CATCH A FIRE
UK/South Africa, 2006, 101 minutes, Colour.
Derek Luke, Tim Robbins, Bonnie Mbuli.
Directed by Phillip Noyce.
Shawn Slovo, daughter of the anti-apartheid activists Joe Slovo and Ruth First, wrote the award-winning film, A World Apart, which was released in 1988, a memoir of her girlhood when her mother was in prison. Now she has written the story of Patrick Chamusso who went to South Africa from Mozambique as a 15 year old, worked hard in the mines and rose to be foreman in a refinery. When arrested for sabotage of the refinery and tortured, as was his wife, he became bitter against the South African regime and the Security forces, went to train with the ANC in Mozambique and Angola and returned to blow up the refinery. He was arrested and served ten years on Robbin Island.
There have been many films highlighting the hardships and the atrocities of the apartheid era. One thinks of the story of Steve Biko and Donald Woods in Cry Freedom, the court cases in A Dry White Season, the American reporter in Country of my Skull.
One complaint by social activists is that these films, geared for a Western audience, focus on white characters or characters from the West as well as black. Catch a Fire offers a balance with its story of Patrick Chamusso. The white characters are Afrikaaners, especially the security officer, played by Tim Robbins.
Australian Phillip Noyce discussed his suitability as director with Chumasso who told him that there was an advantage in the story being told by an outsider. Noyce has shown interest in race issues from the time of his short film Backroads (1977) to his world-acclaimed Rabbit Proof Fence (2002). As a craftsman with both Australian (Newsfront, Heatwave, Dead Calm) and American (Patriot Games and A Clear and Present Danger) experience, he is able to tell a story with excitement along with passion for the issues.
Patrick Chumasso is a decent man, able to support his wife and family, but is not a saint. He has another child to support. In doing this secretly, he becomes entangled in the accusations of sabotage and interrogation by the Security officials – including a rather bizarrely quiet and surface-friendly scene where he is invited to eat with the official and his family.
Humiliating treatment and torture change his whole attitude and he sees himself as a freedom fighter while the government brands him a terrorist. This raises the perennial issue of the difference between a member of the resistance in war, a freedom fighter and a terrorist. We have seen in the 20th century how yesterday’s resistance member or terrorist can become tomorrow’s statesman and politician, be it in France, Israel, Palestine or in the countries of Africa. The parallels with contemporary problem areas are quite clear whether they be in Iraq or in the border stations between Israel and Gaza.
The film is involving, evokes some responses of outrage. But, it finishes with the actual Patrick Chumasso appearing genially along with the actor who portrayed him so well, Derek Luke (Antwone Fisher). Chumasso reflects on his time on Robbin Island, the impact of Nelson Mandela, the end of apartheid and the impact of the whole movement for Truth and Reconciliation which is marked, as is Chumasso, by the spirit of forgiveness along with hope for the future.
1.The status of South Africa, apartheid, South Africa in the 21st century, its 20th century history? The impact in the present South Africa? World opinion? The Truth and Reconciliation Committee?
2.The work of Phillip Noyce, his films, his interest in race themes in his films?
3.The work of Shawn Slovo – her parents, their working for anti-apartheid causes, their exile and imprisonment? Her own writings? A world apart? Scenes of her parents in this film? Her perspective on the events and characters?
4.The title, the incendiary situations, the bombs and explosives and consequent fire? Patrick and his nickname as Hot Stuff?
5.The film based on a true story, the facts, the 1980s, situations for black Africans, the security forces? Individuals? Robin Island? The end of apartheid? The present – and the actual appearance of Patrick?
6.The ending: Patrick and his stating that he did not want to kill Vos? His motivation? The experience of Robin Island, learning there, the influence of Nelson Mandela? The Truth and Reconciliation spirit? His forgiveness? Hope? Optimism?
7.The locations: the South African settings, the townships, the refinery, homes, shops, the contrast with the cities? The African countryside? Mozambique and Angola? The feel and the look? The musical score – and especially the freedom songs?
8.The 1980s: the status and look of the townships, the hardships living there, the slum atmosphere, the families surviving? The children playing soccer in the dirt? Work opportunities? Shopping, the prosperous Africans? The poor? The contrast with the affluent life of the whites, the mansions, meals, isolation, servants? The police and their brutal attitudes? Behaviour at the roadblocks? The African uprising and the ANC seen as terrorism? The images of the holding cells and the torture rooms?
9.The prologue, Patrick and his family going to the wedding, the joy, the traditional music for the ceremony, the 80s music for the reception? Travel, family life, the explosions? The roadblocks and the stopping, the interrogation, instilling fear? The police and their questions? The treatment of the Africans? Humiliation?
10.Patrick Chamusso telling his own story, the background of his life, Mozambique, coming to South Africa when fifteen, the disappearance of his father? Hard work and survival in the mines? Work at the refinery, his success, foreman? His dealing with the bosses – saving the Africans when they when they used the white toilets? His marriage to Precious, the children, his love for them? Work, home scenes? His keeping the peace at work? His friends and neighbours, at work, his coaching the soccer, the kids playing, Sixpence and his arrival, skill at kicking, his being invited into the team, Patrick and his warnings to the children not to make mischief? The competition matches, the travel, the joy of success, the trophy? Shopping, his wanting to buy the truck? The happy aspects of his life?
11.His relationship with the other woman, his fathering the son? Giving him the present of the truck? Precious jealous and her listening to the phone call? The consequences, Precious and her later watching and betraying Patrick to the authorities? Patrick and his taking refuge with the woman and her child?
12.The explosion, the police raids, the arrests? Patrick and the visualising of his being tortured? Interrogated by Vos? The meal with Vos’s family, Vos and his daughters, his wife? The questions? Vos believing that Patrick did not cause the explosions? The torturing of Precious, Patrick’s reaction, the false confession, it being videoed? Vos letting him go? The harsh attitudes of the other men believing the confession – or using it?
13.Vos in himself, his work, his family life, teaching his daughters to fire the guns, the meal with his family, the invitation to Patrick? The torture of the suspects, the interrogations? The assault at his house and his daughter killing the intruder? Continuing the investigation about the explosions?
14.Mozambique and Angola, the ANC, the scenes with the Slogos? The training, the guns, the singing of the patriotic songs, the ANC and its war on the South African government? The plans? The information about the refinery? The contact with the pregnant woman – and the photos and Vos using them to provoke Precious? Patrick and his leaving, the spies and the photos, the surveillance, Vos following him in the car, passport control? The bugging of the car?
15.Vos and his following, the surveillance, Patrick realising it? Stopping, hiding, the escape to the plant, deceiving Vos as to where the explosion should be, the actual explosion, his move to the further detonations, Vos following? The men getting out – and their plan for no deaths?
16.Vos and his pursuit through the refinery, defusing the explosives, the arrest?
17.Robin Island, Patrick ten years there, his story of life on Robin Island? The scene of sailing to freedom?
18.Nelson Mandela, his speech, spirit, the defeat of apartheid?
19.Patrick, his voice-over, not killing Vos, Vos’s bearded and aged appearance? Patrick Chamusso kicking the soccer ball with Derek Luke? The Truth and Reconciliation Committee, the humane qualities of forgiveness?
20.The perennial issues of resistance, freedom fighter, terrorists – and the perspectives on war and justice?
