Hearts & Minds (1995)

Set when the apartheid government was still in control, this powerful South African thriller is based on the true story of a policeman belonging to an elite government squad who was ... See full summary »

Director:

Ralph Ziman

Writers:

Ralph Ziman, Patrick Shai

Stars:

Danny Keogh, Patrick Shai, Seputla Sebogodi

3 wins.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Danny Keogh	...	Andries Fourie
Patrick Shai	...	Mathews Kage
Seputla Sebogodi	...	Rambo
Brian O'Shaughnessy	...	Col. van Vuuren
Dick Reineke	...	Boshoff (as Dick Reneke)
Nico Liebenberg	...	Scheepers (as Nick Liebenberg)
Cosmos Tshabalala	...	Vusi Nkomo
Bruce Mvecane	...	Jonas Ndlovu
Mpho Matsopola	...	Swartman
Robin Smith	...	Willem
Martin Le Maitre	...	Jannie
Trudie Taljaard	...	Elsa Fourie
Lillian Dube	...	Mama
Jerry Mofokeng	...	Sangoma
Ernest Ndlovu	...	Samson

Storyline

Set when the apartheid government was still in control, this powerful South African thriller is based on the true story of a policeman belonging to an elite government squad who was assigned to masquerade as a supporter and infiltrate the African National Congress so he could assassinate their leaders. Fourie is the cop, and his squadron is the most notoriously racist unit of the S.A. police force; they were infamous for donning street clothes, putting on blackface make up, and driving around in unmarked cars to kill people and cause trouble to encourage fighting amongst rival groups. Although the ANC members are initially suspicious of Fourie, eventually they accept him and send him to be trained in Lusaka, Zambia and other places. They even send him to Moscow where he learns about Marxist philosophies. By the time Fourie completes all that training the conflict has ended, Mandela is released, and his squadron has split up and melted into the general populace.

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Plot Keywords:

lusaka zambia | racist | police | african national congress | south african | 

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Genres:

Drama | History | Thriller | War

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for strong racially-motivated violence, language and drug use

Details

Country:

South Africa

Language:

English Afrikaans Zulu Portuguese

Release Date:

10 January 1997 (USA)

Also Known As:

Hearts & Minds

Company Credits

Production Co:

Z-INC Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

100 min

User Reviews

A strange and fresh perspective of a country in crisis.

'Hearts and Minds', set in the final years of apartheid is a remarkable, haunting, epic film.

The story focuses on Fourie, a tortured, brutal, death squad assassin, assigned with murdering key opponents of the white racist government in Pretoria. The result is a strange and fresh perspective of a country in crisis, as well as the perpetrators and victims of these horrific acts.

Fourie (Danny Keogh) is sent deep undercover, to infiltrate the African National Congress and to kill one of it's highly ranked leaders, exiled in Zambia.

What follows is a chilling journey into unknown territory, both geographical and emotional. By the time Fourie close enough to achieve his aim the war is all but over. Mandela has been released from years of incarceration and Fourie's handlers in Pretoria have washed their hands of him. He is a lone white man in the heart of black Africa, confused, volatile and unpredictable.

Danny Keogh turns in a chilling, world-class performance as Fourie, a disaffected man whose motivations are hard to determine. He is beyond black and white, right or wrong. It's easy to see how he how he could switch sides without renouncing violence.

Tightly scripted and directed with vivid cinematography, this is a film you will not soon forget.