''Shamwari'' is a film that starred two of South Africa's leading actors,

Ken Gampu Ken Gampu (Germiston, August 28, 1929 – Vosloorus, November 4, 2003) was a South African actor. Before he began his career, Gampu was a physical training instructor, salesman, interpreter and police officer. His first acting job was in Athol ...

and Ian Yule. It is about two escapees that can't stand each other. Chained together they embark on an escape from custody.

Background

The film was shot on location in and around the city of

Salisbury Salisbury ( ) is a cathedral city in Wiltshire, England with a population of 41,820, at the confluence of the rivers Avon, Nadder and Bourne. The city is approximately from Southampton and from Bath. Salisbury is in the southeast of Wil ...

. It was released in the United States on both Beta and VHS through Media Home Entertainment. Ken Gampu played the part of Khumalo, Ian Yule played the part of Mathews and

Tamara Franke White Zimbabweans are people in Zimbabwe who are of European descent. In linguistic, cultural, and historical terms, these Zimbabweans of European ethnic origin are mostly English-speaking descendants of British settlers and a small minority ...

played the part of Tracy. Dominic Kanaventi also appears the film in one of his early roles, and also in an early role,

John Indi John Indi is an actor known for his roles in ''A Far Off Place'' (1993), '' Mandela'', and '' Incident at Victoria Falls'' (1992). Indi and his actor wife Kubi Indi, started a company making beauty products company based in Africa. Background A ...

makes an appearance as the witchdoctor. Ian Yule was also the co-writer for the film. He was led to believe that the film was a flop. John Hume who produced the film was marketing it under a different name. The soundtrack for the movie was provided by the music group

Four Jacks and a Jill Four Jacks and a Jill is a South African folk rock ensemble. Career They originally formed in 1964 without a "Jill" under the name "The Nevadas". Subsequently, they became the first group in South Africa to wear their hair long and they changed ...

. The film was released in South Africa by Ster-Kinekor and premiered in

Johannesburg Johannesburg ( , , ; Zulu and xh, eGoli ), colloquially known as Jozi, Joburg, or "The City of Gold", is the largest city in South Africa, classified as a megacity, and is one of the 100 largest urban areas in the world. According to Demo ...

Story

Set during Rhodesia's war years of the 1970s, the story is about two men who are bonded together by chains. The film bears a similarity to an earlier film, ''

The Defiant Ones ''The Defiant Ones'' is a 1958 American Adventure film, adventure Drama film, drama film which tells the story of two escaped prisoners, one white and one black, who are shackled together and who must co-operate in order to survive. It stars Ton ...

'' that starred

Sidney Poitier Sidney Poitier ( ; February 20, 1927 – January 6, 2022) was an American actor, film director, and diplomat. In 1964, he was the first black actor and first Bahamian to win the Academy Award for Best Actor. He received two competitive ...

and

Tony Curtis Tony Curtis (born Bernard Schwartz; June 3, 1925September 29, 2010) was an American actor whose career spanned six decades, achieving the height of his popularity in the 1950s (Kansas Raiders, 1950) and early 1960s. He acted in more than 100 f ...

. Like the characters in ''The Defiant Ones'', there is racial hatred between the two of them. The two main characters who have escaped from a harsh chain gang. To survive they have to bury their hatred as they try to make their way to freedom as they cross the country.

Releases

Beta VCL VL9037 - United States - 1985.

Cast

Ian Yule Ian Yule (1933 — 3 December 2020) was a British born South African actor and soldier. He had a film career that commenced in the late 1960s and lasted to around the early to mid 2000s. Many of the roles he has played are that of a soldier. T ...

... Bill Matthews *

... Khumalo *

... Tracy * Denny Fathe-Aazam ... Inspector Spencer * Joshua Makawa ... Fanyana * Oliver Tengende ... Sipho * Jon Allen ... The Seducer * Jimmy Coburn ... Jack, Tracy's Boyfriend * Ron Tornbohn ... Storekeeper * Sam Matambo ... Gardener *

... Witchdoctor * Jane Kilalea ... Policewoman * Debbie Brinkworth ... Nurse * Vic Crous ... First Warder * Dennis Hardman ... Second Warder * Stanley Gorodema ... Police Sergeant * Alan Cockle ... Reporter * Cecil Holmes ... Pilot * Garry Watson ... Slide Projectionist * Steve Chigorimbo ... Sipho's Man #1 * Brian Dzimwasha ... Sipho's Man #2 * Ephrim Mhute ... Sipho's Man #3 * Alan Gibson ... Farmer * Clive Bulle ... Farmer * Rita Chiwedzwa ... Khumalo's Wife * Judy Turner ... Matthews' Wife * Hilton Mambo ... Lone Terrorist * Blackie Swarts ... Engine Driver * Mike Wakefield ... Fireman (Stoker) * Barry McCurdy ... Guard Force Member * Martin Rusike ... Guard Force Member * Dominic Kanaventi ... Guard Force Member * Hywell Williams ... Policeman * Mike Lanchester ... Policeman * John Lant ... Policeman * James Thrush ... Policeman * Eve Chindiwo ... Fanyana's Girlfriend * Joan Hulley ... Lady in Flat * Ron Temlett ... Barman * Clive Harding ... Musician / Himself ( 4 Jacks and a Jill band member) * Tony Hughes ... Musician / Himself (4 Jacks and a Jill band member) * Glenys Lynne ... Singer / Herself (4 Jacks and a Jill band member) * Paul Nissen ... Musician / Himself (4 Jacks and a band member) * Neill Pienaar ... Musician / Himself (4 Jacks and a band member) Imdb
Shamwari (1982), Full Cast & Crew
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References

External links

* {{IMDb title, 0261297 1982 films Films set in Rhodesia Rhodesian Bush War films 1980s English-language films