A United Kingdom

"A United Kingdom" is based on the true-life relationship between Sir Seretse Khama, an African chieftain from what was then the Bechuanaland Protectorate, and a white British woman, Ruth Williams. The film implies that he was the King of Bechuanaland, but in fact no single individual ever held this position; Khama was the ruler of the Bangwatho, one of a number of tribes making up the Tswana nation, the largest ethnic group in the country. In Botswana, as Bechuanaland is now known, Khama and Ruth are today revered figures, as he was the leader of the country's independence movement and its first President when independence was achieved in 1966; unlike most other former colonies in Africa Botswana has remained a democracy ever since, and their son is the current President.

Khama's marriage to Ruth Williams (they met while he was studying in London in 1948) was highly controversial at the time. Many of Khama's own people, led by his uncle, refused to accept Ruth as their Queen. The South African government, which was just starting to introduce its policy of apartheid, objected furiously to the idea of a high-profile black leader in a neighbouring country marrying a white woman. Clement Attlee's Labour government, anxious to placate the South Africans who were threatening to leave the Commonwealth, intervened, exiling Khama from Bechuanaland and forbidding him to return. Winston Churchill, at the time leader of the Opposition, initially made sympathetic noises, but after the Conservatives were returned to power in 1951 he took an even harder line than Attlee. The situation was complicated by the discovery of diamonds in the territory; the British government, using the rift between Khama and his uncle as a pretext, threatened to revoke Bechuanaland's status as a Protectorate and declare it a Crown Colony. (The real reason was that in a Protectorate mineral rights belonged to the local people, whereas in a colony they belonged to the colonial power). One of Khama's few British allies was the Labour MP Tony Benn.

The action switches between an austere, drab post-war Britain and a bright sunlit Africa. The recreation of historical detail is well done and both the leading actors, David Oyelowo as Khama and Rosamund Pike as Ruth, are excellent. The film is an interesting look at a historical romance which made the headlines at the time but which today is largely forgotten, at least in Britain. 7/10

Some goofs. We hear a radio broadcast on the eve of Indian independence in 1947 telling us that Indians would go to bed "subjects of the Queen". Britain still had a King, George VI, in 1947. We are told that Queen Victoria made Bechuanaland a Protectorate to protect its people from "racist South Africa", but the Protectorate was created in 1885, twenty-five years before South Africa came into existence as a single nation. (In 1885 it was still a patchwork of British colonies and Boer republics). Prime Minister Attlee claims that the Presidents of South Africa, South-West Africa and the two Rhodesias were all opposed to Khama's marriage to Ruth. During Attlee's term of office (1945-51) none of these territories had a President.

6.8 does not do justice to a film that tells a story of how love can overcome boundaries. In this case, this is one of the rare African stories that we tend to get to hear about. For a long time, stories to do with Africa have been about disease, poverty and undernourishment. Asante's take on this film does indeed tell the viewer that there is more to Africa than what meets the eye.

I believe that this film should set a precedent for more African stories to be told . This film tells you that there is a lot more than just about Mandela. There is need to learn about other Africans namely Jomo Kenyatta, Hastings Kamuzu Banda, John Chilembwe and many others. These are perhaps some of the few names that I can think of. I commend Asante for taking a bold stand in producing a film of a figure(s) that most people out there may have not heard.

For those of you that may want to get a different side to Africa, I would recommend that you begin by watching "A United Kingdom". In my view, it is one of the more decent films of 2016/17 combined.

I love it when a story is told that many of us haven't heard of or known much about.

Although possibly oversimplified due to the necessity of keeping the movie within a normal viewing time, nonetheless, it's a very good story about an amazing piece of history.

Well acted, well directed and beautifully filmed, this is a film I'm very happy to have seen. It's an inspirational look at enduring love and intelligence, at people power and a nation's faith in their leader, as well as credibly showing yet again how the British Empire and their bevy of crooked prime ministers deem to destroy nations for greed and profit, and to boot, having the gall to treat anyone but themselves as underdogs.

An excellent film for what it is and I would recommend it.

This is one of those movies that is flying under the radar and deserves to be seen. It is a wonderful story, well scripted, well acted, and has terrific cinematography. The fact that is a true story makes one wonder what the hell we have been learning in school when we have never been taught this type of history. I give this a ten and really it deserves it. It is a shame people have degraded the rating for some reason other than the fact that this is good cinema. It is a very deserving movie and is like the movie Hidden Figures or Queen Katwe, it is important for history. I am a white conservative and think everyone should see the movie.

The story of Seretse Khama and Ruth Williams is a fascinating one, and is of a good deal of importance and relevance now. 'A United Kingdom', which had such potential from the get go with the talent involved, doesn't disappoint and tells this story beautifully.

Admittedly, this kind of story has a fair few potential traps with the themes displayed, being very difficult to get the right tonal balance and to get it completely right. 'A United Kingdom' could easily have been preachy and over-sentimental with any messaging laid on too thick, any feel-good-factors coming over as corny, characters being one-dimensional and too black and white and the sentimentality being too hard to stomach. Luckily, almost all of those traps are avoided, making 'A United Kingdom a truly absorbing and moving film.

Do agree completely with all but one of the positive reviews, and can understand totally why some may not be as enamoured with it. Usually don't comment on previous reviews, as strictly it's not really supposed to be done here but is frequently done by many, but I too take issue with the content and tone of the top rated review, which is not a review and more a quite incoherent condemnation towards those who rate it low, with ridiculous conspiracy theories that do completely against what 'A United Kingdom' is really about. The number of 1 star ratings in a short space of time may raise eyebrows and can easily be questioned, even if the film didn't do much for me because the production values, directing, storytelling and acting are so well done and what it set out to do is to be admired it would not get less than a 4 or 5. This is all personal opinion of course, and do apologise for the irrelevance.

'A United Kingdom' is not perfect. Some of the dialogue at the beginning is too in your face and forced and the acting of the extras is a little dodgy agreed, can definitely see why anybody may be put off from continuing. Can also understand any criticisms of the supporting characters (the two lead characters are very compelling and beautifully written characters) being one-dimensional and too neatly black and white, the villains especially.

However, 'A United Kingdom' does look absolutely gorgeous, the period detail evocative, the scenery a feast for the eyes from the darker and more drab London location to the sweeping and colourful Botswana ones. Amma Asante directs remarkably and with assurance. Patrick Doyle provides another winner of a music score, coming from someone who has liked a lot of what he's done, full of beauty and emotional power in an understated way.

While not all the script works, much of it is intelligent and thought-provoking, never taking on too much of a heavy-handed tone while making its point clearly, having much to say about the conflicts and explores and balances them with skill and the over-sentimentality never obviously creeps in. The story is beautifully and absorbingly told, told with sensitivity, tension dealt with subtlety but also hard-hitting power and poignant emotion. Seretse and Ruth's love is evident throughout, David Oyelowo and Rosamund Pike's chemistry resonating believably and, even when apart in large stretches of the film, disconnect never creeps in despite the potential to.

Great performances all round, apart from reservations about the extras. Oyelowo plays Seretse with towering dignity and passionate sensitivity, his speeches very moving in a gut-wrenching and powerful sense. Pike, fresh from her exceptional career-best performance in the brilliant 'Gone Girl', gives one of her best performances and certainly more than just eye-candy (being one of the most naturally gorgeous actresses today), playing Ruth with calmness, sensitivity and commanding steel, Ruth's progressive attitude to race admirably portrayed and got under the skin well.

Jack Davenport makes for a slimy diplomat, and Tom Felton (who could easily have been out of place, was admittedly expecting him to be) is surprisingly effective and a long way from lightweight. Anastasia Hille and Nicholas Lyndhurst portray Ruth's parents' disapproval very well, Arnold Oceng is very good and there is a quite powerful scene with Pike and the very emotive actress who portrays the mother-in-law.

Not without its issues, but in summary 'A United Kingdom' is a very good film, telling a fascinating and important true story beautifully. 8/10 Bethany Cox