MANDELA: LONG WALK TO FREEDOM

UK/Africa, 2013, 141 minutes, Colour.
Idris Elba, Naomie Harris.
Directed by Justin Chadwick.

Nelson Mandela was one of the most significant personalities of the 20th century. His life, and especially his endurance, if they were the subject of fiction, might seem exaggerated. But his story was well known all over the world, finally written by Mandela himself in his autobiography, Long Walk to Freedom. Now screenwriter, William Nicholson (Shadowlands, Nell, Les Miserables, Everest) has adapted the autobiography for the screen, a difficult task in compressing 94 years of life into 2 ½ hours screen time. It is clearly the material for a television mini-series. However, audiences will be pleased to have this cinema biography available.

The film is in the traditional biopic style, a fairly straightforward presentation of Mandela’s life. It follows his life chronologically, with some alerting sequences when he was a boy, his family, initiation ceremonies in the 1920s. We also see something of his early professional life as a lawyer, an excellent scene which sets a tone for the film where a black woman is accused of stealing a white woman’s lingerie, the woman in high dudgeon at being questioned by a black man who effectively wins the case for the accused, not without some humour. But, at this stage he is not politically active though sought after by the African National Council.

Injustices are dramatised effectively, and the humiliating treatment by the white population. With the legislation for apartheid in 1948, Mandela, who had married and had a family, opts for protest, leaving his wife and family, and becoming involved politically. He becomes increasingly radicalised, showing his abilities in leadership. As is well-known, after the failure of protest, he opts for some sabotage activity, shown briefly in the film, and he and his comrades are arrested, tried, and, to avoid making them martyrs, the judge sentences them to life imprisonment.

Many audiences will be aware of this part of Mandela’s life but it is interesting for it to be fleshed out, however briefly. It was at this time that he encountered Winnie whom he married. The group is sentenced to Robben Island, off the coast at Cape Town.

Again, audiences will know something of the 18 years he spent on Robben Island and the further nine years in prison on the mainland. But, it is dramatic to see the island, the cells of the prisoners, the courtyard where they worked, the quarry where they slaved, and, again, the humiliating treatment by the warden and the brutality of most of the guards.

For those interested in Mandela’s influence on South African politics, the film shows the discussions with the white politicians, with President De Klerk, the combination of shrewdness and practical idealism that marked Mandela’s ability to change South Africa. Ffter his release, there were riots and killings of traitors amongst the black Africans (shown graphically). But, in showing the broadcast where he spoke plainly, offered leadership, explaining that fighting the whites was a war that could not be one, we see him as the elder statesman, stressing peace. His final words in the film are about people not being born haters, their having to learn that, but that human beings are born with the capacity to love.

Idris Elba is able to capture the manner and the speech patterns of Mandela. Perhaps he is made to look too old before his time and audiences may focus on the make-up for the older Mandela, a bit too obvious. But this does not detract from the performance and the communication of the spirit of Mandela.

While the story of the man himself is familiar, and he is seen, not perfect, as strong, even with touches of heroic leadership, from his early years, it is the story of Winnie that is dramatically effective in the sense that she has to move from a devoted young woman and wife, mother of Mandela’s children, to a woman who is arrested, tortured, kept in solitary confinement 17 months, who becomes a leader, ever more embittered, alienated from her husband’s non-violent approach, becoming actively militant, even to military uniform, separating herself from her husband’s way of achievement, and their personal separation and divorce. Which is a sad, openly public, comment on the complexities of the anti-apartheid movement and the walk to Freedom.

Morgan Freeman made a great impression as Mandala in Clint Eastwood’s Invictus. He was played by Denis Haysbert in a little seen film of 2009, Goodbye Bafana), a drama of Mandela’s final prison years and his emergence on the world scene with a focus on the sympathetic guard, played by Joseph Fiennes, who is also dramatised significantly in this film. Other portrayals of interest include a 1987 biopic (worth looking at in retrospect) with Danny Glover and in two films about Winnie Mandela.

Long Walk to Freedom ends in 1994, Mandela is elected President, confounding the expectations of both black and white South Africans, unthinkable six years earlier when the discussions about his release began.

This is a worthy film, and an opportunity for audiences to obtain more knowledge about Mandela, about apartheid, about South African politics, and the extraordinary phenomenon that was Nelson Mandela himself.


1. The impact of this film? First released while Mandela was alive? Worldwide release after his death? Audience knowledge of Mandela, appreciation of him, seeing this film after the completion of his life and work?

2. His autobiography, adapted for the screen, the 2 ½ hours? It’s being seen as an overview, a portrait?

3. The African locations, the countryside terrain, the mountains, the villages, the rivers? Johannesburg, the 1940s, the streets and buildings, vehicles, government buildings, law courts? The further scenes of Johannesburg and the development over the 20th century? The musical score?

4. Sharpeville, Orlando, Soweto? In themselves, the various sections, better-off, poorer?

5. Pre-apartheid South Africa? The separations? The superior attitudes of the whites, the day-by-day arrogance, calling the men ‘boys’? The laws?

6. Legislation, separation, violence, the arrest of the drunk young man without a document, the consequences?

7. The title, the autobiography, the emphasis on the very long walk, the fact that it was a walk, the nature of freedom in South Africa? Audience awareness of pre-apartheid South Africa? Knowing Mandela’s life, especially his imprisonment and on Robben island, later? His time as president? His ultimate status?

8. A man of the 20th century, extraordinary, man of principles, the ultimate statesman?

9. As a boy, in the 1920s, life in the village, his dreams about the members of his family, his family at home, the initiation ceremonies, the painting, in the river, the rituals, his becoming a man?

10. The change to the 1940s, his studies, his poise, people calling him ‘boy’ in the street, going to the court, the woman accused of stealing from her mistress, his taking the case, pleading the case, the white woman in the dock and her melodramatics of being insulted, the humour with the underwear, winning his case? The ANC members and their interest in him, his not being interested in politics? His personal life, at the club, relationship with women? His wooing his first wife, the marriage, children? Her anger with him and leaving? His sympathetic assessment of his wife and hard on his own behaviour?

11. The protests, the issues, the crowds, the need for leadership, separating from his wife in the crowd, her going home, his not going home, joining the protests, politicised?

12. The 1950s, the action in protest against the new apartheid, his learning, the encounters with Winnie, the courtship, in the countryside, the marriage? The further oppression, getting information about how to make bombs, the explosion and sabotage, the group being arrested, taken to court? The discussions between the group, and the prosecutors and defenders? Mandela as the first accused, the decision to plead guilty, even to die? Winnie in the court, on the television, her demeanour? The judge and his sentence, his explanation of not making them martyrs, life imprisonment?

13. The plane, landing in Robben Island, the warden and his speech, his social status, his own wealth and not needing to be there, making their life a misery? The guards, the brutal treatment? The regime, the cells, basics, the work, sitting in the rain, working in the quarries, smashing stone in the courtyard? His receiving the letter and the cut-outs in censorship? No visits, the change over the years, Winnie’s visit?

14. The group, the characters in person, the National African Council, their views, relying on Mandela’s leadership?

15. The 18 years, remaining the same, the routines, his ageing, the young men arrested and critical of him, growing tomatoes? His explanation of separate fingers, the hand together with force?

16. Winnie, the drama of her life, young, going to court, as a mother, the attacks on her house, not wanting police to touch her, not touch her children? The arrest, the brutal treatment, solitary, the physical examinations? 18 months? Ageing, the effect, the militancy, disagreeing with Mandela, visiting him?

17. The intercutting of world reactions, significant figures like Desmond Tutu, the financial situations and boycotts, sanctions? Protests?

18. Transfer from Robben Island, the dormitory and their all bring together, the better treatment?

19. The pressure on the South African government, the visit of the officials, the discussions? Mamdela’s standing firm? De Klerk and the meeting, his
integrity, Calvinist spirituality, political pressure and personal conviction? Mandela making no concessions? The group against his soul negotiations? The group vote, his disagreeing? His being released, media coverage, Winnie and her meeting him?

20. The pleasant guarded, his friendship with Mandela, supervising the visits, of Winnie, of the daughter and her meeting her father almost for the first time? His supervising the transfer from Robben Island?

21. Mandela’s freedom, the effect, the riots, the young and yet angry South Africans, Winnie and her military uniform?

22. The separation of husband and wife? Their long life together? Her not being able to tolerate his stances? His kindly words about her?

23. His radio speech, a voice of leadership, anti-violent, relying on the vote? The importance of peace? A statesmanlike address?

24. The election of 1994, the exhilaration of the people voting, the queues?

25. Mandela elected as President, his final words about hate not being natural, having to be learnt? Love being natural?

26. A portrait of his considerable achievement?