INVICTUS

Do you know what I like most in a film? The ability to show me a different side of things. A different angle. So difficult these days as well, in our age of mass commercial film production, we seem to be rapidly running out of topics. That is, I think, why we are turning more and more towards real events, because real life is nearly always stranger than fiction. And this is how we can find fascinating stories even in the most famous events in history.

Take the election of Nelson Mandela (portrayed in the film by Morgan Freeman) as the president of South Africa. I’m sure we all have at least cursory knowledge of the Apartheid regime. And I’m sure we at least know that Nelson Mandela spent a lot of time in prison and was then elected president, right? The big question is what did he do after that? The Apartheid regime had ended, everyone was equal but that, in fact, was just the beginning. You see, think about it, the white South Africans had not just vanished over night… They were there, the memories of the Apartheid were there with everyone and the whole country seethed with enmity and division. Mr. Mandela was, therefore, faced with the rather formidable task of uniting his supporters with the very people they had been fighting against for all those years… The very people, in some cases, who had sent him to prison…

In troubled times like this, symbols gain more importance than ever. And the most mundane things sometimes suddenly gain symbolic meaning. Case in point, the Springboks, the South African National rugby team. Well, when I say National, don’t take it too literally, because at the time the team was seen as one of the tools of the Apartheid regime and black South Africans would cheer against literally anybody they were playing against just so they didn’t cheer for the Springboks. Not that the Springboks gave their fans much to cheer about, in 1990, when the story took place, they were going through the lowest of low patches performance-wise. Nelson Mandela quite unexpectedly for most, summoned François Pienaar (Matt Damon) the captain of the Springboks to tea at his residence one afternoon. You see, the people needed something to unite them. Something to rally behind. South Africa was hosting the rugby world cup in under a year. And the Springboks were the designated champions behind whom the people would rally… If François could motivate his team into getting their act together that is…

The film has a lot going for it to give it its due… It is produced and directed by Clint Eastwood – and that surprised me… I mean don’t get me wrong I have all the respect in the world for Clint Eastwood; however, his films generally tend have a rather “rugged, masculine” feel about them. This is especially pronounced if he is actually acting in them too. Now, I hear you protesting already: “Hey, it’s a RUGBY team. It doesn’t get more masculine than that, surely?” Ok, fair enough. And I won’t deny the fact that with the exception of ??? Mr. Mandela’s faithful assistant, almost all the female characters fell into nice little stereotypes (faithful wife, worried mother, homely housekeeper, serious secretary). However, the quiet, peaceful yet determined outlook of Mr. Mandela and the emotions of the South African people are portrayed with finesse and feeling – a fact that will surprise anyone who thinks of Mr. Eastwood as basically “A Cowboy”. I mean, naturally Mr. Morgan Freeman may have had just a touch to do with it – the man’s less of an actor and more of an institution as far as I’m concerned. Mr. Damon also holds his own – in fact both were nominated for Oscars ® this year for their respective performances in this film…

I am not a sports fan. I don’t see “the point” of a lot of sports (I won’t bore you with details that is the topic for a whole other entry). However, the power a sport has and the power of success are undisputable. This is a story about the vision of a truly extraordinary leader and a story of reconciliation – something the world truly needs a lot of these days. And I know I’ve ribbed Mr. Eastwood about being too macho in this article but it has to be admitted that the director of this films needs to be someone who “sees the point” of rugby (you know what I mean ladies – not the “esthetics” of the players but the actual sport ;) ) to tie it in with the social union of the people. A film of powerful emotion – and very deserving of a gander…