First with your head and then with your heart. . .

This post is for the Blog This Challenge #42 - A film that inspired me...

I've not done a Blog This challenge before. None of them have spoken to me until now.

I own, literally, thousands of movies. Seriously. It's quite ridiculous. I have them catalogued on my PC along with my books.

So it should be no surprise that there have been many movies that I have really loved throughout the years. Among them are; Philadelphia {1993}, Benny and Joon {1993} (which I now enjoy on a whole new level), The Green Mile {1999}, and Pay It Forward {2000} (which has now become an actual movement).

But the one movie that has stuck with me through thick and thin is...

The Power Of One {1992}

The movie is based on the novel of the same name by Bryce Courtenay, who is an incredible Australian Author. Of course, I have read the book as well. Which was fantastic. Obviously.

This movie has stayed with me for so long however, because unlike most movie adaptations of books, I believe, this one is as good as the book.

I actually saw the movie first, many years ago. THEN read the book. And I loved them both. I have since watched, and read, it many times.

The story is set during WW2. The main character PeeKay is a passionate young English boy living in Africa. Because of his race, he is shunned and bullied mercilessly within the Afrikaans boarding school he attends. He is orphaned while still young, and becomes placed in the care of a German Professor whom he calls Doc. Not long after the war begins Doc is put in prison for not registering with the English government as a foreigner. PeeKay is allowed to visit Doc and soon befriends another inmate who teaches him to box. The story is played out through PeeKay's boxing career, and the beacon of hope that he unwittingly becomes to the black African people. It is political (and yet manages not to be preachy), intelligent, sad, and inspiring, all at once.

From that basis the story develops, and it is an intriguing tale of racism, strength, honour, and above all, love. Love for country, love for another, and love for oneself.

I adored it.