Stander (2003)

The life and career of Andre Stander, a South African police officer turned bank robber.

Director:

Bronwen Hughes

Writer:

Bima Stagg

Stars:

Thomas Jane, David O'Hara, Dexter Fletcher

3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Thomas Jane	...	Andre Stander
Dexter Fletcher	...	Lee McCall
David O'Hara	...	Allan Heyl (as David Patrick O'Hara)
Deborah Kara Unger	...	Bekkie Stander
Ashley Taylor	...	Cor van Deventer
Marius Weyers	...	General Stander
At Botha	...	General Viljoen
Lionel Newton	...	Sergeant Smit
Melanie Merle	...	Sharmiane
Sean Else	...	Ed Janis
Peter Gardner	...	Allums
Patrick Mynhardt	...	Judge
Wikus du Toit	...	Lawyer
Drummond Marais	...	Prosecutor
Nicole Abel	...	Young Lady

Storyline

In the early 1980's, a white police officer (Andres Stander, played by Thomas Jane) in Johannesburg suffers a crisis of conscience due to his involvement in apartheid and becomes a notorious bank robber on the run. Then from 1983 to 1984, the "Stander gang" (Stander, Alan Heyl & Patrick McCall) rob as many as four banks a day.

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Plot Keywords:

police | bank robber | apartheid | protest | jailbreak | 

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Taglines:

South Africa's most wanted man

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Genres:

Action | Biography | Crime | Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for violence, language, some sexuality and nudity

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

Canada Germany South Africa UK

Language:

English Afrikaans Zulu

Release Date:

10 October 2003 (South Africa)

Also Known As:

Bom Polícia, Melhor Ladrão

Filming Locations:

South Africa

Box Office

Budget:

$15,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$100,509 (South Africa), 10 October 2003, Limited Release

Opening Weekend USA:

$19,067, 6 August 2004, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$19,067, 6 August 2004

Company Credits

Production Co:

ApolloProMedia GmbH & Co. 1. Filmproduktion KG (I),Grosvenor Park Productions,Rough Diamond Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

116 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The filmmakers got to talk to Allan Heyl, one of Andre Stander's accomplices who was paroled on May 18, 2005; Cor van Deventer, his police partner; and the warden of the prison where Andre was incarcerated.

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Goofs

On the DVD commentary, director Bronwen Hughes points out that although the Toyi-Toyi's presented in the film are authentic, the AK47 Toyi-Toyi is a later incarnation of the chant, much more aggressive than the one that would have been used in the mid-1970's when the riot scenes take place.

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Quotes

Allan Heyl: If you go fast enough, you can't see where you've come from.

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Connections

Featured in Siskel & Ebert: Collateral/Code 46/Stander/Little Black Book/Festival Express (2004)

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Soundtracks

Izulu Li Ya Duma
Performed by Temple of Sound featuring Joe Legwabe
Written by Sparkles, Count Dubula, Joe Legwabe
Published by Real Works Ltd.

User Reviews

Like a Great, Forgotten Movie From the 70s

_Stander_ was completely fascinating, from start to finish. I don't know when the last time was I saw a movie that I enjoyed so completely. It really was like some overlooked classic from the early 70s, in the styles and the composition. The colors have just the right washed-out look to make you think this film might be a contemporary of films like _Dog Day Afternoon_ or _Network_. And the settings, the costumes, the cars--all the period details bring us right back to the mid-70s. Never having visited South Africa and not really knowing that much about it, I almost feel like I've had a bit of a crash course in South African history and culture after watching the film. It's amazing that Thomas Jane, who hasn't exactly had the most memorable career to date, could so completely inhabit this character and bring him to life. This is the same guy who was the romantic lead in the insipid _The Sweetest Thing_! And the morose protagonist of _The Punisher_. He needs to keep stretching and looking for these more offbeat roles. And it's always a pleasure to see the beautiful Deborah Kara Unger in a film--here she plays Stander's wife. I won't recount the plot--plenty of other posters have already--but just urge you to rent this movie if you get the chance. It was immensely entertaining.