Controversies not withstanding, Gandhi holds an unshakable place in the long span of India’s history. He is perhaps best remembered for his early leadership of the Salt March. This small man, with spindly legs, wrapped in Hindu peasant garb, was called upon by energies beyond his control to embody the imperatives of his time. This is one of the few movies featured on this website where I have provided all the notes I made while watching this film.
Ben Kingsley plays the title role in this biographical film on Mahatma Gandhi. It opens in New Delhi, 1948. We see the old man Gandhi shot point blank by a lone gunman. There is a huge funeral. The scene shifts to Southern Africa, 1893. The young Gandhi, a lawyer called to the bar in London, is thrown off a train because he is perceived as colored. He decides to organize an equal rights demonstration for the Indian population of the country. There is a confrontation with colonial police and he is badly beaten. An English clergyman comes from India to join his cause. Gandhi draws parallels between his Hindu beliefs and those of Christianity. A NY Times reporter (Martin Sheen) befriends Gandhi, who is building an ashram. He has a confrontation with his wife, who does not share his convictions. She capitulates. He organizes much larger demonstrations of the Indian population against official bigotry. His philosophy of non-violence becomes practice. He is put in prison, and then released.
He returns to India as a hero of the struggle, landing at Bombay in 1915. His help is enlisted to “make India proud of herself.” He will become India’s identity-maker. He takes a train across the country and observes the poverty and despair. The politicians want him to work for home rule, but he concentrates on his identification with the downtrodden masses. He radically changes his appearance. “If I want to be one with them, I have to live like them.” The people call him “father” (Bapu). He asks the English clergyman to leave, explaining that Indians need to know that what they need to do can be done by Indians. He draws great crowds when he travels. He is arrested and brought to trial, then released. There is a meeting among English officials where they fret over the inconvenience represented by Gandhi. There is a meeting among Indian leaders, including Gandhi and young Nehru, where issues of terrorism are discussed. Gandhi advocates a day of prayer (general strike). The people are beginning to call him “Mahatma” (Great Soul). The British arrest him. People gather in the streets. The British send a force and there is a massacre with over 1,500 casualties. The general in charge of the force is brought before a hearing to justify his action. He asserts that he wanted to teach the people of India a lesson. In a meeting with the British, Gandhi points out that the English are masters in someone else’s home. “You must humiliate us to control us.” The British suggest that if they leave there will be chaos. Gandhi speaks to the people from a canopied platform. He declares that India must be worthy of its freedom; there must be unity between Hindus and Muslims; and they must defy the British.
In his maturity, Gandhi continues to strategize for non-violent revolution. A group of marchers turn on policemen who have beaten some of their members. One of them kills a policeman. Gandhi goes into crisis. He goes on a fast until the people stop their marching. In the end, all demonstrations of non-cooperation cease, and the people pray for Gandhi-Ji. He ends the fast.
Shockingly, the recovering Gandhi is arrested again. He freely admits his commitment to driving out the “evil” rule of the British. He is sent to prison and released sometime later. The film jumps several years ahead picking up with Martin Sheen who has come to India to find his old friend. Gandhi and his wife are reenacting their wedding at the age of 13. High British officials meet with Lord Irwin (John Gielgud) and explain that Gandhi means to march to the sea and make salt. It is a symbolic gesture of independence from the Empire. Their contro