Endgame (2009)

A story based on the covert discussions that brought down the Apartheid regime in South Africa.

Director:

Pete Travis

Writers:

Robert Harvey (book), Paula Milne

Stars:

William Hurt, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Jonny Lee Miller

Nominated for 1 Golden Globe. Another 11 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
William Hurt	...	Professor Willie Esterhuyse
Chiwetel Ejiofor	...	Thabo Mbeki
Jonny Lee Miller	...	Michael Young
Mark Strong	...	Dr. Neil Barnard
Clarke Peters	...	Nelson Mandela
John Kani	...	Oliver Tambo
Derek Jacobi	...	Rudolph Agnew
Timothy West	...	P.W. Botha
Matthew Marsh	...	F.W. de Klerk
Mike Huff	...	Willem de Klerk
Stephen Jennings	...	Kobie Coetsee
Patrick Lyster	...	Sampie Terreblanche
Ramon Tikaram	...	Aziz Pahad
Danny Scheinmann	...	Albie Sachs
Porteus Xandau	...	Christo Brand

Storyline

A story based on the covert discussions that brought down the Apartheid regime in South Africa.

---

Plot Keywords:

apartheid | south africa | africa | violence | underground movement | 

---

Taglines:

Patriot. Terrorist. Negotiator. Peacemaker.

---

Genres:

Drama | History

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for violence/disturbing images and some strong language

Details

Official Sites:

Channel 4 [UK] Official site

Country:

UK

Language:

Xhosa English Afrikaans

Release Date:

18 January 2009 (USA)

Also Known As:

Die Mandela-Verschwörung

Filming Locations:

Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$1,608 (USA) (6 November 2009)

Gross:

$9,645 (USA) (15 January 2010)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Daybreak Pictures, Film Afrika Worldwide

Technical Specs

Runtime:

109 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Goofs

During the movie an Opel Rekord car is driven in South Africa, although at that time General Motors was represented via it's Delta brand in that region.

---

Quotes

Epilogue: When the IRA decided to negotiate a peaceful solution to the Irish conflict, they secretly turned to the ANC
[African National Congress]
Epilogue: for advise on how to do it. They are now advising Hamas on the same strategy.

---

Connections

Featured in Grierson 2010: The British Documentary Awards (2010)

---

Soundtracks

Low Life
Performed by Scanners
Written by Sarah Daly and Matthew Mole
Courtesy of Influx Music Ltd./Dam Mak Records/Rhino Independent
By Arrangement with Warner Music Group Film & TV Licensing

User Reviews

ENDGAME: 'the final stages of an extended process of negotiation'

ENDGAME, as written by Paula Milne and directed by Pete Travis, is a thinking person's film. The subject is the ongoing crises of the Apartheid in South Africa (here during the years 1985 - 1990, with after film commentary to 1999) and the extended secret meetings between the Apartheid regime as controlled by President Botha (Timothy West), those meetings held between the African National Congress represented by Thabo Mbeki (Chiwetel Ejiofor) with prisoner Nelson Mandela (Clarke Peters) as the heart of the blacks and the increasingly disillusioned Afrikaner Apartheidists lead by Professor Will Esterhuyse (William Hurt) convened by a British representative Michael Young (Jonny Lee Miller) acting as spokesman for his entrepreneurial boss Rudolf Agnew (Derek Jacobi) of a major British industry vested in South Africa. The talks are wired by Botha's intelligence officer Dr. Niel Barnard (Mark Strong) and level of intrigue is high. The message of the film is the struggle and final victory of democracy and the end of Apartheid in South Africa, and while the cerebral discussions by this fine group of actors is illuminating, the film gains its power from fast shots of the conditions in South Africa at the time, including rioting, terrorist acts, loss of families, and the ever present intrigue and danger surrounding those men attending the secret meetings.

The supporting cast (especially John Kani as Oliver Tambo, the venerated life long friend of Mandela) is exceptionally strong, but in the end it is the unexpected fine acting of William Hurt and the always excellent Chiwetel Ejifor who remind us how small scaled dramas can have far more impact than the big epics we are used to enduring. This film is especially excellent for informing the public about the ins and outs and meanings of the South African Apartheid and why the ending of that evil regime lighted the fuse for so many other important sociologic changes.

Grady Harp