Double showing for A United Kingdom

THAME Cinema 4 All will be showing the film, A United Kingdom, twice this week as it is predicted to be extremely popular. The first screening will be on Thursday, March 30, at 10.30 am, and the second the following evening, Friday, March 31, at 8pm

THIS British-made film is a 12A certificate, is Directed by Amma Asante and stars David Oyelowo, Rosamund Pike, Jack Davenport, Tom Felton, Laura Carmichael.

Asante’s wonderful movie tells the story of a true life post-war interracial love affair that would have a significant impact on British politics, the colonial administration, and the nation that would become Botswana.

It begins in 1947. David Oyelowo plays Seretse Khama, a young man from Bechuanaland, then a British protectorate, studying law in London. He meets Pike’s Ruth Williams, a woman of humble middle class South London stock, working as a typist. Their first date goes exceptionally well. Realising that he wants to see this woman again, Seretse has to come clean: he is actually a prince in his homeland, and must return imminently to take the throne of Bechuanaland. The two are soon very deeply in love, and in spite of the multiple obstacles to their being together, they marry and he makes his triumphant return with Ruth as his bride. The reaction of Seretse’s people is, to say the least, suspicious, even hostile. But still more chilling is the response of Her Majesty’s government. Neighbouring South Africa, which was in the process of legislating apartheid, is appalled at the prospect of an African king with a white wife, and is threatening to withdraw from the Commonwealth – cutting off British access to its mineral resources.

The machinery of the Commonwealth, desperate to appease, does everything in its considerable power to come between the couple. They force Seretse to return to England alone and plead his case in exile, with considerable public support but up against the duplicity and imcompetence of the government. Meanwhile Ruth is effectively hostage in Bechuanaland, giving birth to their child, and gradually establishing a rapport with her new neighbours. This is a powerful and uplifting love story, a slice of colonial history, and a damning indictment of colonial politics and its functionaries, quite breathtaking in their smug arrogance (including a particularly juicy performance from Davenport as Alistair Canning). It will have you cheering as the credits roll, a real gem. View the trailer here.

CONTRIBUTED BY Catriona Gilmour Hamilton