Windprints (1990)

Superbly acted drama that captures the racial tensions of South Africa. Bean, aside from his dodgy blonde mullet, is brilliant as the supremely talented John Hurt. It also works as a travelogue and some of the camera work is spellbinding. The supporting cast is also very strong and the script strikes a nice balance between showing sympathy and the reality of situation of both parties. Bean handles the South African accent superbly and shows great sensitivity. I won't spoil the ending for those who haven't watched it yet but it is worth the wait.One of those movies that slipped under the radar. Like a fine wine it looks even better with 20 years of maturing under it's belt.

This is early Sean Bean and Prime John Hurt. The Photography and Direction are very reminiscent of Michelangelo Antonionini, but not as "out there". The similarity was clearest in the use of silence, particularly during grand, panoramas of windswept desolation. Whether in the American deserts or London parks, Antonionini gave us a sense of presence which is seldom found. He had us sitting, and viewing, and listening. Here, we also hear the wind and watch the dust devils forming and moving in their dance. We feel. This seemed to be an intimate "behind the scenes" look at Africa during Apartheid, with the Good, the Bad and the Ugly. Many cultural beliefs and daily lifestyles shown in an extremely believable manner. I'm not sure how, but I felt that I was there.There was a simple plot, but with enough twists to maintain interest. Without a needlessly complex web, the focus was on authentically portrayed lifestyles and location. One could felt the heat, the dust and the people. I could easily picture several of my African friends in the scenes. This was an undiscovered gem.

With great actors such as Sean Bean and John Hurt this is really an amazing movie with great cinematography and a larger than life type story that is both bright and well written. On the acting side Bean did his do's and is more believable than most actors acting Afrikaners in almost every movie, (ahooy Mr Shucks) Windprints was a brilliant piece to watch and it is kind of sad that it was banned in its country of origin, South-Africa. But hell if you really want to watch it, pay a visit to the South-African film Archive in Pretoria. That is the only facility with a copy.

This movie was beautifully done. Although it is paced slowly, the suspense kept me glued to the screen. The ending was a bit too abrupt, however.