1981 by Moustapha Akkad
Libyans are fighting Italian colonialists for about 20 years. Mussolini, in 1929, appoints General Graziani as the Governor of Libya, in a last attempt to crush the 20 years long war. Libyans are all behind Omar Mukhtar, a 73 year old teacher and geurrilla, who has committed himself to this dream project of liberating Libya, almost sure it cannot be won in his time. Finally Mukhtar is captured, not before Graziani had to bring in most of Libya under a guarded concentration camp and having a barbed wire along the Libya- Egypt border, and hanged.
One of the best movies on guerrilla war and resistence. The movie, as it claims, is built on real life incidents and characters. It even shows some black and white shots of the original scenario in between which only adds to the authenticity of the movie. And at the end it also shows the BW photographs of the real Omar Mukhtar in chains.
I was really impressed by Mukhtar. Any 73 year old fighting for his birth land, with primitive guns, riding horses that too on the desert, is above most heroes. Brilliant.
Movie well brings out the patriotic factors and also the savagery of Colonialism. At the same time, there are also couple of Italian characters who are depicted as those valuing humanity and respecting Mukhtar. There are also some Libyans who supports the Colonialists.
It is a gripping movie on resistance and looks so authentic that it could be so close to a documentary. The war scenes were really authentic, not looked choreographed at all. Anthony Quinn steals the show as Mukhtar. What an amazing actor he is.
This movie was a huge box office disaster, may be because it was funded by Libyan autocract, Gaddafi. But then, when have the west and the powerful nations, including my own India, ever accepted any criticism with dignity.
Nearly, a century later, these kind of occupations still happens in the world is such a pity. I am sure news media, then was more independent and non corporatist. 100 years after, if stories of present occupations and freedom fights are scripted, how much truth would be available for those attempts?
Libyans are fighting Italian colonialists for about 20 years. Mussolini, in 1929, appoints General Graziani as the Governor of Libya, in a last attempt to crush the 20 years long war. Libyans are all behind Omar Mukhtar, a 73 year old teacher and geurrilla, who has committed himself to this dream project of liberating Libya, almost sure it cannot be won in his time. Finally Mukhtar is captured, not before Graziani had to bring in most of Libya under a guarded concentration camp and having a barbed wire along the Libya- Egypt border, and hanged.
One of the best movies on guerrilla war and resistence. The movie, as it claims, is built on real life incidents and characters. It even shows some black and white shots of the original scenario in between which only adds to the authenticity of the movie. And at the end it also shows the BW photographs of the real Omar Mukhtar in chains.
I was really impressed by Mukhtar. Any 73 year old fighting for his birth land, with primitive guns, riding horses that too on the desert, is above most heroes. Brilliant.
Movie well brings out the patriotic factors and also the savagery of Colonialism. At the same time, there are also couple of Italian characters who are depicted as those valuing humanity and respecting Mukhtar. There are also some Libyans who supports the Colonialists.
It is a gripping movie on resistance and looks so authentic that it could be so close to a documentary. The war scenes were really authentic, not looked choreographed at all. Anthony Quinn steals the show as Mukhtar. What an amazing actor he is.
This movie was a huge box office disaster, may be because it was funded by Libyan autocract, Gaddafi. But then, when have the west and the powerful nations, including my own India, ever accepted any criticism with dignity.
Nearly, a century later, these kind of occupations still happens in the world is such a pity. I am sure news media, then was more independent and non corporatist. 100 years after, if stories of present occupations and freedom fights are scripted, how much truth would be available for those attempts?
To my surprise, in my two and half years of stay in Europe I have never met a European who is ashamed of their unjust activities of colonialism. (Surely, good number of Germans are ashamed of what they have done in concentration camps). Without a thought of self-correction even now they call the indigenous south and central americans "indians", and in their language they still maintain a mocking usage "to play an indian" (meaning to say lies.
ReplyDeleteRajesh, I watched IL POSTINO. Really wonderful!!! At the end I struggled to control my tears. Thank you so much....
Father, but I must admit I have met more than a few Europeans and even Americans who were embarassed about the acts of their countries. But I agree with you, mostly they arent. It is also because of their education and the media.
ReplyDeleteI am really happy you saw Il Postino. I cant remember any other movie which gave me so much joy - a real deep sense of joy, the post man goes really into our heart.
Also please try to watch the secret of santa vittoria - nothing like IL Postman, but really nice. Incredible performance by Anthony Quinn