Cry Freedom Page #3

Synopsis: Donald Woods is chief editor of the liberal newspaper Daily Dispatch in South Africa. He has written several editorials critical of the views of Steve Biko. But after having met him for the first time, he changes his opinion. They meet several times, and this means that Woods and his family get attention from the security police. When Steve Biko dies in police custody, he writes a book about Biko. The only way to get it published is for Woods himself to illegally escape the country.
Production: MCA Universal Home Video
  Nominated for 3 Oscars. Another 5 wins & 12 nominations.
 
IMDB:
7.5
Metacritic:
59
Rotten Tomatoes:
81%
PG
Year:
1987
157 min
2,279 Views


Yes, boss.

- Ken.

- Yeah?

You like football, don't you?

And sure...

sure as hell,...

...he's paying people to stir

up trouble between us.

Because when we fight

amongst ourselves, he can say;

"See? They aren't fit

to run their own lives!"

Then he can go on

telling us where to live,

and how to live.

He can pay us nothing,

and pass his laws without

listening to one word we say.

And, remember,

they killed

over 400 black

students last year.

We've got to

stick together.

As one people, we have to

make the white man know

that his free ride on the

back of black labour

is over, finished.

Now... now we've got

a surprise for you.

He's a little modest...

...but you listen to

what he has to say.

Listen, people.

This is the biggest illegal

gathering I've ever seen.

I heard what the last speaker

had to say... and I agree.

We are going to

change South Africa.

All we've got to decide is

the best way to do that.

And as angry as we

have the right to be,...

...let us remember...

that we are in this

struggle to kill the idea...

...that one kind of man is

superior to another kind of man.

And killing that idea is not

dependent on the white man.

We must stop looking to

him to give us something.

We have to fill the black community

with our own pride.

We have to teach our

children black history,...

...tell them about our black heroes,

our black culture,...

...so they don't face the white

man believing they are inferior.

Then... we'll stand up to him

any way he chooses.

Conflict if he likes,

but with an open hand too,...

...to say that we can all build

a South Africa worth living in.

A South Africa for equals...

black or white.

A South Africa as beautiful

as this land is,...

...as beautiful as we are.

That's the one who

made the speech.

Sit down.

You know I don't advocate

violence, De Wet,...

...but don't make the mistake of

treating me without respect.

Don't tell me

what to do, Kaffir.

Out of your banning area?

Talking to a crowd?

You won't be a witness

at that trial.

You'll be up there on the

stand with your friends.

Inciting racial hatred.

On whose words?

Hm? What's his name?

Captain De Wet, you are not going

to send me to a Pretoria court...

...on the evidence of a paid informer

in a cardboard box, are you?

Everyone knows those kind would say

whatever you wanted them to say.

You're a bit of poison, Biko, and

I'm going to see you're put away.

Not on that kind of testimony,

you won't.

Don't.

No, men.

He has to appear as a

witness for the defence.

We don't want it to look like

anything happened to him.

You're lucky, Biko.

Lucky.

I just expect to be treated

like you expect to be treated.

You and your

big-headed ideas.

If you're afraid of ideas,

you'd better quit now.

We'll never quit.

Come on!

What are you so afraid of?

Once you try, you'll see

there's nothing to fear.

We're just as weak

and human as you are.

We're going to catch

you red-handed one day,

then we'll see how

human you are.

I quote:

"I believe South Africa's a country in which

black and white should live together. "

Those are your words.

What does it mean?

It means that I, and those

gentlemen in the dock,...

...believe that South Africa

is a plural society,...

...with contributions to be made by

all segments of the community.

Mm-hm.

Are you familiar with the

language in the documents

the accused have discussed

with black groups?

- Yes, since some of those documents

were drawn up by me. - The one;

"Noting with concern and disgust the

naked terrorism of the government"?

- That is correct.

- You say "naked terrorism".

Do you honestly think

that is a valid statement?

I think it is a far more valid statement

than the charges against these men here.

- Really? - Yes, really.

I'm not talking about words.

I'm talking about

the violence in which,

people are baton-charged

by police, beaten up.

I'm talking about police

firing on unarmed people.

I'm talking about the indirect violence

you get through starvation.

I'm talking about the hopelessness,

the desolation of the transit camps.

Now, I think that,

all put together,

that constitutes more terrorism than

the words these men have spoken here.

But they stand charged,...

...and white society

is not charged.

When you and others in

black consciousness speak,

you say;

"Our true leaders have been banned

and imprisoned on Robben Island. "

Who are you referring

to specifically?

I specifically would refer to

people like Mandela, Sobukive,

to people like Govan Mbeki.

And is it not true that the common

factor with these people,

is that they have advocated

violence against the government?

The common factor

with these people

is that they have selflessly pushed

forward the struggle of the black man.

So, your answer to this so-called

"naked terrorism"...

...is to provoke violence

in the black community?

No, our movement

seeks to avoid violence.

But your own words call

for direct confrontation!

That's right.

We demand confrontation.

Isn't that a demand

for violence?

Well, you and I are now

in confrontation, but I see no violence.

But nowhere in

these documents...

...do you say that the white

government is doing anything good.

It does so little good, my lord,

that it is not worth commenting on.

But, surely that approach...

...inflames racial hatred

and anti-whiteism?

My lord, blacks are not unaware

of the hardships they endure,...

...or what the government

is doing to them.

We want them to stop

accepting these hardships...

...to confront them.

People must not just give

in to the hardships of life.

They must find a way,

even in this environment, to...

...to develop hope.

Hope for themselves,...

...hope for this country.

Now, I think that is what black

consciousness is all about.

Now, without any reference

to the white man,...

...to try and build up

a sense of our own...

...humanity,...

...our legitimate

place in the world.

Rip the telephone out.

Go and help them finish off.

This will show the bastards.

Lord, it's warm.

Donald, go to Kruger.

He says he'll fight police illegality.

We'll take him up on it.

Kruger? He'd probably

give them a medal.

Mamphela, whatever his prejudices, he

won't condone this sort of thing publicly.

Oh, won't he? I'll bet you

he'll find an excuse for it.

You're positive it was

Captain De Wet?

- You're positive it was Captain

De Wet? - Yes, I am.

Where's Steve?

He went to the clinic to draw

off the security police.

He didn't want anyone

seeing Dilima talking to you.

Donald, fly to Pretoria.

The local police will only

laugh at you here.

Ah, Mr. Woods.

You found your way.

Good morning, sir.

The minister of police, and I walk right

into your grounds, not a soul in sight.

Uh, perhaps not in sight,

but if you weren't expected...

Come in, come in. I'm just

having a drink. Will you join me?

- Yes, thank you. What are you having?

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John Briley

John Richard Briley is an American writer best known for screenplays of biographical films. He won the Academy Award For Best Original Screenplay at the 1982 Oscars for Gandhi. more…

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Submitted on August 05, 2018

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