Review of Gandhi (1982) by Filipeneto — 18 Mar 2018

This film tells the life of Gandhi, a highly intelligent lawyer of British origin, which joins the Indian independence cause and plays a key role in the independence of India, after decades under British rule. Directed by Richard Attenborough, it has a screenplay by John Briley and stars Ben Kingsley in the lead role.

The film is quite honest in the picture that makes of the life and struggle of Mahatma Gandhi, father of modern India. He is portrayed as an idealistic, utopian, combative and determined to achieving his objectives in a way that he considers appropriate, without resorting to expedients that he knows are not right. An icon of passive resistance and nonviolence, Gandhi is played brilliantly by Ben Kingsley, who managed to live up to the role, giving the character a great moral force. The film catapulted him to stardom in all fairness, after a great character reconstruction work (physical, mental and psychological) along several stages of his life.

The film is a classic with classical techniques. No complex special effects or anything like that. The crowds that come in some scenes, such as Gandhi's funeral, are made from real people. An effort partially forced by the absence of cheaper techniques, but compensated by giving a striking realism to the film. This realism efforts found following in costumes, filming locations and sceneries, creating an environment that transports us easily to the time and place of action. In fact, this film could almost be a documentary about Gandhi and the life and society of the British Raj era. The soundtrack is signed by Ravi Shankar, but its far from the impact and relevance of other soundtracks. Anyway, the film reached a deserved consecration, raising eight Oscars (Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Original Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Art Direction, Best Editing and Best Costume Design).