Nowhere in Africa

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RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 23 WIDTH="575"><div> Nowhere in Africa</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="575"><div> 3.5 stars</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 23 WIDTH="575"><div> Not Rated</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="575"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="19" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="575" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 20 WIDTH="575"><div> <B>Director</B></div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="575"><div> Caroline Link</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="575"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="19" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="575" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 20 WIDTH="575"><div> <B>A second chance</B></div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="575"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="19" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="575" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 20 WIDTH="575"><div> <B>Starring</B></div> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="1" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="579" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="575"><div> Juliane Kohler</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="575"><div> Regine Zimmermann</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="575"><div> Merab Ninidze</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="575"><div> Sidede Onyulo</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="575"><div> Mathias Habich</div> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <div> In the late 1930's, Nazism in Germany was gathering full momentum. While many Jews stayed in Germany, some fled. Over time the departures become less attractive, but more urgent, as the master plan becomes increasingly clear. </div> <bR> <div> Walter Redlich (Merab Ninidze) leaves Germany to sharecrop a farm in Kenya. He is doing okay but that is a relative term. When his wife Kathe (Regine Zimmermann) and young daughter Jettel (Julian Kohler) join him, the joy of the reunion is short lived. They are indeed in Africa, living in a remote village, without running water and other familiar comforts of home. Kathe does not want to unpack her fine china because she does not plan to stay long. When she has difficulty speaking with a Kenyan, her response is, "Learn German if you want to speak to me!"</div> <bR> <div> As time passes, it becomes clear that things are getting worse for the Jews that remained in Germany-much worse. Young Jettel, without the biases of her parents, (not hateful people though prejudiced) and with a child's open and engaging curiosity, becomes fascinated by this foreign culture. Kathe only tolerates the situation, while Walter is relatively happy making a living and not fearing for his life because he is a Jew.</div> <bR> <div> Kenya was a British Colony at the time and both the Kenyans and the Jews were "subjects." The white children went to school together but the Jews were asked to step to the side when it was time to say a prayer. Owuor (Sidede Onyulo), the cook for the Redlich family works long hours and spends extended periods away from his own home so he can earn money to care for his wives and children. Owuor proves to be a confidant for Jettel and a lifesaver for Walter. The decision the Redlich's eventually face is whether to stay in Kenya or return to Germany. </div> <bR> <div> Like the film <A HREF="http://www.reelmoviecritic.com/2000/id96.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.reelmoviecritic.com/2000/id96"><U><B>"I Dreamed of Africa",</B></U></A> in which an Italian family goes to live in Africa, this too photographs the scenery beautifully. Unlike "Dreamed", "Nowhere" shows you the culture of the Kenyans. There are glimpses of life for the German Jews, the British and at one point, a solider from Scotland. It's easy to be uncomfortable with the tone of white supremacy that permeates the film, with the segregated societies, colonialism, and master/servant relationships between the white farmers and the black Kenyans who worked for them. Had the story been sanitized, or politically corrected, these touches of reality would have been removed from the film. </div> <bR> <div> To me the value of "telling it like it was" means that we can understand our history, and have faith that we'll find a way to peacefully coexist with people who look different and have customs foreign to us. </div> <bR> <div> "Nowhere in Africa" is epic in scope because many small events in the film can stand on their own. Suskind (Matthias Habich), a seasoned rancher in Africa and a friend has never been married, because as he explains, the women he wants are already taken. The relationship Suskind has with the Redlich family, and that Jettel has with the Kenyans, as she grows older, allows us to think and feel how events in our lives make us who we are. </div> <bR> <div> A couple of great movie moments occur here, and more than one scene when the film could have ended and we would have been quite satisfied. This was a film that I did not want to end, and when it did I was able to smile and feel good, even though there was sadness and happiness going on at the same time<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFCC66" FACE="Symbol" >¾</FONT>just as in real life.</div> <bR> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="1" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="621" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="617"><div> George O. Singleton  © 2003</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="617"><div> <A HREF="mailto:reelmc@lightfirst.com" TARGET="_top" TITLE="mailto:reelmc@lightfirst.com"><U><U>Reelmoviec@aol.com</U></U></A></div> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>