Main Cast: Colin Friels, Joanne Whalley, Sean Connery, Louis Gossett, Jr., John Lithgow
Release Year: 1994
Country: US
Run Time: 95 minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Plot
Based on a novel by William Boyd (who also wrote the film's screenplay), this darkly witty drama explores the political, social, and sexual gamesmanship of a group of British and African politicians. Morgan Leafy (Colin Friels) is a British diplomat who, for the past three years, has been assigned to the British High Commission of Ninjana, an African nation slowly divesting itself of colonial rule. Leafy is an arrogant and frequently confused alcoholic romantically involved with an African woman named Hazel (Jackie Mofokeng). Arthur Fanshawe (John Lithgow), a new High Commission appointee who wants nothing more than to be promoted and moved out of Africa, brings some interesting news to Leafy: massive reserves of oil have been discovered in Ninjana, and if the British want to reap the full profits of this windfall, they will want to stay on the good side of Sam Adekunle (Louis Gossett Jr.), who in all likelihood will be the next president of Ninjana. However, something of a diplomatic crisis has come up; a native woman was struck by lightning in the courtyard of the High Commission's compound, and the locals insist that she cannot be moved until certain time-honored rituals have been performed. At a loss for advice, Leafy turns to Dr. Alex Murray (Sean Connery), a Scottish doctor who has been in Africa for 23 years and is one of the few people equally at ease with both the British colonials and the natives. However, Leafy doesn't seem so eager to seek out assistance in his romantic problems; while he's involved with Hazel, Leafy also finds himself dallying with Adekunle's wife Celia (Joanne Whalley-Kilmer) and Fanshawe's wife Chloe (Diana Rigg). By the way, don't bother looking for Ninjana on a map -- it doesn't really exist. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
Sarah-Jane Fenton - Priscilla Fanshawe; Diana Rigg - Chloe Fanshawe; Maynard Eziashi - Friday; Jackie Mofokeng - Hazel; Themba Ndaba - Kojo; George Lee - Highlife Singer; Sophie Mgcina - Hospital Sister; Patrick Mynhardt - Muller; David Phetoe - Isaiah; Thapelo Mofokeng - Officer; Susie Figgis
Credit
Mark Egerton - Art Director, Graeme Orwin - Art Director, Billy Hopkins - Casting, Susie Figgis - Casting, Rosemary Burrows - Costume Designer, Jami Burrows - Costume Designer, Bruce Beresford - Director, Jim Clark - Editor, Jane Barclay - Executive Producer, Joseph M. Caracciolo, Jr. - Executive Producer, Sharon Harel - Executive Producer, Avi Lerner - Executive Producer, John Du Prez - Composer (Music Score), Hank Garfield - Musical Direction/Supervision, Tracy Crystal - Makeup, Herbert Pinter - Production Designer, Andrzej Bartkowiak - Cinematographer, Geoffrey Simpson - Cinematographer, Mark Tarlov - Producer, John Tarlov - Producer, John Fiedler - Producer, Vic Botha - Set Designer, Rick Cresswell - Special Effects, William Boyd - Screenwriter, William Boyd - Book Author
Morgan Leafy is Britishdiplomat and works in the small African state of Kinjanja, in the process of decolonisation. Arthur Fanshawe, a new member of the Commission, brings Leafy the news that oil has just been discovered in Kinjanja. For the British to obtain the benefits of such unexpected news, they must maintain good relations with the man who appears likely to be the next president of Kinjanja, Sam Adekunle. But a diplomatic crisis occurs: a woman dies at the High Commission and the British want to prolong the native burial honors for several days.
