Review of Gandhi (1982) by Kyle20Ellis — 01 Apr 2022

I am all for ambitious and stately films, which is why I watched Gandhi. And I like Richard Attenborough, I think not only was he a talented actor and director but his films are very interesting. Gandhi is certainly one of his more interesting films, along with the underrated Cry Freedom.

Gandhi is just a wonderful film, and do I think it's one of Attenborough's best? Along with Cry Freedom and Shadowlands, yes it is. This film is for me his most ambitious and his most stately, and it is very compelling. True, it is long and perhaps leisurely in pace, but it is well worth the watch for several reasons.

Visually it is superb to look at. It was almost like watching a David Lean film, it has the beautiful scenery, the stunning cinematography and the sweeping colours that a Lean film does. I also loved George Fenton's score, it was very epic and moving. Is it his best? Perhaps not, but it is one of his better scores. Attenborough's direction is superb, and the script is thought-provoking. The story, starting with Gandhi's assassination and told mostly in flashback, is interesting and compelling, while the acting also helps drives the film. Words cannot describe how good Ben Kingsley's performance was, composed yet inspirational, sometimes I felt as thought I was actually seeing Gandhi rather than Kingsley. In fact, this is probably the Richard Attenborough-directed film that feels the most authentic in terms of characters and story. Kingsley also gets superb support from Candice Bergen, Edward Fox, John Gielgud and Roshan Seth. Best scene? Lots to pick, but Gandhi's funeral was brilliantly done and one of the most emotional scenes in film and had massive scope to it.

Overall, brilliant and one of Attenborough's best.