A United Kingdom (2016)

The story of King Seretse Khama of Botswana and how his loving but controversial marriage to a British white woman, Ruth Williams, put his kingdom into political and diplomatic turmoil.

Director:

Amma Asante

Writers:

Guy Hibbert (screenplay by), Susan Williams (based upon the book 'Colour Bar' by)

Stars:

David Oyelowo, Rosamund Pike, Tom Felton

2 wins & 4 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
David Oyelowo	...	Seretse Khama
Rosamund Pike	...	Ruth Williams
Tom Felton	...	Rufus Lancaster
Jack Davenport	...	Sir Alistair Canning
Laura Carmichael	...	Muriel Williams
Terry Pheto	...	Naledi Khama
Jessica Oyelowo	...	Lady Lilly Canning
Vusi Kunene	...	Tshekedi Khama
Nicholas Lyndhurst	...	George Williams
Arnold Oceng	...	Charles
Anastasia Hille	...	Dot Williams
Charlotte Hope	...	Olivia Lancaster
Theo Landey	...	Michael Nash
Abena Ayivor	...	Ella Khama
Jack Lowden	...	Tony Benn

Storyline

In the late 1940s, Prince Seretse Khama of Bechuanaland is studying law in Britain in preparation for his eventual ascension to the throne. There, the dashing prince falls in love with a white British clerk, Ruth Williams, and they plan to marry. While they suspect that his uncle, the Regent, would disapprove, nothing prepares them for the diplomatic firestorm and domestic political tumult their defiant love would spark. Now facing a citizenry leery of a white Briton as their Queen, the international opposition is even more unyielding from the British holding their land as a protectorate and fearful of South Africa's racist backlash to this affront to their apartheid domination. Against all odds, King Khama and Ruth must struggle to maintain their love and help their people in a land that would become the Republic of Botswana.

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Plot Keywords:

botswana | africa | 1940s | 1950s | forbidden love | 

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Taglines:

The true story of a love that shook an empire.

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Genres:

Biography | Drama | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for some language including racial epithets and a scene of sensuality

Details

Country:

Czech Republic UK USA France

Language:

Tswana English

Release Date:

10 February 2017 (USA)

Also Known As:

Um Reino Unido

Filming Locations:

Serowe, Botswana

Box Office

Budget:

$14,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$66,510, 12 February 2017, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$3,901,302, 19 May 2017

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$13,819,139, 23 July 2017

Company Credits

Production Co:

Pathé,BBC Films,Ingenious Media

Technical Specs

Runtime:

111 min

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Filming occurred at the Old Royal Naval College (now University of Greenwich) in London on Monday 23rd November.

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Goofs

One of the British bureaucrats says that South Africa wants to annex "Botswana". At the time the story is set, it was known as the protectorate of Bechuanaland. It wasn't until 1966 when it gained independence that the name "Botswana" was used.

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Quotes

Seretse Khama: [from the trailer]
[as he sits beside her]
Seretse Khama: Did I tell you I didn't just marry you for your looks?
Ruth Williams: [laughs as she hitches up her skirt flashing her leg] Liar!

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Connections

Featured in Film '72: Episode #45.11 (2016)

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Soundtracks

Sometimes I'm Happy
Lyrics written by Irving Caesar and Clifford Grey
Music by Vincent Youmans
Performed by Jo Stafford
Published by Warner Bros. Inc. (ASCAP) © 1925 (Renewed)
All rights on behalf of Warner Bros. Inc. administered by
Warner/Chappell Music Publishing Ltd
Carlin Music Corp. on behalf of Redwood Music Ltd, Range Road Music, Inc. on behalf of itself, Jerry Leiber Music and Silver Seahorse Music LLC.
Licensed Courtesy of Capitol Records Irw_
Under Licence from Universal Music Operations Ltd

User Reviews

Is this really a good film....or not ?

This is an outstanding film about a story I knew nothing about. However, my review is more a review of IMDb and its voting system.

I note that this film has, at the time of writing twenty-two 1 star reviews. Maybe these are genuine but I suspect they are not. For one thing the film has not had many screenings so have as many as twenty-two different people really hated it that much?

Secondly, 1 star films do not get selected for the Toronto Film Festival or for the opening night film for the London Film Festival. The programmers and selectors of these highly regarded festivals are at the top of their game and each year they are offered several thousand films. None of them are going to risk their hard fought reputations on selecting a bad 1-star film.

My feeling is that these 22 people are members of the KKK who hate black people or else they are people who are jealous of the those involved in the production.

Either way IMDb needs to have an algorithm that can deduce whether these people are genuine, or not. Maybe they are and the press reviews so far, which rave about the film, are wrong, but maybe these people are racist bitter bigots who hate the success of others because they themselves are failures and they have nothing better to do in their small sad lives but set up false IMDb accounts and vent their spleen in the only way they can.

Time as they say will tell.