An earnest, well-meaning production, this lethargically-paced adaptation of Alan Paton's internationally acclaimed novel set in South Africa during the mid-1940s stars James Earl Jones as Stephen Kumalo, a Zulu country pastor who goes to Johannesburg in search of his son Absalom (subtlety is not the film's strong suit). Once there, he discovers that his son has accidentally killed a white man--a champion of the rights of blacks, it turns out. Richard Harris, wealthy landowner who supports apartheid policy, plays James Jarvis, the father of the murdered young man. Lovely filming, a stirring John Barry score, and Jones' quiet but commanding presence almost compensate for the slowness of the story, and the fact that Harris's great white master turned compassionate humanist is a little far-fetched. An optional purchase. (R. Pitman)
Cry, The Beloved Country
(Miramax, 120 min., PG-13) Vol. 11, Issue 4
Cry, The Beloved Country
Star Ratings
As of March 2022, Video Librarian has changed from a four-star rating system to a five-star one. This change allows our reviewers to have a wider range of critical viewpoints, as well as to synchronize with Google’s rating structure. This change affects all reviews from March 2022 onwards. All reviews from before this period will still retain their original rating. Future film submissions will be considered our new 1-5 star criteria.
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