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Austen in Africa
Jocelyn Newmarch
Posted Mon, 13 Sep 2004
Olive Schreiner’s ‘The Story of an African Farm’ is a classic of South African literature, dealing with (for its time) iconoclastic ideas of feminism, the relations between the sexes, the existence of God, and colonialism itself.
It’s not exactly Karen Blixen material, steering well clear of dreamy evocations of a colonial paradise. And yet the film version reminded me most of one of those Jane Austen adaptations which were so popular a couple of years ago.
‘The Story of an African Farm’ seems a very English movie with its focus on three precocious children battling an adult rogue, its sumptuous set and lighting, and its detail to costumes and make-up. In mood, it seems most similar to classic British children’s books like those penned by E Nesbitt.
The novel is complex and extraordinary; the film is content to offer an intimate story of life on a lonely farm.
Intelligent, questioning Lyndall (Kasha Kropinski) has come to live with her cousin Em (Anneke Weideman) following the death of her parents. But Em is also an orphan, and is in the care of her Afrikaans stepmother Tant’ Sannie (Karin van der Laag), who rules the farm — and her charges — with an iron fist. Lyndall is desperate to escape to boarding school, but in the meantime the two girls derive some comfort from saintly Otto (Armin Mueller-Stahl), the farm manager, and his illegitimate son, Waldo (Luke Gallant), their only playmate.
Lyndall’s just succeeded in convincing Tant Sannie to send her away, when a battered-looking Englishman, Bonaparte Blenkins (Richard E Grant), arrives on the farm. Discovering Tant’ Sannie’s distrust of Englishmen, Bonaparte smoothly transforms himself into an Irishman, and soon charms his way into her heart as he schemes to take over the farm. But the children, who witness his lies and cruelty, aren’t fooled, and clever Lyndall hatches a plot to save them all.
Richard E Grant excels as Bonaparte, the backstabbing villain of the piece, honeyed insincerity dripping from the tongue in every scene as he plots to turn events to his advantage, and it’s great to see one of our best actors in a local movie.
But otherwise, the characters suffer from a lack of depth — Otto is saintly, Sannie stupid — and so the film itself is a lot less memorable than it should be. Even Waldo and Em are little more than sidekicks for strong-willed Lyndall.
I’m so glad that at last someone has captured the beauty of the Karoo on film. There’s no other place quite like this one, and Peter Tischhauser’s cinematography lovingly captures each golden moment: the desolate valleys and brown hills with the sunset swirling around them, the simple whitewashed farmhouse in the bright light of noon. It’s an incredible accomplishment — and welcome medicine for this homesick Capetonian.
Despite the flaws I’ve mentioned, and an unfortunate dose of sentimentality, the film is well-directed and well-written, a worthy addition to a rapidly expanding catalogue of local films.
Lovers of South African history and landscape shouldn’t miss this. It is a great lovesong to the Karoo and a homage to an earlier way of life. Jocelyn Newmarch is a journalist for This Day newspaper.
