Jeri Jacquin
This week on Bluray and DVD from director Amma Asante and 20th
Century Fox Home Entertainment comes a story of love and country along with A
UNITED KINGDOM.
Studying law in 1940’s Britain , Seretse Khama (David
Oyelowo) is out one night with friends when he sees Ruth Williams (Rosamund
Pike). They begin seeing one another much to the displeasure of Ruth’s parents
and even more so when she tells them she is engaged.
One announcement he does make to Ruth is that he is Prince
Seretse Khama of Bechuanaland
and he would soon need to return to his country. Thrilled at the prospect of
joining him, the couple begins to make plans. What they don’t count on is the
reaction of those around them because of the differences in the color of their
skin.
Ruth’s father makes it clear that if she goes, he will
disown her which upsets her mother and sister. Seretse’s Uncle Tshekedi Khama
(Vusi Kunene) who has been regent of their people while the prince has been away
at college is furious and claims the tribe will now allow it.
Returning to Seretse’s homeland in South Africa ,
his Uncle wastes no time in expressing himself as Ruth is berated by Ella Khama
(Abena Ayivor) and his sister Naledi Khama (Terry Pheto). Thinking nothing else
could possible happen, Seretse’s Uncle tries to stir up the villagers to turn
against their future King.
That is when Sir Alistair Canning (Jack Davenport ) and Rufus Lancaster (Tom Felton)
begin to use the strong arm of politics to try and break the couple apart. But
Seretse begins to discover that there is perhaps something even more sinister
behind their plan to bring more than a couple under their rule.
Tricking Seretse into returning to Britain to work on the matter, a time of exile
begins and the fight to protect their own country as they call upon the
international community to help restore what would become the Republic of Botswana
Oyelowo as Seretse gives a strong performance as a man
unwilling to be told by either side who to love or how to rule. He portrays a
man who thinks carefully before reacting and believes in the premise that left unchecked;
Britain
could take what belongs to his people. I enjoyed Oyelowo’s portrayal of this
man who was before his time.
Pike as Ruth portrays a woman who is also before her time.
Learning that the opposition of being with Seretse was hated on both sides, she
still chooses to stand by her husband and the country that adopts her in the
end. Pike’s performance gives us only a taste of what it must have been like
and that is more than enough to know that the beginning of their life was
difficult beyond belief.
Kunene as Tshekedi Khama is set in his traditional ways and
is the catalyst for Britain
do try and take what is not theirs. Ayivor as Ella Khama has a spiteful tongue
having no difficulty in telling Ruth what she thinks but then again family is
always the first to have an opinion.
Pheto as the King’s sister Naledi Khama is not happy at
first believing their people would never accept a white Queen. Once she becomes
aware of how everyone, both black and white, are treating Ruth, it is time
someone was on her sister-in-law’s side.
Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment brings
award-winning global product and new entertainment to DVD, Bluray, and Digital
HD. There amazing collection offers fans an opportunity to expand their own
home libraries with the best films. To discover what other titles they have
please visit www.fox.com.
A UNITED KINGDOM
includes the Bonus Features of Making of
A United Kingdom , Filming in
Botswana
A UNITED
Kingdom is a story of two people who were
unwilling to give either side the satisfaction they sought. Whether through the
color of their skin, the politics or the under handedness of mining their land
– they may have stumbled but did not fall.
This history of King Khama is complex enough yet the film
gives us all a look that makes looking further into the story a must. The
performances of the film are strong and do not sugar coat in any way the issues
of the 1940’s both in Britain
and in Botswana .
Yet the strength of these two people brings both the hope
and the belief that when facing injustice head on, something has to give!
In the end – it is the story of a love that shook an empire!
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