August 10 - Beyond Rangoon

This is a movie with a scene that happens today – August 10. Ihope you will enjoy this film and watch it tonight.

BEYOND RANGOON

Andy Bowman persuades her sister Laura to go on a trip to Burma after Laura’s husband and son are killed in a home invasion and Laura had gone into a deep depression. One night, unable to sleep because of nightmares, Laura leaves her hotel in Rangoon and gets caught up in an anti-government protest. She is very impressed by the bravery of  Aung San Suu Kyi. When her tour group leaves the country, Laura cannot leave with them because she has lost her passport.  She meets U Aung Ko, who acts as an unofficial tour guide and drives an ancient Chevy. He takes Laura out into the countryside to a Buddhist monastery. The car develops problems, but fortunately they are able to coast to the house of some of Ko’s friends and former students. Laura learns that Ko used to be a college professor, who was banned from teaching for supporting anti-government activity led by his former student Min Han. She has a breakdown and tells Ko what happened to her family. The next morning they learn that the 8888 uprising began the previous day. Ko  takes Laura to a station to get train back to Rangoon. She sneaks on board, but the soldiers start beating Ko and when Min Han intervenes, Han is shot and killed. Laura gets  Ko  into the car and they leave, pursued by the soldiers, but Ko is shot and wounded. They end up crashing into the Irrawaddy river, but get away from the soldiers. They get on a raft taking bamboo to Rangoon. Laura, who is a doctor operates on Ko to remove the bullet. The next day on August 10, 1988 [53:43 to 1:04:44] the raft stops at a village. Laura goes to find drugs to treat Ko. She reluctantly accepts a pistol from one of the crew. At a clinic Laura finds the drugs she needs, but has to shoot a soldier to keep from being raped. When they arrive in Rangoon, the city is in the throes of a full scale revolt. When Laura attempts to get into the US embassy the military tries to arrest her for helping Ko. The student demonstrators rescue her and Ko. After they witness soldiers killing civilians they get put on a truck heading for the border. Near the border the group has to abandon their truck and make run through the jungle. They meet up with a group of Karen rebels. Laura has dream where her son Danny tells her she has to let him go. Laura and her group make a harrowing river crossing into Thailand under mortar fire and reach a refugee camp. Having found a new purpose in life Laura begins helping at the camp’s hospital.

This is a very good, but overlooked film. A rare movie that has a deeply spiritual message. Arquette and Aung Ko both give excellent, nuanced performances. One of Boorman’s best films. The soundtrack by Hans Zimmer is a true classic.

Burma/Myanmar: What Everyone Needs to Know by David Steinberg (Oxford University Press, New York, 2010) at page 78 gives the date of the start of the 8888 riots and this is two days after that. The film at 1:15 says it is August, 1988.

Producer - John Boorman, Sean Ryerson, Eric Pleskow and Barry Spikings

Director - John Boorman

Screenplay - Alex Lasker and Bill Rubenstein

Runtime – 1 hour 39 minutes

Released – June 30, 1995

Starring –

Patricia Arquette as Laura Bowman

Frances McDormand as Andy Bowman

U Aung Ko as U Aung Ko

Johnny Cheah as Min Han

Adelle Lutz as Aung San Suu Kyi

Spalding Gray as Jeremy Watt

Tiara Jacquelina as San San, Hotel Desk Clerk

Kuswadinath Bujang as Colonel at Hotel

Victor Slezak as Mr. Scott

Jit Murad as Sein Htoo

Ye Myint as Zaw Win

Cho Cho Myint as Zabai

Haji Mohd Rajoli as Karen Father

Azmi Hassan as Older Karen Boy

Ahmad Fithi as Younger Karen Boy