Jerry Posted April 25, 2007 Report Share Posted April 25, 2007 Finally saw this film on DVD at home. It was very, very good. I had not gone to see it at a theater thinking the topic tiresome, but the production is first class all the way. Thanks to this web site I understood some of the Scot/English nuances. Of course it is ancient history to those of you born after July 4, 1976. I didn't take it as a history lesson, but believe it well represents much of the situation in Uganda at that time. Excellent, worth while film from wherever its source. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted April 30, 2007 Report Share Posted April 30, 2007 Was this the story of Idi (DA DA) Amin? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerry Posted April 30, 2007 Author Report Share Posted April 30, 2007 I just assumed everyone was familiar with the film from the papers if they hadn't seen it. It's the story about a Scottish medical student who seeks adventure and sowing wild oats before settling down to his father's surgery in Scotland. Off in Africa he accidentally crosses paths with Idi Amin who adores Scotland from having served with the King's African Rifles -- dresses his own drum and bugles corps in kilts, and tells the student, "everything great about Scotland except for the red hair. We africans find red hair disgusting." Amin is portrayed as a reformer from Uganda's military who gets caught up in paranoia -- seeing attempts on his life when all he really has is gas on his stomach (according to our young doctor)-- and therefore resorts to terrorizing complete submission. I don't know if there was any truth to this story, the medical student finds Amin's third wife young and irresistable, and is consulted about an abortion, lest the baby be born with red hair, I suppose. And yes, we've heard worse stories about Amin's ruthless atrocities. At the end of the film there are newsreels depicting the real monarch and some of his activities. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerry Posted May 2, 2007 Author Report Share Posted May 2, 2007 Forgot to mention: Ugandans drive on the left side of the road in keeping with their British heritage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Posted May 11, 2007 Report Share Posted May 11, 2007 Agree Jerry - a very good and disturbing movie. I understand there's an element of fact in the film - but memory escapes me as to what 'facts' were adapted for use (i.e. other than the obvious ). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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