Die Postanweisung (1968)
23KDie Postanweisung: Directed by Ousmane Sembene. With Makhouredia Gueye, Ynousse N’Diaye, Isseu Niang, Mustapha Ture. A money order from a relative in Paris throws the life of a Senegalese family man out of order. He deals with corruption, greed, problematic family members, the locals and the changing from his traditional way of living to a more modern one.
“The pace of this movie is as languid as life in a sun-baked country. But stick with it. Even when the plot is predictable, the action is not, nor are the characters. Believing he has come into money from a successful relative in Paris (who is shown sweeping streets, far from wealthy), a proud middle-aged Dakar man with two strong-willed wives and several children tries to cash the money order (mandabi). He encounters catch-22 bureaucracies, his friends all become borrowers, his creditors turn ugly, and con men latch on to him, but Ousmane Sembene (the director, and one of Senegalu0026#39;s most important writers) leavens the frustration with humour, and even manages to sustain a certain amount of suspense– not easy in a film as languid as this one. Scenes of city life in Dakaru0026#39;s warren like streets are realistically and straightforwardly presented, and the story, though very simple, stays with you long after the movieu0026#39;s over. A must if youu0026#39;re interested in African film, if only for historical interest.”
