Power and Politics in Films “Lawrence of Arabia” and “Cry Freedom”

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Politics of difference can be considered as a simple approach followed in empires or in states resembling the pattern of an empire according to which different social and ethnic groups are governed differently because of the authorities’ focus of separating these groups and on accentuating the rights of the dominant group.

The issue of politics of difference is also discussed in such films as Lawrence of Arabia (1962) which is directed by David Lean and Cry Freedom (1987) which is directed by Richard Attenborough.

In Lawrence of Arabia, the concept of the politics of difference can be used to explain the relations between the British army and the Arabs which are based on the idea of the British dominance and superiority; and in Cry Freedom, the problem of the politics of difference is vividly represented with references to the idea of apartheid in South Africa.

In his film Lawrence of Arabia, David Lean focuses on the struggle of the Arabs against the Turks represented in the context of World War I and on the role of T. E. Lawrence, the British officer, who assisted the Arabs in their revolt.

In spite of the fact that the film’s idea is to emphasize the efforts of Lawrence in assisting the Arabs in their just struggle against the Turks’ violence, the film also demonstrates how the politics of difference works to differentiate between the people in the context of the British colonialism.

The British authorities seem to use the Arabs as the forces to fight the Turkish Empire and to accentuate their dominance in the region rich in natural resources (“Lawrence of Arabia 1962”).

From this point, the official mission of Lawrence is oriented not to assisting the Arabs in their revolt, but to using the Arabs as the weapon to break the Turkish resistance. On the contrary, Lawrence’s personal mission is to help the people whose culture, religion, and traditions are interesting and important for the man.

While opposing the British army’s goals and Lawrence’s personal attitude to the Arabs, it is possible to concentrate on the features of the realized politics of difference in detail. Thus, the representatives of the British army are represented as not understanding the role of the Arabs’ revolt for the nation because the British are focused only on stating their dominance in the region.

The British are depicted discussing the Arabs as people who cannot understand the principles of the modern world and modern war, who can only follow their nomadic way of life, who cannot be discussed as equal to the British because they do not know the English language, and who cannot claim to their national independence because the sheiks lack the intelligence to rule the states.

Thus, while talking to Lawrence, General Murray declares his position, “any time spent on the Bedouin will be time wasted. They’re a nation of sheep-stealers” (“Lawrence of Arabia 1962”).

The other British officers and soldiers are also inclined to discuss the Arabs as the ‘bloody savages’, and these descriptions and statements help to support the idea the British discuss the Arabs as the minority whose interests can be addressed only within the context of making the advantage for the British.

The politics of difference concept plays an important role in Richard Attenborough’s Cry Freedom because the film discusses the period of apartheid as the clear result of emphasizing the differences between the people. The main characters of the film are black Steve Biko who is the activist of the Black Conscious Movement in South Africa and his white friend Donald Woods who is the South-African journalist.

The idea of apartheid is based on the principle of racial segregation according to which people of different races should live according to different laws and principles. Thus, the friendship of Steve Biko and Donald Woods can be discussed as the challenge to the social and political principles and norms.

Apartheid in South Africa is a result of the colonial times, and it is the most vivid example of the politics of difference when all the people are categorized according to their race in four groups of ‘black’, ‘white’, ‘colored’, and ‘Indian’. The film describes how differently these groups are treated, and it represents the hardships of the black discriminated people in contrast to the peaceful life of the white minority.

Thus, focusing on inequality supported by the government and injustice reflected in social life and politics, Steve Biko states “we can all build a South Africa worth living in – a South Africa for equals, black or white, a South Africa as beautiful as this land is, as beautiful as we are” (“Cry Freedom 1987”). These words accentuate the desire of all the discriminated persons in South Africa who became the victims of the actively followed politics of difference.

Lawrence of Arabia (1962) by David Lean and Cry Freedom (1987) by Richard Attenborough are the films which discuss the problem of politics of difference in various contexts. However, in spite of focusing on different contexts, the problems experienced by the people who can be considered as the victims of segregation and discrimination are similar in their nature and intensity.