Hidden Movie Gem: “The Last King of Scotland”
Today’s Hidden Movie Gem guest post comes from Liz Warner.
Movie Title: The Last King of Scotland
Year: 2006
Writers: Peter Morgan (screenplay), Jeremy Brock (screenplay), based on the novel by Giles Foden
Lead Actors: James McAvoy, Forest Whitaker, Gillian Anderson
Director: Kevin Macdonald
Plot Summary: Inspired by true events of the brutal regime of Ugandan dictator Idi Amin as seen by his politically naive personal Scottish physician during the 1970s.
Why I Think This Movie Is A Hidden Gem: Despite the writers prerogatives and artistic licenses taken, The Last King of Scotland deserves praise on at least two counts.
The first is the compelling performance by Forrest Whitaker. He portrays Amin so persuasively, he leaves a viewer absolutely riveted and captivated by the raving, muderous madman. (He won Best Actor at the Academy Awards, among several other awards, for his work.)
The second is how convincingly Uganda is depicted. The Last King of Scotland was filmed on location in several places in Uganda, and the extras were largely locals who were filmed engaging in usual activities common to the culture. This added to the film’s overall authenticity. In fact, Uganda today looks much the same as it did then.
My Favorite Moment In The Movie: When Garrigan finds the savagely mutilated corpse of one of Amin’s wives on an autopsy table, falls to his knees retching, and finally recognizes the horrible inhumanity of the regime.
My Favorite Dialogue In the Movie:
Amin: “I am the father of this nation, Nicholas. And you have most… grossly… offended your father!”
and
Dr. Junju: “You deserve to die…. But I am tired of hatred, Dr Garrigan. This country is drowning in it. We deserve better. Go home, tell the world the truth about Amin. They will believe you: you are a white man.”
Key Things You Should Look For When Watching This Movie: This movie is an adaption of Giles Foden’s novel of the same name detailing the brutal reign of Ugandan dictator Idi Amin from the point of view of a young Scottish personal doctor, Nicolas Garrigan. The novel has been criticized for not accurately portraying the full horrors of Amin’s regime and the number of lives (up to a half-million) lost because of his ruthlessness.
Likewise, the movie has been denounced for inaccuracy, including the characterization of Garrigan, who was a composite of real-life Englishman Bob Astles, a former army lieutenant and businessman in his 50s, who lived in Uganda for 30 years; and Peter Mbalu-Mukasa, a Ugandan doctor who purportedly had an affair with one of Amin’s wives.
Beyond those legitimate evaluations, watch for the filmmakers’ attention to detail, the faithful and sympathetic depiction of those who survived the regime, and the overall genuineness of the film.
Movie Trailer:
Thanks, Liz! To show our gratitude for your guest post, here’s a dash of creative juju for you. Whoosh!
Tomorrow: Another Hidden Movie Gem!
Note: We filled up the month of October and have a few left over for November, so I don’t need any more guest posts. Thanks to everyone who participated!