At the Movies with Fatwayne

Invictus, Latin for “unconquered” best describes Nelson Mandela’s mindset as he languished in a South African prison. After spending decades in the Robben Island prison, Mandela (Morgan Freeman) is released in 1990 and four years later is elected President of South Africa. His goal was to bring an end to apartheid or “apartness” which was the official name of the South African system of racial segregation which existed after 1948. He also wanted to insure full democratic elections so that the black majority population could vote. His task upon being elected President was to balance black aspirations with white fears. This was not an easy thing to do given the racial tensions existing at the time.

One persistent annoyance to the black population is their country’s national rugby team, the Springboks. The team’s colors, players (all white except for one black) and history all tend to remind them of the apartheid and prejudices of the time. Mandela realizes that the solution to his country’s problem of being racially and economically divided could lie in the success of the “not too good” rugby team. He reasons that if the Springboks could make a run for the World Cup Championship they would go a long way in uniting the country through their enthusiasm in the sport and national pride.

To get the ball rolling, Mandela seeks a meeting with the captain of the Springboks team, Francois Pienaar (Matt Damon). Francois understands the unspoken message behind the meeting that the success of the rugby team could result in unifying and inspiring the whites and blacks of South Africa. His problem now becomes how to encourage a mediocre team to strive to be a great team. Francois does this through example and leadership.

It was fun to see the team touring the countryside and interacting with the poor black children and truly beginning to enjoy themselves as they formed a bond with the kids and their parents. Eventually, as the team begins to succeed and with Mandela’s support, both races start to come together in support of their team.

There is an awful lot of rugby in this movie and I must confess that I did not and still don’t understand all of the intricacies of the game. I can tell you that it is a very rough sport in which the players wear no protection. I can also tell you that the sport is hugely popular where it is played.

This is a heartwarming and true story about the races who are much more alike then not and how they all come together in support of their sports team. The wonderful part of this is that this togetherness and understanding of one another spills over into their society. It is also the story of a transcendental leader of our time who understands human nature and is truly dedicated to the betterment of his people.

The movie was directed by Clint Eastwood whose skills have won him another nomination for a Golden Globe as best director. Both Morgan Freeman and Matt Damon are up for acting awards also as a result of their fine performances in this film. There is nothing not to like about this movie and absolutely no reason to miss it!

Quotes from Invictus
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