Cry, the Beloved Country

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Cry, the Beloved Country

PG-13

1995

1h 51m

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

85%

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13 Reviews

74%

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1,000+ Ratings

Reverend Stephen Kumalo is a back-country Zulu preacher in South Africa. When his son is accused of robbery and murder, Kumalo journeys to Johannesburg, where he is helped by a local priest. He eventually meets James Jarvis, the father of the murder victim, who is a prominent white supremacist. However, they discover common ground, and their mutual respect becomes a symbol of apartheid's eventual demise.

Roger Ebert

Chicago Sun-Times

01/01/2000

2.5/4

We go expecting to be inspired and uplifted, and we leave somewhat satisfied in those areas, but with reluctant questions about how well the story has aged, and how relevant it is today.

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Tom Green

USA Today

01/01/2000

3/4

Especially heart-rending thanks to superb performances by James Earl Jones and Richard Harris.

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Emanuel Levy

EmanuelLevy.Com

06/19/2005

B

Philip Martin

Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

04/28/2005

2/5

Michael Dequina

TheMovieReport.com

08/07/2004

3.5/4

A beautiful piece of work.

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Jim Shelby

Palo Alto Weekly

05/20/2003

3/4

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Avalon T

@Avalon604 01/03/2025

Excellent movie. Great acting and a captivating story. Have some tissues handy. A great movie!

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i already d

@wanderingeyes 10/12/2018

One of the most aching, beautiful film adaptations. jones and harris both give performances of their lives in this picture. i have wished for a new transfer print to blu-ray for many years and hope it will come one day. the score from barry rivals and surpasses his more popular works. it is a film that is beautiful beyond any singing of it.

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s r

@ScottR 11/25/2016

Good, but not quite great.

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Fong Kok Hoong F

@RT29722865 06/16/2016

A tremendously moving story about forgiveness and reconciliation of two fathers who lost their sons in the apartheid-stricken Johannesburg.

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09/10/2015

Outstanding! So much more engaging than the book. A wonderful job!

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04/23/2015

Somewhat shallow and sentimental. But I managed to kill one hour and 51 minutes. South Africa is indeed a beautiful country, but I wasn't crying.

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Darrell James Roodt

Director

James Earl Jones

Rev Stephen Kumalo

Richard Harris

James Jarvis

Vusi Kunene

Theophilus Msimangu

Leleti Khumalo

Katie

Charles S. Dutton

John Kumalo

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Synopsis

Reverend Stephen Kumalo is a back-country Zulu preacher in South Africa. When his son is accused of robbery and murder, Kumalo journeys to Johannesburg, where he is helped by a local priest. He eventually meets James Jarvis, the father of the murder victim, who is a prominent white supremacist. However, they discover common ground, and their mutual respect becomes a symbol of apartheid's eventual demise.

Director: Darrell James Roodt
Producer: Anant Singh, Harry Alan Towers
Screenwriter: Ronald Harwood, Alan Paton, Joshua Sinclair
Distributor: Miramax Films
Production Co: Miramax Films
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Dec 15, 1995, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 21, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $337.2K
Runtime: 1h 51m
Sound Mix: Surround