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Analyse how particular techniques are used to challenge society’s ideas or beliefs in a film you
have studied.
The relationship between the West and Africa is complex. Africa is often assumed by Western
society to be incredibly impoverished and deprived. While this may be true to some extent in
terms of wealth, this prejudice has caused a lack of understanding and appreciation for the merits
of African culture. However, through the use of various techniques, The Constant Gardener
(2005), a film directed by Fernando Meirelles, challenges these ideas by depicting Africa, as well
as the Western government and pharmaceutical industry, in a different light.
Western society commonly emphasises the negative aspects of Africa, with the media portraying
the continent as plagued by poverty, disasters, and wars. Seldom is Africa shown in a positive
light. Therefore, although the era of colonisation ended decades ago, this lack of proper insight
may have caused some to belittle its culture and people. This colonial viewpoint is predominantly
revealed in The Constant Gardener through the corrupt actions of the “highly respectable firm,
KDH Pharmaceuticals”, which is in alignment with the British government. KDH is responsible for
callously testing Dypraxa, an “unsound drug”, on Kenyan patients for monetary gain. Additionally,
the West’s feeling of superiority is also demonstrated in the golf course scene. A fast panning
shot of the lush, verdant golf course is interrupted by a Kenyan passer-by carrying water, before
the dusty, dry slums are shown. This juxtaposition suggests that despite the physical proximity of
the British and African worlds in Nairobi, there is a lack of genuine understanding and an overall
distance between them. I believe that the extravagant, man-made golf course implies that
although in Kenya, instead of embracing the African culture, the diplomats altered their
surroundings to their own liking. However, Tessa Quayle, a political activist, aid worker, and the
wife of the protagonist, Justin, has a contrasting attitude towards Africa. Long shots of Tessa
within the Kiberan crowds make her seem fully integrated in their society. Furthermore, when
she is given a handmade mobile from a Kenyan, a close-up shot shows Tessa kissing the girl on
both cheeks in gratitude before thanking her in Swahili with the words, “Asante sana.” Here, the
close-up shots create a sense of intimacy, whilst the Swahili in Tessa’s dialogue distinguishes her
from the rest of the British. She is seemingly the only non-African character with any knowledge
of Swahili, revealing her willingness and effort to understand the Kenyans better. This is
reinforced during the dinner party scene; whilst the other guests are dressed in conservative
Western formalwear – which is symbolic of their archaic, colonial attitudes towards Africa – Tessa
is dressed in a vibrant, native costume. I believe that this reflects the notion that she relates on a
deeper scale to the Kenyans than the British. Unlike the corrupt British diplomats, Tessa interacts
with the people on a personal level, rightfully treating them as equal individuals, rather than
“disposable patients”.
Cesár Charlone, the film’s director of photography, stated that the crew “determined that Justin’s
world (England) would be in cool greens, while Tessa’s world (Africa) would in warm reds”. This
differing use of colour and lighting creates a stark contrast between the two cultures. Rather than
focusing solely on the issues of the Kenyan society, Meirelles chooses to take a different approach
in The Constant Gardener; one that defies Western society’s general beliefs about Africa. In the
scenes shot in Kibera, the director employs bright lighting and vibrant colours, particularly azure
and rust-red. Used in conjunction with an upbeat, vivacious Kenyan chorus exuding energy and
positivity, the viewer gets a sense of the liveliness in Kibera. However, their issues are not
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concealed; a long shot of Tessa and Arnold walking across a bridge shows a waterway cluttered
with litter, revealing the depth of Kibera’s poverty, and their lack of proper sanitation. Therefore,
I believe that Meirelles sought to show Kenya realistically and thus, both its strengths and
weaknesses. This is reinforced by the use of a hand-held camera which gives these scenes a
documentary feel, as well as a sense of immediacy. Conversely, London, although a typical
Western approach would be to portray it as desirable and picturesque, the lighting and colours
used are dull greys and greens. This, as well as the mise-en-scène of rigid, shiny modern
architecture, evokes sterility, suggesting the rigidity of London’s society. Therefore, this
challenges society’s beliefs by providing atypical representations of Kenya and London. The
contrast between the two settings implies that despite facing adversity, Kenyans understand the
true meaning of happiness. They may have fewer materialistic possessions and a humbler lifestyle,
but ironically, the Kenyans are more content than the British, who seem sombre and tedious in
comparison.
At the end of the film, Tessa’s cousin, Arnold “Ham” Hammond, reads a eulogy at Justin’s funeral,
in which he uses rhetorical questions to ask “who has got away with murder”. While he claims
that the loss of innocent lives is neither the fault of the British government nor of KDH, “which
has enjoyed record profits this quarter”, his ironic tone reveals that he obviously believes
otherwise. Intercutting is used here to alternate between Justin’s funeral and the exploitation
described in Ham’s dialogue, such as a scene showing “persons or persons unknown” disposing of
the “offensive corpses” of Kenyan victims like garbage bags. After the final sentence of Ham’s
eulogy, “their lives were bought so cheaply”, the scene immediately cuts to a shot of two young
Sudanese children playfully grinning at, and giving the thumbs up to, the camera. The high angle
shot of the children evokes their innocence and vulnerability, which along with the poignant
music of plucked strings, manipulates the viewer into empathising with the Africans, particularly
because they seem so jubilant and lively in spite of their mistreatment. Thus, the amount of
suffering they endure causes the audience to feel guilty, for we and our society may have
benefited from their “regrettable deaths” too. Additionally, although society teaches us to trust
the pharmaceutical industry and the government, after witnessing the extent of the corrupt
actions of KDH and the British government in the film, we are forced to question whether or not
they are truly moral after all.
In conclusion, various techniques are employed in The Constant Gardener to challenge Western
society’s ideas or beliefs. Whilst the character of Tessa defies the British by providing an opposing
opinion to their colonial viewpoints, the contrast in setting between Kibera and London highlights
the beauty and attributes of Kenyan culture. Finally, Ham’s eulogy at the end of the film causes
the viewer to feel remorseful about the manipulation of the Kenyans for monetary gain.
Therefore, the viewer is left to ponder the true nature of Africa, the pharmaceutical industry, the
government, and society itself.