Gandhi

Richard Attenborough's 1982 film covers Gandhi's life from his years in South Africa. The struggle for independence sits at the centre. The narrative opens with the assassination and turns back. The film makes non-violent resistance its real subject; it uses vast crowd scenes and runs past three hours. Ben Kingsley won the Academy Award for actor and the film took eight awards. The funeral scene was shot with an enormous number of extras. Its historical simplifications were criticised. Who it's for: those who like historical biography. Who it's not for: viewers looking for something short; the film is very long.