The Color of Freedom (DVD, 2008)

I would disagree to some extent with the movie description. Though there was extreme racial tension in South Africa in the time that this movie takes place, James Gregory was raised on a farm with no siblings to play with and therefore had grown up with all of his friends being black. I have not read his memoir Goodbye Bafana in order to know how racist he was in the beginning of the movie, but it did not appear to me that he truly believed the horrible racist comments that he made to his superior officer. It seemed like he was only saying what he thought he should say based on other's racist views. I could be totally wrong about that, but that is how it appeared to me.

Keeping in mind that the movie is based on one man's memoirs and is not meant to depict other views and opinions, I felt it was well made. I would have liked to see more of what happened during the time period in which the movie is set, but since it is only an account of what James Gregory saw and experienced, you do not see what happened. You see instead, how he learned of said events.

It was interesting to see how two people with such opposing political views could form a relationship of mutual respect and eventual trust and friendship. Though you glean a small measure of insight into Nelson Mandela's character in this movie, I do not feel it does him justice. Then again, this movie isn't really about Nelson Mandela and his fight for South African freedom and equality between races. It is about the strange relationship that develops between two unlikely individuals with extremely different views, backgrounds and careers.