Product Details

• Actors: Alfre Woodard Danny Glover, Priscilla Mundawarara, Mike Davey Tam Mpofu
• Directors: Philip Saville
• Producers: Robert Berger Dickie Bamber
• Format: Color, NTSC, Full Screen
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: HBO Video
• Run Time: 135.0 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• ASIN: B000A143TS
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #357,146 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Described as a "biographical drama," the made-for-TV Mandela is the story of South African human-rights advocate Nelson Mandela, who at the time this film was made was in the 25th year of a prison sentence. Covering the years 1948 to 1987, the film traces Mandela's (Danny Glover) matriculation from young lawyer to fervent anti-Apartheid political activist. At first a proponent of nonviolence, Mandela is radicalized after the Sharpeville massacre of 1960. Thrown in jail by the white-dominated government in 1962, Mandela passes the cudgel to his wife Winnie (Alfre Woodard), who perseveres despite constant persecution from the powers-that-be. Understandably concentrating on Mandela's private life, the film is somewhat wanting in terms of personal glimpses, but this is a forgivable creative lapse. Likewise excusable is the partisan nature of Ronald Harwood's teleplay. Filmed on location in Zimbabwe, Mandela originally aired September 20, 1987 over the HBO Cable service.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Mandela (1987), November 28, 2009

By 

mokes gama "badface" (maryland, U.S.) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Mandela [VHS] (VHS Tape)

Mandela(1987) as portrayed by Danny Glover is one of those classic movies/documentaries one would want
to keep in his library. It's been many years since i saw this film, and i must admit that despite my
tender age of 13 when my family was owning this film, its memory is still intact.
It's unfortunate that the film is not available in DVD today. But, even in VHS quality and availability, some
antiques, the notable of this film never surrenders to the new ones.
Danny Glover was extremely outstanding in his portrayal of Nelson Mandela's struggles for South Africa-tussling
with the security apparatus of the Apartheid regime(the apparent machinery of the government), haggling in courts for his peoples' rights to vote, his seduction and woo of Winnie Madikizela, and his versatile disposition[s] in dealing with the day to day challenges
of a 'segregated society' before he was sent to languish in jail.