Cry, the Beloved Country | | Cast : | James Earl Jones, Richard Harris | | Director : | Darrell Roodt | | Studio : | Buena Vista Home Vid | | Format : | Color, Closed-captioned | | Released Date : | December 15, 1995 | | DVD Released Date : | January 25, 2005 | | Language : | English (Dubbed) | | Audience Rating : | PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested) | | | BUY THIS DVD FROM AMAZON |
Customer Reviews
| Rating |  | | Date | July 26, 2005 | | Summary | Cry The Beloved Country | Content
 | Very excellent movie, James Earl Jones did a wonderful
job. I read the book and the movie stayed true to it. |
| Rating | | | Date | June 29, 2005 | | Summary | A simple film about two fathers that leaves you amazed. | Content
| Talk about a relief from our sardonic, nihilistic world. I felt like I popped in a handful of Poignant Pills after I saw this film.
I could use words like captivating, rapturous or brilliant to describe the screenplay, the acting, the mood of this film; but I'm not going to. To do so would be wrong, for this film does something that most films can not - it speaks for itself.
In it, we have two fathers. One, a minister (Earl Jones) during apartheid in South Africa. Another (Harris) is a rich man who never understood his son. When the pastor's son fearfully and regretfully kills the rich man's son, we witness the human condition at its frailest core. The pastor's shame all but consumes him while the rich man is more pained by the fact that he never was able to know his son who so painstakingly worked to restore racial harmony long before it was popular. Instead of adding to the pastor's guilt, grief and pain at what his son has done, he restores him by graciously forgiving the man and his child. It is as if each man knows his place and is unwilling to move above it. Jones' character cannot forgive himself for what his son has done and Harris' character cannot forgive himself for refusing to reach a bit further into his boy's life. They find healing in one another, and this adds to the tone of the film.
This film is altogether amazing, both story-wise and visually. Both men tread upon great pains in this film, pains that cut them to the heart, but both persevere.
One of the top twenty-five films I've ever watched and one of the most under appreciated movies of all time.
5 out of 5. |
| Rating | | | Date | December 26, 2004 | | Summary | A Moving, Powerful Film | Content
| (my favorite film in my short lifetime among many good ones)
Cry, The Beloved Country is a triumph of redemption and hope in the face of terrible tragedy. How two men (wonderfully portrayed by screen legends James Earl Jones and Richard Harris) transcend their roles in life and move beyond the faultlines of race and vengeance is a story no one should miss. The country is beautiful, the characters are compelling and the story an invaluable contribution to anyone's understanding of South Africa's troubled past. |
| Rating | | | Date | June 08, 2004 | | Summary | The greatest novel-to-film translation ever. . . | Content
| I am 22. I love action movies, I love well executed sci-fi thrillers . . . so why on earth would I rate this as my favorite film of all time? . . . . . .Because one gets to a point in one's life when movies or any art for that matter, isn't about how much one is shocked, or how "entertained" one becomes . . . watching movies becomes like a mature appreciation of alcohol: one drinks and appreciates until satisfaction; not to become inebriated.
This film is the single most satisfying piece of visual art (besides the Brothers Karamazov, if that is visual art) I have ever experienced in my life. In metaphor to the prodigal son, the film deals with not only racial reconciliation, but much more importantly the deepest behavioral issues and ethos of agape: intense love for a family member. This is the single most redemptive film I have ever seen. The performances are riveting and non-cliched, and the cinematography is fascinatingly spectacular. Richard Harris delivers a breathtakingly believable portrayal of a rich white racist (of sorts) whose acting is really put to the test in incredible subtle and emotionally charged interplays between the novels colorful characters.
James Earl Jones' presence is nothing short of phenomenal. His performance is so captivating that tt seems that he might actually have been through a similar occurance in his own life. Of all the incredible movies that have been made, this is my favorite film. Please, do rent it. There are also some helpful reviews on the movies pace below my review as well. |
| Rating | | | Date | March 31, 2004 | | Summary | Fantastic Movie | Content
| Not only is this a magnificently written story, the acting in the movie is among the best I have ever seen. James Earl Jones and Richard Harris offer better than Oscar worthy performances. The movie also follows the book very closely, something novel for Hollywood. This movie should become required viewing for high school and/or college students studying South Africa and/or race relations throughout contemporary history. |
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