GOODBYE BAFANA
UK/South Africa/Belgium, 2007, 125 minutes, Colour.
Joseph Fiennes, Dennis Haysbert, Diane Kruger.
Directed by Bille August.
Another welcome opportunity to look back at the history of South Africa and apartheid and to try to understand what happened. It also offers the opportunity to see Nelson Mandela during the time of his imprisonment and a glimpse of his personality and stature.
James Gregory was a young policeman from the Transkei when he was appointed to Robben Island in 1968. Although he had grown up on a farm and had a black friend, the Bafana of the title, he had absorbed the apartheid mentality and its racial prejudices as well as the fear of ANC terrorist activity. Because he spoke Xhosa, he was put in charge of Nelson Mandela and to spy on him. He was also in charge of censoring all mail on the island and of sitting in on the six-monthly visits from family.
Over a twenty year period, he got to know Mandela better and as a person, read something of the ANC freedom charter (which was officially banned) and began to appreciate his prisoner more and more.
When world opinion and movements within South Africa led to the government exercising a greater PR moderation at the end of the 1980s and Mandela was moved to a more comfortable internment (not that Robben Island, as we see in the detail of the film, was comfortable at all), Gregory was asked to be there. He finally prepared for Mandela’s release, after 27 years, on February 11th, 1990.
This is a film about Nelson Mandela but he is not the central character. This is James Gregory’s story based on his book. It is a look at the times and the characters from a white South African point of view and a way into this period for a non-African audience, something parallel to Cry Freedom and Steve Biko’s story via editor Donald Woods.
Visitors to Robben Island now are taken around the sites by former prisoners. Their commentary is full of healing and forgiveness, the fruit of a mentality of truth and reconciliation which was fostered by the Committee and its hearings from the mid-1990s.
Dennis Haysbert, best known for his role as the US president in the series 24, brings strong presence to his interpretation of Nelson Mandela. How Mandela kept his composure, grace and sanity through his almost three decade internment is an example to us all – ratified by his election as president of the country in 1994 and his subsequent presence on the world stage.
The burden of the drama rests with Joseph Fiennes who gives one of his best performances. Usually somewhat buttoned up in his roles, Fiennes shows a far wider range than usual and takes us on James Gregory’s intellectual and emotional journey from prejudice to understanding, respect and compassion.
He begins as something of a zealot, throwing his authoritarian weight around. He gives information to Pretoria that seems to lead to deaths including that of Mandela’s son in a car accident. He warms to Winnie Mandela and gives her some chocolate which causes more than ripples in the politics and press of the time. He begins to question, to ask Mandela about issues, to read and to see through the stances of the apartheid regime.
Interestingly, the screenplay puts the prejudiced views into the mouth of Gregory’s wife (Diane Kruger) who takes the status quo for granted, fears black terrorism and believes that apartheid is part of God’s plan where all are not equal and different ‘kinds’ should not mix. Despite her husband’s long contact with Mandela and Mandela’s help with her son and his studies, before his release, she had never set eyes on him.
The film was directed by the Oscar-winning Danish director Bille August (Pelle the Conqueror, Best Intentions and Les Miserables).
1.The impact of the film? South Africa? South African audiences? World audiences? South Africa during the 20th century, its heritage of the Afrikaaners and the blacks? The British? Change in the 20th century? The establishment of apartheid? World opinion?
2.The nature of apartheid? The quotations in the screenplay? James Gregory and his stances, the attacks on Kaffir-loving people? The blacks seen as terrorists? The ownership of the land? White fear and ignorance? The Freedom Charter and its being banned? The theological reasons for apartheid, what was natural, what was inferior? Separate races? The blacks as savages? The imprisonment, beatings, verbal abuse? The authorities, seeking information, spying, sinister behaviour, arranged deaths? The irony of Gloria Gregory never having seen Mandela?
3.The ANC, resistance, terror tactics, arms, violence? The role of the Freedom Charter? The South African authorities accusing them of being communists? ANC prisoners, the guidance of Mandela? The explosions, whites wanting vengeance – but the massacres in the townships like Soweto?
4.The response of the international community? South Africa becoming a pariah (and the glimpse of broadcast about cricket)? The role of sanctions? The government in the 1980s moving to public relations, bowing to pressure? P.W. Botha, De Klerk?
5.Joseph Fiennes as James Gregory? A South African, his background, growing up on a farm, the story of his change, his initial stances, possibilities, openness? As a character in himself? His memories of his boyhood with the young African, playing together, the photo? The presence of Mandela on Robin Island? Wisdom, personality, dignity? Demanding respect? Gaining friendship?
6.The opening in 1968, the wharf, the prisoners going to Robin Island, their treatment, the verbal abuse? Gloria and the children waiting? Information about Robin Island? The authorities, Robin Island as a secure prison, the ANC prisoners, only blacks? The visuals of the harbour, Capetown and Table Mountain? The barracks, the prison? The homes for the guards? The ordinary life there, food, hairstyles, gossip, socials? Yet the guards there for two weeks at a time? The contrast with the reality of the prison, the cells, isolation, the breaking of rocks in the courtyard, work in the quarry?
7.James and his job, knowing the language, appointed censor, reading the letters, clipping out sentences, listening to conversations in the language, reporting to Pretoria? His superior, the confidence of his superior, his being in Pretoria, his being a cog in the administrative wheel? The visit of Winnie Mandela, Gregory and his hard attitude, listening in, cutting her short, escorting her away? Fishing with the children, hiding them when the prisoners went past, children not to be seen? His having to explain the situation to his children? In the office, his assistant – bigoted? The inspection of the prisoners, his hard speech? Going to see Mandela, no reply? The information about Mandela’s son, having a driving licence, hearing that he had been killed in a crash, the article – hiding it and Mandela handing it back according to the regulations? Knowing the law about a prisoner’s grief and mourning? The officers, the spirit amongst the officers, of the NCOs? Hope for promotion? Gloria hoping for promotion?
8.Dennis Haysbert as Mandela, presence, size, words, dignity? In isolation? In the cell? The years in captivity? His role in the ANC, leadership, influence? The visits of his wife, every six months? The censoring of the conversation? The death of his son? Gregory and the grief? The talking with James, issues of promotion, freedom, communism, James and his treatment of Winnie Mandela? The influence of Mandela on James, going to town, going to the library, the Freedom Charter being banned, his reading it, taking it? In his tin, with the wristband from his friend? The insertion of the flashback, his friendship, saying goodbye to Bafana, the stick-fighting (and the later stick-fight with Mandela and his skill)? The effect on Gregory, observing, going to Capetown, the battering of the people without passes, the baby falling, Natasha and her being upset, having to explain things to Natasha, Gloria and her explanation of apartheid as God-given, the separation of the races, Scripture? The background of her family?
9.The years passing, the visit of Winnie Mandela and James giving her the chocolate, the headlines, the repercussions? The transfer of his superior? The upset by his wife? His being mocked in the bar, the fight? The 1970s, his wanting a transfer, the refusal? The man from Pretoria offering a compromise and his accepting it? Mandela refusing the deal when the minister came to the quarry in the helicopter? James going to the new work, the different house, the children growing up, Gloria and her wanting to do hairstyling? The boring years? Yet the changes in South Africa?
10.The changes in Mandela, in the country, his being transferred from Robin Island, the procedures, the diplomatic discussions, political implications, the world and public relations? In the house, all the mod cons? James and Gloria’s delight at the house? His job, his son assisting him, the style of life, Mandela and James having more time together? His son watching? The visits, the lenience, Mandela and the possibility of his touching his family?
11.James, the continued worry to his conscience, the death of Mandela’s son and his giving the information to Pretoria, the release of the prisoner and the information on the safe house, the raid and the reports of the killings? His sense of guilt, speaking to Mandela, Mandela’s consoling him, people doing their jobs? His confession to Gloria and her support?
12.Mandela, advice to James, for his son to go to university, the son, his achievement, his driving back, his death? Natasha, growing up, her studies, the sadness of the funeral? The letter from Mandela?
13.James’s change over the decades, his wanting to be part of history, his own personal grief, preparing the meeting for De Klerk and Mandela, the authorities, the various personalities, the head from Pretoria coming to see him, surviving? The TV coverage, Mandela dressing, his tie? The gift? Gloria calling out to him?
14.Mandela, his relationship with Winnie, meeting and touching his family, his daughter speaking on television, the crowds, the television coverage? The background of television introduced in South Africa, the reports of atrocities? The death threats to Gloria and to the family? The security guard – and James discovering him too easily?
15.The end – and the final information, especially about Mandela as the democratically elected president of South Africa? An extraordinary transition from 1900 to 2000? As seen from the perspective of Mandela and black Africans, the ANC? As seen from the perspective of a man like James Gregory, typifying white South Africans?
