Dir. Justin Chadwick, UK/ USA/ Kenya, 2010, 103 mins
Cast: Oliver Litondo, Naomie Harris, Tony Kgoroge
Review by Carol Allen
The First Grader is a strong story based on the real life of Maruge, a Mau Mau veteran in his eighties, who, when the Kenyan government declared free education for all, was determined to get his chance to learn to read, even if it meant claiming his place in an overcrowded primary school with six year olds. Litondo, a former newsreader, who plays Maruge, has comparatively little experience of acting but gives a strong and natural performance and has a very powerful and expressive face, which thrives on close ups.
Naomi Harris is the school’s young head teacher, who goes out on a limb, defying the authorities to support him in his battle for education and putting her marriage to Charles (Kgoroge) at risk in the process. The negative reaction of other members of the community and the wider society to Maruge’s quest – officialdom and the neighbours – gives a bit of added conflict to the action, while the flashbacks to the time of the Mau Mau war, the murder of Maruge’s family and the British torture of prisoners is shocking and probably unknown to younger audiences. Dramatically it gives great strength to the film. It’s not just the story of an old man determined to learn to read but also the story of the young man, who is part of that old man and has made him what he is.
Chadwick’s direction has a feeling of both confidence and commitment to the story and the largely non professional supporting cast, particularly the children, who were all recruited locally in Kenya where the film was shot, give performances which contribute to the film’s sense of truth.
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