Cry, the Beloved Country (1951)

In the back country of South Africa, black minister Stephen Kumalo (Canada Lee) journeys to the city to search for his missing son, only to find his people living in squalor and his son a ... See full summary »

Director:

Zoltan Korda

Writers:

Alan Paton (novel), Alan Paton (screenplay),

Stars:

Canada Lee, Charles Carson, Sidney Poitier

Nominated for 2 BAFTA Film Awards. Another 2 wins & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Canada Lee	...	Stephen Kumalo
Charles Carson	...	James Jarvis
Sidney Poitier	...	Reverend Msimangu
Joyce Carey	...	Margaret Jarvis
Geoffrey Keen	...	Father Vincent
Michael Goodliffe	...	Martens, Probation Official at Reformatory
Edric Connor	...	John Kumalo, Brother of Stephen
Charles McRae	...	Church Friend of Stephen
Lionel Ngakane	...	Absolom Kumalo, Son of Stephen
Vivien Clinton	...	Mary (Wedded to Absolom)
Albertina Temba	...	Mrs. Kumalo, Wife of Stephen
Bruce Anderson	...	Frank Smith, Farmer and Friend of James Jarvis
Bruce Meredith Smith	...	Captain Jaarsveldt, Policeman Bearing News of Murder
Berdine Grunewald	...	Mary Jarvis, Wife of Arthur
Cecil Cartwright	...	Harrison, Father of Mary Jarvis

Storyline

In the back country of South Africa, black minister Stephen Kumalo (Canada Lee) journeys to the city to search for his missing son, only to find his people living in squalor and his son a criminal. Reverend Misimangu (Sidney Poitier) is a young South African clergyman who helps find his missing son-turned-thief and sister-turned-prostitute in the slums of Johannesburg.

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Plot Keywords:

africa | based on novel

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Taglines:

Filmed in Africa...Where It Was Lived!

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Genres:

Drama

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Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

26 April 1952 (UK)

Also Known As:

African Fury

Filming Locations:

Shepperton Studios, Shepperton, Surrey, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

London Film Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

103 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The film was shot in South Africa. Since the country was ruled by strict apartheid (enforced racial separation) laws, stars Sidney Poitier and Canada Lee and producer/director Zoltan Korda cooked up a scheme where they told the South African immigration authorities that Poitier and Lee were not actors but were Korda's indentured servants; otherwise, the two black actors and the white director would not have been allowed to associate with each other while they were in the country.

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Connections

Version of Cry, the Beloved Country (1995)

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Soundtracks

Composed by Raymond Gallos-Montbrun
Directed by Dr. Hubbert Clifford
Performed by London Film Symphony Orchestra

User Reviews

Somber and Unforgettable

A sincere, but also very somber, glimpse of segregated South Africa, circa 1950. Reverend Kumalo (Lee) travels from rural home to Johannesburg to search for missing son. What he finds instead is degradation, both economic and moral, plus immense heartache.

That train trip through an industrial belt is riveting as we glimpse the harsh conditions along the way. Ditto, the shantytown slums of the city that Kumalo and Msimangu (Poitier) must search through. To me, these are the film's highlights since they're a long way from any movie lot. Then too, I don't recall seeing documentary footage from SA like this before. Note also, that the real thing is photographed not only on the streets but inside the shanties, as well. No constructed sets here. In my book, the Korda's should be saluted for their efforts to overcome what must have been difficult conditions to work under.

It's a very grim storyline, heavy on the notion of redemption, both personal (Kumalo's son) and societal (apartheid). Fortunately, the screenplay weaves these two threads together very effectively. It's also worth noting that hints at racial reconciliation revolve around religious themes instead of the more controversial political kind. The latter would probably have been impossible to do. Nonetheless, Kumalo's climb up the hill at movie's end is powerfully symbolic of the promise of a new day.

Definitely a must-see for serious movie fans.