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''Bim'' is a 1974
Trinidad and Tobago Trinidad and Tobago (, ), officially the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, is the southernmost island country in the Caribbean. Consisting of the main islands Trinidad and Tobago, and numerous much smaller islands, it is situated south of ...
film written by
Raoul Pantin Raoul Pantin (June 5, 1943 – January 15, 2015) was a Trinidad and Tobago journalist, editor, poet and playwright. He penned six plays during his career. Pantin survived the 1990 Jamaat al Muslimeen coup attempt and terrorist attack, in which he a ...
and directed by
Hugh A. Robertson Hugh A. Robertson (May 28, 1932 – January 10, 1988) was an American film director and editor, born in Brooklyn, of Jamaican parents. While Robertson was credited as an editor for only three films, ''Midnight Cowboy'' (directed by John Sc ...
. It was described by Bruce Paddington as "one of the most important films to be produced in Trinidad and Tobago and... one of the classics of Caribbean cinema".Kumar Mahabir, "Caribbean Indian actors in cinematic movies", ''Race and History'', 18 May 2006.
/ref> In 1975 at the United States Virgin Islands Film Festival in St Thomas, ''Bim'' won a gold medal special jury award as "a film of unusual merit".


Plot

Bim (pronounced Bheem) Singh is an
Indo-Trinidadian Indo-Trinidadians and Tobagonians or Indian-Trinidadians and Tobagonians, are people of Indian origin who are nationals of Trinidad and Tobago whose ancestors came from India and the wider subcontinent beginning in 1845. Indo-Trinidadians and ...
teenage boy living in the rural Indian countryside of
Chaguanas The Borough of Chaguanas is the largest municipality (83,489 at the 2011 census) and fastest-growing
– Afra ...
in
Caroni County Caroni County was a historic county of Trinidad and Tobago. It occupies in the west central part of the island of Trinidad, the larger island in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. It lies south and southwest of Saint George County, west of Na ...
in central
Trinidad Trinidad is the larger and more populous of the two major islands of Trinidad and Tobago. The island lies off the northeastern coast of Venezuela and sits on the continental shelf of South America. It is often referred to as the southernmos ...
with his parents and sister during the British colonial era. The character is based partly on
Bhadase Sagan Maraj Bhadase Sagan Maraj (; 29 February 1920 – 21 October 1971) was a Trinidadian and Tobagonian politician, Hindu leader, civil rights activist, trade unionist, businessman, wrestler, and author. He founded the Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha in 1952, ...
and partly on Boysie Singh according to historian
Angelo Bissessarsingh Angelo Bissessarsingh (September 1982 – February 2, 2017) was an historian and author from Trinidad and Tobago. His written works include ''A Walk Back in Time: Snapshots of the History of Trinidad and Tobago''. He wrote a column entitled "Back i ...
. He is friends with a girl his age named Anna. His sister Ria is getting married to Ramdass, and Bim's father, Bhagwan Singh, a famous trade union leader and activist, is in a feud with rival Gopaul. On the day of Ria's wedding, Bhagwan Singh sends his men to kill Gopaul's two sons: Harry and Charlie. Sookdeo informs him that the men have killed Harry, but Charlie escapes. Bhagwan Singh orders whatever it takes for Charlie to be killed. Bim is seen with Anna throughout the wedding and his father's friends joke about him and Anna getting married. Later that night, while Bhagwan Singh and his family are enjoying the wedding festivities, Charlie arrives at Bhagwan Singh's house, kills him and shoots Bim. After his father's funeral Bim is sent to live with his paternal aunt, Babsie and her
Afro-Trinidadian Afro-Trinidadians and Tobagonians (or just Afro-Trinbagonians) are people from Trinidad and Tobago who are of West African descent. Social interpretations of race in Trinidad and Tobago are often used to dictate who is of West African descent. ...
husband, Balo in the suburban district of Belmont in the multiethnic capital,
Port of Spain Port of Spain (Spanish: ''Puerto España''), officially the City of Port of Spain (also stylized Port-of-Spain), is the capital of Trinidad and Tobago and the third largest municipality, after Chaguanas and San Fernando. The city has a municip ...
. Bim’s uncle, Balo, is an abusive, racist, gambling addict and dockworker. He beats Babsie after she refuses to tell him if Bim's family sent any money. He steals the money sent by Bim's family for his schooling, after Bim, meeting him for the first time, tells him where the money is. He then beats Bim for not responding to his question and then tells him not to worry as he knows a good teacher to send him to. At his new school, Bim is the only Indian, and is ridiculed by his racist teacher Mr. Hudson and isolated and picked on by the Afro-Trinidadian students because of his ''
coolie A coolie (also spelled koelie, kuli, khuli, khulie, cooli, cooly, or quli) is a term for a low-wage labourer, typically of South Asian or East Asian descent. The word ''coolie'' was first popularized in the 16th century by European traders acros ...
'' (Indian laborer) heritage. During a break the students, led by Pinhead, gang up against Bim and steal his book as well as verbally and physically abuse him. When he fights back, the students disperse as Mr. Hudson is making his way back and Pinhead threatens to deal with him after class. After class, Bim seeks Mr. Hudson's help who makes a mockery of Bim and pays him no mind. When he comes out of class the students are waiting for him and Bim is forced to stab Pinhead as a means of defense to make it home alive. This incident gets Bim kicked out of school, which causes a fight between Balo and him. He then runs away from home and spends the night in a cemetery. The film flash-forwards and Bim is now an adult who goes by "Bim Bim" and is a vagabond who steals to get by in Port of Spain. He tries his hand in playing in a
steelpan The steelpan (also known as a pan, steel drum, and sometimes, collectively with other musicians, as a steelband or steel orchestra) is a musical instrument originating in Trinidad and Tobago. Steelpan musicians are called pannists. Descriptio ...
band but quits when he gets into an argument with the bandleader. After quitting, Bim and his friends Mango-head and Tallsocks try to rob a gas station where he knows the attendant but is interrupted when a police officer stops by and the attendant yells for help. He runs from the police and takes refuge at his friend, Wabham's,
underground poker Underground poker is poker played in a venue not operating in accordance with local gaming laws. In many jurisdictions, an unlicensed poker game may still be legal if the game is played in a residence, the host does not profit, and/or the buy-in ...
joint and brothel, where he gambles away most of his money and sleeps with Angela, a prostitute he frequents. Wabham tells him to go out of town for a while and promises to find something for him. The next morning, Bim is awakened by Corporal Leslie Joseph, who is revealed to be a corrupt cop who is paid off by Wabham. Corporal Joseph transports Bim in his trunk to
Cedros Cedros, Portuguese and Spanish for ''cedars'', may refer to the following places: Honduras * Cedros, Francisco Morazán, a municipality in the Department of Francisco Morazán Mexico *Cedros Island, an island in the State of Baja California Portu ...
by Wabham's friend The Captain, who is an
Afro-Grenadian Afro-Grenadians or Black Grenadians are Grenadian people of largely African descent. This term is not generally recognised by Grenadians or indeed Caribbeans. They usually refer to themselves simply as Black or possibly Black Caribbean. The te ...
immigrant that is a fisherman and involved in smuggling. Tozo, The Captain's right-hand man tells Corporal Joseph that someone has been tipping off the police as they had a run-in with the cops the night before and that it was the fifth time in the last two months. The Captain meets Bim and takes a liking to him. Corporal Joseph tells The Captain that he is waiting for his payment for bringing Bim, and The Captain tells him to ask Wabham for the money. Later that night, The Captain and Bim are drinking and talking and The Captain asks Bim to tell him about the time that the notorious gangster Goldteeth was looking for Bim. In a flashback, Bim is in a bar sitting and listening to music when approached by Goldteeth. Goldteeth tells Bim that he heard he's looking for him, but Bim gets scared and tells Goldteeth he wants no trouble and that he was only talking big. Goldteeth calls his girlfriend Suzy and asks if Bim is the one planning for his head and she confirms and Bim tells her to tell him that he was only joking with her. Goldteeth then makes a slight cut in Bim's forehead and tells him to remember who put it there. Back in the present-day, The Captain says he knew Goldteeth when he was a child and they share a laugh about it. The Captain tells Bim he should stop being called "Bim Bim". Bim tells him his real name is Bim Singh and The Captain says that he remembers who his father was and asks about his family. Bim reveals that his mother died three years ago and he could not go because he would be dead if he set foot in Caroni County again, and he says that his sister and brother-in-law moved to
Venezuela Venezuela (; ), officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela ( es, link=no, República Bolivariana de Venezuela), is a country on the northern coast of South America, consisting of a continental landmass and many islands and islets in th ...
and that he has no family left. The Captain tells him he also has no family and that family ties down a man and it is better to be alone. The Captain suggests he should be called Bim (pronounced Bim like dim). In another scene in the Police Commissioner's office, Detective Jones tells the Police Commissioner about a boatload of illegal Grenadian immigrants found off the coast of Cedros who were waiting for someone to pick them up and that The Captain is a suspect, however, there is no evidence to prove it. Back in Caroni County, Jalwat Singh, a distant relative of Bhagwan Singh and Bim, is campaigning against Charlie who now goes by Baba Charlie. However, even though the people dislike Charlie, they fear more the instability of what could happen when they get independence and the Blacks take over, and Jalwat says that Charlie is using race to control them. Late in the night, Charlie's men set fire to Jalwat's house and car, and Jalwat and his family barely escape. Back in Cedros, The Captain reveals he knows Constable Joseph is a traitor ratting them out to the police. He tells the men that he plans on taking Constable Joseph out on a boat ride in the night and says that if he disappears, to tell anyone who asks that they have not seen him in weeks. Back at the Police Commissioner's house, his wife Mary worries what will happen to them if Trinidad and Tobago become independent. The Police Commissioner gets a call and in another scene, Wabham is listening to the radio and it is revealed that the body of Constable Joseph was found off the sea in Cedros and that the
British Parliament The Parliament of the United Kingdom is the supreme legislative body of the United Kingdom, the Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories. It meets at the Palace of Westminster, London. It alone possesses legislative supremacy ...
is debating Trinidad and Tobago's independence. The Police Commissioner visits The Captain to ask about the murder of Constable Joseph, and he denies having anything to do with it, even though the Police Commissioner strongly suspects him. In another scene, Ben Joseph, an Afro-Trinidadian political leader is giving a speech to a group of people about the upcoming election being important as it will determine the government of an independent Trinidad and Tobago. His character is based on the
People's National Movement The People's National Movement (PNM) is the longest-serving and oldest active political party in Trinidad and Tobago. The party has dominated national and local politics for much of Trinidad and Tobago's history, contesting all elections sinc ...
's leader and founder
Eric Williams Eric Eustace Williams (25 September 1911 – 29 March 1981) was a Trinidad and Tobago politician who is regarded by some as the "Father of the Nation", having led the then British Trinidad and Tobago, British Colony of Trinidad and Tobago to m ...
. Back in Cedros, after months of no operations, The Captain and his men go out to smuggle more Grenadian refugees, but on his way back is captured by police, however, Bim gets away and steals a car from a couple having sex in the backseat. He goes to Wabham and tells what happened and that he could either kill a man or sleep with a woman. Bim tells Wabham that he knows he is scared since The Captain got captured by the police and fears for himself, so he warns Wabham not to do anything stupid and turn him in. Wabham sends a new girl from the country to sleep with Bim. Bim tries to forcibly sleep with her, but she is hesitant and tells him that she's a
virgin Virginity is the state of a person who has never engaged in sexual intercourse. The term ''virgin'' originally only referred to sexually inexperienced women, but has evolved to encompass a range of definitions, as found in traditional, modern ...
. He then continues to force himself on her but recognizes she is Anna from his childhood. She is shocked to see him as Charlie had told everyone that he is dead. She tells Bim that Charlie has terrorized Caroni and made it impossible for people who were associated with his family to work in Caroni, so she got a job as a prostitute in Port of Spain. She also informs him of Jalwat Singh and that he is in
San Fernando San Fernando may refer to: People *Ferdinand III of Castile (c. 1200–1252), called ''San Fernando'' (Spanish) or ''Saint Ferdinand'', King of Castile, León, and Galicia Places Argentina *San Fernando de la Buena Vista, city of Greater Buenos ...
. They share an intimate moment together as flashbacks of their childhood are shown and she falls asleep in his arms. Wabham tells him a car has come to move him out and he threatens Wabham to give Anna another job and that she is his family. In San Fernando, Bim meets Jalwat Singh who is cautious at first but then trusts Bim after Bim tells him his intention is to get revenge for his father's death. Jalwat takes Bim to the ''
panchayat The Panchayat raj is a political system, originating from the Indian subcontinent, found mainly in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Nepal. It is the oldest system of local government in the Indian subcontinent, and historical ment ...
'' (group of village elders who make decisions) where they are willing to support Bim but caution him that this is more than Charlie and the labor union, it is about politics and being in the talk of independence as they fear what will happen to the Indians when Trinidad and Tobago becomes independent. Jalwat and Bim start campaigning and Charlie's men arrive but are stopped by Bim who pulls a gun on them and reveals that he is Bhagwan Singh's son. Charlie's men go back and tell him of Bim, who said he should have killed him back then. While on an outing by the river, Charlie is ambushed by Bim. Charlies tries to cut a deal with him, but Bim refuses and shoots and kills him after he tries to get away. Bim then takes over as the union and political leader of the Indians and transforms himself into a politician and dons a mustache and is called Bim (pronounced Bheem) Singh, his original name, again. He tells Cutter to bring Anna back from Port of Spain after hearing that Wabham did not listen and kept Anna as a prostitute. He then silently tells Cutter what to do Wabham. Bim makes a speech to his supporters that he plans on forming a political party to run in the next general election and to represent and protect the rights and interests of Indo-Trinidadians and calls for unity between Afro-Trinidadians and Indo-Trinidadians, but that they are used to it if the Afro-Trinidadians want to live separate from Indo-Trinidadians. Later that night, he confesses his love for Anna and tells her that she is the only one he could trust and that she no longer has to work for Wabham. After a tennis match, the
Governor A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...
and the Police Commissioner discuss the politics of the island. The Governor urges the Police Commissioner to drop the probe into Bim, even though the Police Commissioner believes that Bim was involved in the murder of Constable Joseph. The Governor tells him that the people have forgotten the murder and their priorities have moved on to independence and that politics are dominated by race and the probe into Bim could be seen as racial, which the Police Commissioner vehemently denies and is insulted by. Bim and Jalwat are invited to the Governor's house. However, on the way there Bim is annoyed and voices his dissatisfaction with politics. After Bim leaves, Anna says she feels stifled and asks Cutter if she can go out, but he says that she can not leave without Bim's permission, however, she says it is just to the savannah and that he could come with her. Cutter then opens the gate and they go out. At the Governor's house, Bim gets drunk and insults a white sympathizer who admires his work for the Indians and tells her to come down to the sugar belt and help Indians cut cane if she was so concerned. He then walks out and the Governor overhears him further insulting the woman. As they are leaving they are approached by Ben Joseph the Afro-Trinidadian political leader. He rejects Ben Joseph's proposal to form an alliance for the upcoming general election, saying that Africans and Indians do not get together in politics and that he only approached him because of his power in the country and that he wants Bim to give him some. He then curses and makes a scene causing everyone at the Governor's house to hear him and says that he is fed up with politics and power and he leaves with Jalwat. While Anna and Cutter are walking the street, she is recognized by a former client from when she was a prostitute and he tries to kidnap her. While driving back home Bim sees them trying to kidnap Anna and gets out of his car. He shoots and kills the kidnappers in power-drunk rage, despite Jalwat telling him not to and the kidnapper begging for his life, and he ends the film with a scream.


Cast

* Ralph Maharaj as "Adult Bim Singh" ** Anand Maharaj as "Young Bim Singh" * Anna Seerattan as "Adult Anna Bissessar" ** Jennifer Ali as "Young Anna Bissessar" * Wilbur Holder as "Wabham" * Lawrence Goldstraw as "Police Commissioner" * Joseph Gilbert as "Jalwat Singh" * Hamilton Parris as "The Captain" * Neville Labastide as "Corporal Joseph" * Tony Lutchman as "Tozo" * Dennis Mahabir as "Bhagwan Singh (Bim's Father)" * Sonia Kowlessar as "Bhagwan Singh's Wife and Bim's Mother" *W. Harrypaulsingh as "Charlie Gopaul" **Simon Bedasie as "Young Charlie Gopaul" * Rose Hanuman as "Ria" * Anthony Persad as "Ramdass" * Errol Jones as "Ben Joseph" * Grace Maharaj as "Babsie (Bim's Aunt)" * Ronald Amoroso as "Balo" * Ernest Rodriguez as "Pinhead" * Daniel Warner as "Mr. Hudson (Teacher aka Godzilla)" * Garnett Craigwell as "Tallsocks" * Finbar Ryan as "Mango-head" * Stafford Alexander as "Detective Jones" * Herby Whiskey as "Goldteeth" * Ava Regis as "Angela" * Geddes Jennings as "Gas Station Attendant" * Vernon Lloyd as "Governor" * Ann Hilton as "Mary (Police Commissioner's Wife)" * Kenneth Boodhu as "Heckler" * Jennifer Gopaul as Jalwat Singh's wife * Claire Laptiste as "Melba" * Mulchan Seuchan as "Cutter" * Anna Richardson as "Suzy" * Helene Camps as "White Sympathizer" * John Henderson as "Frenchy" * Oliver Boodhu as "Chaitram" * George Gogar as "Village Elder" * Ramontar Malahoo as "Village Elder" * Ramcharran Kissoon as "Village Elder" * Latiff Mohammed as "Village Elder" * Elaine Reid as "African Politician" * Stanley Marshall as "African Politician" * Errol Pilgrim as "African Politician" * Linda London as "Maid" * Clyde Alleyne as "Radio announcer"


References


External links

* *
Paddington, Bruce. 2004. Bim, Bim, Sink or Swim...
''
Caribbean Beat ''Caribbean Beat'', founded in 1992, is a bimonthly magazine, published in Port of Spain, Trinidad, covering the arts, culture and society of the Caribbean, with a focus on the region's English-speaking territories. It is distributed in-flight by C ...
. 70 (November/December 2004) * {{DEFAULTSORT:Bim 1974 films 1970s political drama films English-language Trinidad and Tobago films Films about race and ethnicity Films set in Trinidad and Tobago 1974 drama films 1970s English-language films Trinidad and Tobago drama films