MovieChat Forums > The Color of Friendship (2000) Discussion > REALLY strange....

REALLY strange....

posted 17 years ago by miaangel345
11 replies | jump to latest

i mean y would The Dellums think a black South African could afford to be apart of a foreign exchange program newayz?!?!? especially doin apartheid??? so y would the Dellums assum she wa sa black south african??

Ashley Tisdale 4 ever

let's learn to love <3

[–] Southern Crane 17 years ago

Good question. It is a true story, so it must've been a learning experience for all. I'm sure many people today still assume only black Africans are 'real' Africans, when in fact a great many whites (Indians, Chinese and others) have lived in South Africa, Rhodesia, Mozambique and other countries for generations.

I think I'm a little older than you, but I really enjoyed this program too. :)

Ziyi.Org

[–] ladym00s 17 years ago

rhodesia hasnt been a country for a while. . . but yes, you are right. not only black africans are "real" africans.

[–] miaangel345 17 years ago

Kewl, interesting... yeah I LOVE this movie even though it was a BIT unrealistic

Ashley Tisdale 4 ever

let's learn to love <3

[–] Tro44 12 years ago

I learned about that from this movie as well

[–] jarn2004 17 years ago

I thought that same thing tonight when i was watching it. Not that they could afford it, but that the 80's south african country would allow it. But if you get over that slight problem in the plot. Its a great movie.

[–] jejozi 14 years ago

80s? 1977.

This will be the high point of my day; it's all downhill from here.

[–] Southern Crane 17 years ago

Have to take back what I said about it being a true story. After looking around a bit, I see that the book 'Open Your Eyes' -- from which the short story 'Simunye' (upon which the film was adapted) by Piper Dellums (the real Congressman Dellums' daughter) -- is listed as "Fiction". The short story is likely fiction, too.

I'm thinking Piper may have made up the white South African exchange student to make for a very good story, and it is!

Ziyi.Org

[–] jbatlady28 13 years ago

that could mean then other stories were Fiction Or it's a blemd Truth and fiction like the Little house series?

[–] PrincessRhea 17 years ago

It could have been wishful thinking. They knew about the racisim in South Africa and they just assumed she would be black because that's what they wanted. They also could have assumed that she knew they were black. (Sorry if I wasn't very clear)

KODA FAWKES ROCKS MY SOCKS!

[–] JessPumpkQueen 14 years ago

I'm thinking Piper may have made up the white South African exchange student to make for a very good story, and it is!

She has said it was based off of something that really happened to her.

I don't know how I feel about this movie. I liked it when I first saw it, but after rewatching it, it just felt like the family was ganging up on a kid because of what her country was doing. She was a sheltered, naive child who was actually compared to the Gestapo at one point. I know apartheid was horrible, but she grew up in a society where the government controlled everything she was exposed to, and yet everyone is shocked when she doesn't understand the problems with her government.

~Jess~
It's gotta be rock and roll music, if you want to dance with me.

[–] saramacg09 12 years ago

She was a sheltered, naive child who was actually compared to the Gestapo at one point.

The Gestapo comparison was made by the Congressman in a moment of passionate frustration, and unless I am mistaken, I recall his wife calling him out on how ridiculous a comparison that is.