Simba

The similarities of events to actual historical ones acted out in this storyline is quite astounding, and the acting is remarkable. I chose to read a book about this time in African history, and it was helpful in reconstructing the outline of accounts in this Simba experience in Kenya. Movies, though sometimes don't hold true to reality, can give an visual image books sometimes can't. I enjoyed this movie immensely! It gives hope for peace in the world.

As with any Hollywood movie dealing with historical events, some creative license is taken for entertainment purposes, but this picture comes as close as just about any in capturing the spirit of the time in Kenya. Although supposedly an independence movement, the Mau Mau killed more Africans than British, and their terrorist activities actually delayed Kenya's independence. Thus the movie does a good job of relating these events while being entertaining as well.Roy M. Raffield

Good plot, a time to be remembered. These pioneers saved Africa.

Often we see the natives being exploited by the newcomer interlopers with their more advanced ways and condescension as they mine or farm the native lands. But racism and associated bigotry cuts both ways, and this film spares no one the rod for prejudice. Which is pretty remarkable since it was made at the height of bigotry within Europe and the world in general.A well shot mystery with a love story and social themes coursing through it, we follow the Kenya police and two lovers through the trials and tribulations of British Colonial Kenya. My only real issue with this film is that we don't get enough clues as to what's really going on in this part of Kenya, so much that we need a rather obvious solution to find out what's happening. A good mystery drops clues here and there, and then lets the audience see if they can figure it out.We mostly see the film through the perspective of the white British characters, though not exclusively. For the 1950's it's a pretty forward thinking film in spite of some aspects of the plot. And, overall, is good first class British film making.Check it out.ADDENDUMI've docked this film a couple of stars because this is a white wash of what actually happened in Kenya. Apparently doing a little research reveals 500 native Kenyans were detained in camps and tortured during what CNN refers to as an "insurgency". I think more appropriately it would be called a rebellion.I'm giving the film two stars for technical merits, and am unsure as to whether the director knew what was going on or not. And apparently our former president's father was involved and possibly victimized by this unfortunate episode in African and British history.

Well written

Saw this movie years ago; would recommend it especially if you do not know much about colonial British Kenya and the 1950s MauMau.

we ordered the movie Simba Aka , mark of the Mau Mau via Amazon USA. After payment it took about 4 weeks before we actually receved the DVD in the Netherlands. Then it proved we could not play the movie since it was region locked, a system we do not have in Europe. In the end I gave up trying to open the DVD.

This is very typical of films of this era, the studios seemed to think that they could not tell a story like this without some melodrama soap opera love story. The story of the Mau Mau up rising deserved a better film and performance.

A titre privé, très bien

This film was made during the Mau Mau uprising/rebellion and is quite realistic in terms of the differing views of the British colonists in relation to the Kenyan people and how the uprising/rebellion should be dealt with. Bogarde's character represents these differing approaches while also representing a journey leading to redemption and acceptance that not all Kenyans supported the Mau Mau. Donald Sinden is also very good as the Police Inspector under pressure both to protect the various colonists and their farms while trying not to demonise every Kenyan. There is a scene that represents the often ad hoc approach to the restriction of liberty and pointing of the finger of suspicion with the identity of Simba proving how random these actions are. There is no suggestion of the reality of the torture that Kenyan's faced and to be fair the film would not have been allowed to be shown if it had given the powers of censorship at the time. That said what you have is a period piece that does not paint the British in a glowing light but also tries to show the complexities of the situation that was soon to lead to additional troops being sent to the country.

100%

Il film mi è piaciuto, o meglio l'ho trovato molto interessante. Secondo me rispecchia molto bene la situazione. Non capisco bene certi commenti che ho letto qua e là, nei quali si critica l'atteggiamento degli europei nei confronti degli africani, che vengono considerati come "bambini", quindi esseri bisognosi di guida. Ma coloro che hanno scritto hanno esperienza di vita africana? Io sono stata ben otto volte in Africa...Comunque sia, il film sicuramente è datato, ma è un classico fatto bene ed si può seguire la traccia in inglese (non americano!!!) - se si vogliono rinfrescare le proprie conoscenze linguistiche è interessante anche questo.

DVD was technically excellent, and the acting very good. But was filmed as an ACTION MOVIE, giving no coverage of the background to the uprising and no explanation of why some blacks became murderers and others were extremely loyal to the whites. So 5 stars for action but 2 stars for a history lesson