188-minute, Oscar-winning Gandhi was one of the most exhaustively thorough biopics ever made. The film begins in the early part of the 20th century, when Mohandas K. Gandhi (Ben Kingsley), a British-trained lawyer, forsakes all worldly possessions to take up the cause of Indian independence. Faced with armed resistance from the British government, Gandhi adopts a policy of "passive resistance," endeavoring to win freedom for his people without resorting to bloodshed. In the horrendous "slaughter" sequence, more extras appear on screen than in any previous historical epic. The supporting cast includes Candice Bergen as photographer Margaret Bourke-White, Athol Fugard as General Smuts, John Gielgud as Lord Irwin, John Mills as the viceroy, Martin Sheen as Walker, Trevor Howard as Judge Broomfield, and, in a tiny part as a street bully, star-to-be Daniel Day-Lewis. Gandhi won eight Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Actor, and Best Director. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ben Kingsley, Candice Bergen, (more)
