David Oyelow in "A United Kingdom" Dir by Amma Assant-Biopic Film on Batswana's King Seretse Khama

The biopic film "A United Kingdom" is based on the life of Seretse Khama, born as the rightful king of Batswana.  This historic film portrays British Imperialism & the indefatigable leadership/determination of Khama to uphold his nation's independence.  Khama (b Botswana 1921-1980,) was studying at Oxford for a law degree just post WWII when he met Ruth Williams; a white woman who drove  ambulances during the war.  The movie depicts a charming courtship & endearing proposal scene in which Williams accepts unwaveringly.  Their union leads to major inter-racial issues of hatred, discrimination & persecution including the denial of Khama's birthright as Chieftan of the people of Botswana.  The hideous racial bigotry in England is countered with a milder, albeit reluctance to accept  Khama's wife.  The biggest obstacle came from his beloved uncle who raised him & his sister since he was orphaned at age 3.  His uncle demands an annulled marriage or Khama's abdication.  An unfamiliar term, apartheid, was being enforced in S Africa, Batswana's southern neighbor.  Britian acted in complicity with S Africa's conspiracy to strip Khama of his leadership, citizenship & Batswana's of its valuable miniming products (uranium, copper, gold & diamonds) just being unearthed. This biopic is of a extraordinary man.  Khama steadfast, level headed negotiations outmaneuvered the circumspect, deceitful & self-serving British Consulate.  The facts of this remarkable man, his devotion to both his country & his wife and their enduring love make for an interesting & significant historic film.  Nonetheless, the film feels choppy, overly staged and cloying with sinister Brits & sympathetic African characters.  Director Amma Assant (b UK 1968) made her debut with "Belle" (2013.)  Belle was a biopic film dealing with interracial struggles & love stories resulting in seismic shifts in racial equalities.  Khama (played by the phenomenal David Oyelow) and Ruth Williams (a convincing & lovely Rosamund Pike) do heavy lifting to endow the film with appeal & gravitas.  Ruth's sister is played by Laura Carmichael (Edith - sister to Mary "Dowtown Abbey.)  The movie was sluggish in parts pertaining to extended periods of enforced exile and laborious legal proceedings.  Still, it's worth seeing or renting.  Other biopic films of racial integrations  imperative to see are "Loving" and the doc "I'm Not Your Negro."  The hypocrisy of US Jim Crow laws & bigotry in the US & UK are mitigated sidebars as are the major legacies of Sir Sereste Khama:  maintaining mining rights for his country propelling the prosperity & well being of Batswanians, helping end the Rhodesian Civil War, preventing his country from being used by other nations as a military post and he led his country into an independent, democracy.  "No man is free who is not master of his own life."