Tuesday, October 10, 2006
nowhere in africa
Saturday evening we watched Nowhere in Africa, on the recommendation of a friend from work. It's one of the loveliest movies I've seen in years, one of those where you walk around with the people and scenes for days afterwards. The movie is the true story of a young Jewish couple and their daughter (the author, Stephanie Sweig) who leave pre-war Germany and go to Kenya which is under British control. One shouldn't be put off by any suggestion of agony; the movie grabs hold of you like a good book and doesn't let go even when it's done. Walter had been a lawyer in Germany and the family had been active socially but in Kenya they have to work very differently - physically in the fields - without social standing or prestige, and it's a slow difficult learning process for them all. The daughter's school adventures are particularly charming. Caroline Link's writing and direction has drawn everyone in three dimensions with the result that everyone is interesting, from the family members themselves to the cook to the school principal to the neighboring children and even to the peripheral characters. I highly recommend it.Labels: movies
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