The 1995 film Cry, the Beloved Country tells the emotional story of Stephen Kumalo (James Earl Jones), a small town preacher in South Africa who embarks on a journey to Johannesburg to find his son Absalom. Kumalo is shocked by the horrors of apartheid in the big city and even more distraught when he discovers that Absalom is involved in the murder of Arthur Jarvis, a white activist for racial justice. Kumalo and the victim's father, wealthy landowner James Jarvis (Richard Harris), both struggle to find common ground as they try to come to terms with the loss of their sons.

Cry, the Beloved Country was the second film adaptation of Alan Paton's highly praised 1948 novel of the same name. It was also the first feature film to be produced and shot in the newly democratic nation of South Africa. The film's producer Anant Singh had acquired the rights to the novel in 1991. However, he delayed production until apartheid had been abolished in South Africa, culminating in the democratic election of President Nelson Mandela in 1994.

The cast and crew of Cry, the Beloved Country knew from the beginning that they were all part of a project that was very special. "Everyone involved in this movie knows that we're doing something important," said co-star Charles Dutton during the shooting of the film, "and that it really has something to do with them personally. The whites as well as the blacks." In the 2002 edition of his autobiography Voices and Silences James Earl Jones notes the same attitude. "The crew was fully integrated," Jones writes. "Because the blacks among them really wanted to be part of this particular movie, they had to put up with the residue of apartheid. You noticed how the white crew chiefs dealt one way with black crew members and another way with white crew members. It was astonishing to see an almost unconscious remnant of the past still existing. But the black crew members tolerated this behavior because they wanted to be part of Cry, the Beloved Country. They wanted to have jobs in the production of an important film, and they wanted to help make it important."

James Earl Jones was thrilled to play the role of Stephen Kumalo, which he counts among his favorites. Co-star Richard Harris was also happy to be a part of Cry, the Beloved Country. "I think the script was absolutely wonderful," he said during filming. "It was one of the most beautiful scripts I'd ever read. And the part, though not an enormous part, it was a key part, and I thought it would have to be played well for the picture to work." In a 1996 interview Harris added, "When I found out James Earl Jones was going to be in the movie, I was pleased. I can see no one else in the world who could play the role of Stephen Kumalo. He is so saintly and dignified...What we did with Cry was play alongside a fantastic cast, work with a gifted director, from a magnificent script. What more could an actor ask for?"

Hillary Clinton and Nelson Mandela both attended the gala premiere of Cry, the Beloved Country in New York, bringing positive attention to the film. "Much of what is portrayed in Cry, the Beloved Country evokes such strong emotions about the terrible past from which South Africa has just emerged," said Mandela at the premiere. "Cry, the Beloved Country, however, is also a monument to the future."

South Africa had high hopes for Cry, the Beloved Country to be the breakout success for its budding film industry. However, mixed reviews and poor promotion, according to James Earl Jones, resulted in the film not getting the attention it deserved. "The distribution company had a choice of putting all their efforts behind Il Postino (1994) or behind Cry, the Beloved Country," he writes in his autobiography. "Because Cry, the Beloved Country did not get an overwhelming reception in its homeland of South Africa, and because Il Postino had a romantic theme they thought was more popular, they ignored Cry, the Beloved Country and gave their heavy promotion to Il Postino. "

While Cry, the Beloved Country may have come and gone from theaters without much fanfare, it is a beautifully realized film. Its heartfelt story, gorgeous location photography and shattering performances by Jones and Harris make Cry, the Beloved Country a true undiscovered gem. "Our film was one of those that almost everybody missed," says Jones in his autobiography, "but it was an experience I cherish." Producer Anant Singh remarked in a 1996 interview that "although apartheid is over, I think this story is more relevant today than ever before. When you consider that Paton wrote at the end of the book, 'the day would come when there would be freedom for all people in South Africa,' I doubt that he imagined it would ever happen in this century."

Producers: Anant Singh, Harry Alan Towers
Director: Darrell Roodt
Screenplay: Ronald Harwood, Joshua Sinclair; Alan Paton (novel)
Cinematography: Paul Gilpin
Art Direction: Roland Hunter
Music: John Barry
Film Editing: David Heitner
Cast: James Earl Jones (Rev Stephen Kumalo), Tsholofelo Wechoemang (child), Richard Harris (James Jarvis), Charles S. Dutton (John Kumalo), Dolly Rathebe (Mrs. Kumalo), Jack Robinson (Ian Jarvis), Jennifer Steyn (Mary Jarvis), Patrick Ndlovu (man 1), Darlington Michaels (man 2), King Twala (man 3), Somizi Mhlongo (young thief), Sam Ngakane (Mafolo).
C-120m.

by Andrea Passafiume