Cry, the Beloved Country (1951 film)

Cry, the Beloved Country is a 1951 British drama film directed by Zoltn Korda. Based on the novel of the same name by Alan Paton, it stars Canada Lee, Sidney Poitier, and Charles Carson. This film was Canada Lees last film.

Zoltan Kordas acclaimed smash film was shot entirely in South Africa. Since the country was ruled by strict apartheid enforced racial separation laws, stars Sidney Poitier and Canada Lee and producerdirector Korda cooked up a scheme where they told the South African immigration authorities that Poitier and Lee were not actors but were Kordas indentured servants otherwise, the two black actors and the white director would have been arrested or detained before arrest followed by jail without trial. It marked the first time a major film was shot in the racially divided country, leading to serious exposing of life over there. After the making of this film, Canada Lee planned to make a full report about life in South Africa he was then called to appear before the House UnAmerican Activities Committee to explain his actions, but died of heart failure before he could testify.

Source: Wikipedia