Cry Freedom Page #5

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
2,386 Views


- What the hell are you doing here?

- We want to see her passbook.

- It's all right, master.

- At this time of night?

That's when they have

their boyfriends in.

You're talking to a

married woman, and I...

Master, I'll find it.

- We've asked this Bantu female...

- Woman! Bastard.

She's a woman,

not a Bantu female.

We can question Bantu any time.

It's our job.

There may be an

illegal male in there.

You're on my property.

Ach... you think you're a big editor

who can get away with anything.

I think I'm a man who's found

two intruders in his back yard.

Master...

Kom, Kobus.

We'll see about this.

Go on, piss off.

- You all right?

- Yes, master. Thank you.

Sipo can bring the children

here whenever you want.

Yes, master.

You're mad, Donald Woods.

I'm also shaking like a leaf.

- Get your own strawberry.

- If I got strawberry,

then you wouldn't be able

to taste my chocolate.

I was just being considerate,

you know?

You have a little of mine

and I'll have a little of yours.

What's the matter?

Ken!

Ken, be careful!

They may just beat him up to try

and scare him off the paper,...

...but it's more pressure

they're putting on.

I'm afraid they'll use him as an

example so that no other black...

- God, what the hell are you doing?

- I want to know about Mapetla. Hi.

- Coming into a white area?

- This is my country. I go where I like.

- He's heard about Mapetla.

- Oh, yes. Did you drive yourself here?

No, no.

Peter's driving.

I put Harold Levy on it,

but they wouldn't tell him anything.

Sit down.

All being well, I'm going to

Cape Town in a couple of days.

When I come through I'll drop off what

I want to write about the arrest. Thanks.

Maybe you'll publish it?

- Cape Town, Steve...

- You must be out of your mind.

Well, it's a...

it's a meeting of black students there.

An important one.

And before they take a stand I want

them to hear what I have to say.

Right, we'll print the news

of Tenjy's arrest.

We'll put it on the front page.

What's up, boss?

Mapetla's dead.

They claim he hanged

himself in his cell.

I'm going to remake

the front page.

- Donald Woods.

- Hello, Donald.

A piece of news.

The day before Mapetla died,...

...the police showed another

prisoner a puppet of Mapetla...

...hanging from a string.

Sh*t.

Steve, I don't know

what to say.

Just say that some day

justice will be done.

And let's hope it will not

be visited on the innocent.

You shouldn't

go to Cape Town.

It's too dangerous.

It's a dangerous country.

Keys and papers, eh.

I can't get the bloody

thing open.

- What you got in there?

- Nothing.

- What's wrong?

- I think they got something in here.

Out!

Papers.

What's your name, Kaffir?

- It's there in the book.

- Say it!

Say your name!

Bantu Stephen Biko.

18TH AUGUST 1977

11TH SEPTEMBER 1977

I think...

I think he should

see a specialist.

Could he be shamming?

The extensor plantar reflex...

...indicates a possible

lesion on the brain.

- Could he be shamming?

- You can't sham a reflex, sir.

And the lumbar puncture

that Doctor Hersch took...

...revealed an excess of red

blood cells in the spinal fluid.

Well, that also points to...

Well, it's a possible sign

of serious brain damage.

Has he eaten, Sergeant?

Gone to the toilet?

No, not today.

He must be seen

by a specialist.

We'll take him to the police

hospital in Pretoria.

But that's 700 miles.

He might escape from the hospital here.

I want him in a police hospital.

Open up.

Go by way of Seymour.

If you take breaks, one man stays

with Biko all the time. Goodbye.

PRETORIA,

12TH SEPTEMBER 1977,

STEVE BIKO:

DIES IN CUSTODY:

So Biko's death

leaves me cold!

He died after a hunger strike!

Mr. Chairman!

Mr. Chairman!

Mr. Chairman, I commend the

minister for being so democratic,

that he gives prisoners the democratic

right to starve themselves.

I suppose one feels

sorry for any death.

I suppose I would feel sorry

about my own death.

How did you get permission?

I didn't. If I asked, it would tip them off,

and they might move him.

I've checked the law.

I don't think they'll dare stop us.

But this is a special case.

There's been no inquest yet.

- I'm afraid there's no possibility...

- Not special at all.

The law is quite clear.

The next of kin have a right

to see the deceased.

Now, Mr. Biko's death has caused

enough uproar in the press already,...

...but if you'd like to create another issue

for the front page, I'll be happy to comply.

Steve.

Steve...

What have they done to you?

We must hurry, Ntsiki,

before he notifies the police.

Don't let them frighten you,

Mr. Woods.

All right.

From every angle.

His whole body.

You and Wendy will come

to the funeral, won't you?

Well, would his

other friends...

Would we be welcome?

Yes, Donald.

You and Wendy are

our brother and sister.

We are here to mourn one

of the great men of Africa.

Power!

I love Steve Biko, but I hate

the system that killed him.

Even today, the day

of Steve Biko's funeral,

in their white arrogance,

they have turned back thousands

who sought to come here simply

to pay their respect to him.

But we are here!

I hate the system...

...but I welcome all South Africans

who join with us today...

...in mourning the man

who gave us all faith

in the kind of country

South Africa could be.

The kind of country

South Africa will be...

...when all men are judged

as human beings,

as equal members

of God's family.

And towards this day...

...when the isolation

that creates hostility...

...becomes the closeness that

permits friendship and love,...

...let us all join in

the song of Africa...

...that Steve Biko

cherished as we do.

Nkosi sikelel' iAfrika

Maluphakanyisw'

uphondo lwayo

Yizwa imithandazo yethu

Nkosi sikelela

Nkosi sikelela

Do you understand

the words?

Yes, it's a...

"God bless Africa.

Raise up her name. "

"Hear our prayers,

and bless us. "

Nkosi Sikelela

Thina lusapho lwayo

Morena boloka

setjhaba sa heso

O fedise dintwa

la matshwenyeho

Morena boloka

setjhaba sa heso

O fedise dintwa

la matshwenyeho

O se boloke

O se boloke

O se boloke

O se boloke

Setjhaba sa heso

Setjhaba sa Afrika

Setjhaba sa Afrika

Power!

The fact is that Biko had

gone on a hunger strike.

We tried to feed him by intravenous drip,

with a tube in his arm.

I don't know about these things.

I'm not a doctor.

That was the minister of police,

Mr. Kruger, speaking from his home.

Yes, hello.

Is that you, Donald?

All right, you traitor.

You black-loving b*tch.

We know you're alone.

We're coming to get you.

Mum, I can't sleep.

Was that Dad?

No.

More threats.

Police?

They're the only ones

we know are doing it.

When Daddy gets back

from Johannesburg,

we ought to put a tape-recording

machine on the telephone,

and then print what

they say in the paper.

There'd have to be a lot

of blanks and dashes.

Well, I'm going downstairs

to make some coffee.

No, don't go.

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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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