Statesman, Radio Interviewer, Lawyer, Judge Mr. Ulric Cross’ personal history is intimately and permanently connected with Africa. Hero: The Extraordinary Life and Times of Mr. Ulric Cross is a biopic concerning his big exploits. Part dramatized interviews, part historical reenactment, and part found newsreel footage, Hero charts the entire life story of Mr. Cross. Starting from his early years in Trinidad, moving to his education in England, and then his working life both for the BBC’s radio programs and his attorney and political work in the greater Continent of Africa. Over the course of Hero, Mr. Cross (Nikolai Salcedo) will work in the interests of both Ghana and Cameroon.
A veteran of World War II, and an intellectual of the British 50’s, Hero goes into depth with two life long friendships Cross enjoyed: George Padmore (Fraser James) and Kwame Nkrumah (Jimmy Akingbola). The latter being the then President of independent Ghana, Padmore and Nkrumah serve as his equals in thought and political discourse. They will conceive a daring plan to combat the underhanded efforts of the British and Americans to exploit the resources of Africa, and work to form a United States of Africa. Mi6 and the CIA worked hard to ensure this process would eventually fail, and all the mineral resources of Africa would continue flowing to the US and Europe.
The efforts to unify Africa are among the strongest scenes in Hero. Director Frances-Ann Solomon demonstrates a light touch and a soft approach to instructing the actors in their portrayal of people who were alive until quite recently. I greatly enjoyed Hero from beginning to end, dear reader.
“… his personal history is intimately and permanently connected with Africa …”
It’s a piece of history I only possessed the most basic of understanding concerning. It was great to have the chance to watch a dramatized version that allows you to see likely emotions and thought processes concerning the failed effort to unify Africa.
Writing team Jamie Gaetz, Tony Hall, and Christopher Laird have clearly done extensive research into the life and times of Ulric Cross. We even are treated to current day and past dramatizations of Cross’ wife Ann (Pippa Nixon/Ann Cross). That Mrs. Cross agreed to participate in what is a docudrama concerning her late husband’s multi-continent career is profoundly laudable. Hero is a wise and knowing film that does not attempt to lionize anyone. The aegis here is to tell as truthful a story as the constraints of genre will allow. In that effort, Hero succeeds and is highly effective.
Hero: The Extraordinary Life and Times of Mr. Ulric Cross is an insightful and cutting portrayal of history that is often overlooked in the genre of Biopics. Africa is a rich field for stories, and I would not object to seeing more such work released, dear reader. Hero brings us face to face with all sorts of evil machinations of former colonial powers in the guise of the UK, US and France. Hero is a good film, and is worthy of 2 hours of your viewing time. Seek it out, wherever it may be released.
Learn more at the official Hero: The Extraordinary Life and Times of Mr. Ulric Cross website.
"…an insightful and cutting portrayal of history that is often overlooked"
