A Touch of Churchill, A Touch of Hitler- The life of Cecil Rhodes by Kenneth Griffith (1971)

Actor and film-maker Kenneth Griffith's documentary on the life of Cecil Rhodes. The son of an Anglican vicar, Rhodes set off to South Africa at the age of 17. He died 32 years later having amassed a vast fortune and several hundred thousand square miles of the earth's surface in his own name, formally Rhodesia.
Griffith had a passionate and deep interest in the British Empire, especially it's involvement in Southern Africa. This film was his conception and in it he narrates dramatically the story of Rhodes's influence in Africa.
It is a story that may shock many people who still regard Rhodes as a man of great moral fibre who sought, for the highest principles, to spread Britain's 'sphere of influence'.
Directed by Anthony Thomas.
Photography by Grenville Middleton

[@s.wvazim6517]

Old rhodesia and south africa looks so clean and organised wonder what happened

[@sergegainsbourgii1852]

Probably the end of whites-only socialism, the indigenous' multi- generational trauma from murderous, coercive labor, and settler-colonialist environmental r@pe.

[@tonyska]

I visiter Zimbabwe and went to see Cecil Rhodes grave. I can honestly say it was like no other place I have ever seen. I can see why he wanted to be buried there.

[@danieleade9018]

Thank you for this upload, I enjoyed it immensely. I think that, the film "Rhodes of Africa" took a great many quotes from this terrific film. Kenneth Griffiths is an awesome story teller.

[@michaelhinz7043]

Thank you for these gems! I found, by accident, a few years ago the documentary on Thomas Paine with Kenneth Griffith. I had never heard of the actor before, but became mesmerized by his outstanding performance. I am glad to see he had applied his great talents of acting and storytelling with other historical subjects as well. What a true pleasure to watch.

[@Griffith_H]

Thank you Michael. There are only a couple more films to add (when I have found them in reasonable condition)

[@Black_Patriot-Veteran-1970]

Kenneth was awesome in the Wild Geese.

[@ginojaco]

Thanks for posting this video.

[@MrAM4D3U5]

The production quality of the documentary is fantastic. Kenneth Griffith is a great presenter, and I think he genuinely believed in what he was saying. However, this entire documentary is extremely biased, and is there is a tremendous amount of information left out altogether. I think this documentary forms an important historical artifact but it should be taken with more than a grain of salt.

[@joeboyd8702]

Great upload. Thanks for sharing.

[@garyhoward4216]

Brilliant documentary by a giant.

[@thudor1]

I first saw Kenneth Griffith as the Rev. Robert Jones in The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill But Came Down a Mountain.

[@DaveSCameron]

Fantastic doc, many thanks.

[@jakeneva8349]

Thank you so much

[@mikerilling6515]

White people built such an incredible civilization in Rhodesia❤ a stable currency a thriving economy, plenty of industry and agriculture airports railroads schools, universities hospitals, plenty of clean, running water lots of electricity with air conditioning well stocked grocery store shelves plenty of at all the filling stations no trash on sidewalks no graffiti on the buildings and then suddenly everything collapsed. I wonder what happened

[@richardhausig9493]

The clip at 22:56 is from Diamonds are Forever. Hahaha luv it

[@zackjones800]

Brilliant documentary

[@JIreland-th5dy]

El

[@leojenkins669]

Outstanding

[@carolinedecastro4171]

This was taken back in 1960

[@geoffreyblyth6462]

Very well narrated interpretation of our Rhodesias history and CJR.

[@claydobbins9342]

Very well told.

[@rossinnz]

Superb

[@vincentvanwyk5522]

Kenneth Griffith did a great job hamming it up here. What year did he make this documentary?

[@Griffith_H]

I am not entirely in agreement with the ‘hamming it up’ bit. He was an animated, emotional and ferociously passionate person in real life. His chosen subjects, or ‘enthusiasms’ when telling a story would be told with great passion and conviction. I suppose his theatrical training could be construed as hamming it up but I suspect it wasn’t a conscious decision.

[@vincentvanwyk5522]

@@Griffith_H when an actor's elocution makes you smile there is some hamming going on. Sorry. Anyway I love it. I appreciate you putting these videos up. I have indeed been to most of the places in this documentary having been born in sa. Imdb informs me this documentary was released in 1971 but was filmed no doubt end of 1969 or early 1970. Griffith had a great love for the Boers it seems. The sad part about this documentary is knowing now what a basket case Zimbabwe now is.

[@DaveSCameron]

It's not Kenny Williams y'know! 🤣🤣

[@blackthanos5957]

​@Kenneth Griffith Archive Cecil John Rhodes was the embodiment of pure evil. What are you talking about

[@vincentvanwyk5522]

@@blackthanos5957 actually if you listen to the documentary MN Rothschild employed Rhodes to buy up all the diamond mines. Today the anc ruling elite is nothing more than a Rothschild puppet and does their bidding. So don't forget to condemn the liberating leaders of south africa too.

[@garyhowell8607]

Incredible figure, a giant of a man ….all that he created is now being ground to dust

[@Black_Patriot-Veteran-1970]

We need another Cecil Rhodes.

[@thechangamire3495]

@@Black_Patriot-Veteran-1970 Excuse me the fuck?

[@SuperSupasi]

Please help! Rhodes was inspired by the teachings of a philosopher who for the life of me I cannot recall. He espoused a cruel natural order seeking perfection. It allowed him to pursuit his dreams without compunction. Does anybody know his name?

[@jimcornelius810]

John Ruskin.

[@SuperSupasi]

@@jimcornelius810 thank you Jim. But it was someone he come across whilst studying at Oxford.

[@SuperSupasi]

@@jimcornelius810 an obscure philosopher whose philosophical outlook resonated with me but never took an hold although obviously influenced the thinking of the time. Ruskin, Darwin et al

[@sergegainsbourgii1852]

Kant? He even gave instructions for violently coercing black people for parasitism aka caste.

[@sergegainsbourgii1852]

Hobbs, too. The natural state of humans being animalistic, requiring elite, white males to rule over the lot of plebs & "savages".

[@BlackcountryhistoryhunterBCHH]

genius was Ken

[@Black_Patriot-Veteran-1970]

Wasn't Kenneth Griffith in the movie "The Wild Geese"? He played the gay medic, Arthur Witty!

[@sithabelamandlawenkosiwodu6298]

I understand now why they say he was such a terrible person. Black people are so unbelievably forgiving and welcoming. In this case, to their own demise.

[@DaveSCameron]

Time and proximity, if you refuse to understand that concept then #ourhistory is not for the likes of you...

[@melissacalderwell2453]

Repugnant history no bother when they piss on his grave in Zimbabwe! The audacity!

[@babelbuilder9912]

You're kidding right? Wait no, of course you're not kidding, the entire world is ducking stupid.

[@keyenbentley8179]

well said Dave. very well said

[@sithabelamandlawenkosiwodu6298]

@@DaveSCameron saying something without saying anything at all.

[@DaveSCameron]

Far too much made of Rhodes life connected with Jameison here!

[@metromoppet]

Lo bengula means the sickly one. Because he was a sickly child . so much so that a "stolen white child" girl ,became his "nurse" and friend who also taught him to ride horses ,european dress , et al.

[@s.wvazim6517]

Her name was Sarah

[@ladymsthing6056]

Imagine if a black man had that kind of racial pride and quest for power. He wouldn’t be viewed negatively, he would be a hero. Like Jay-Z😂

[@dirkhamadziripi2793]

CJR & British barbarism should be the title

[@Black_Patriot-Veteran-1970]

Yeah ok, victim.

[@dirkhamadziripi2793]

@@Black_Patriot-Veteran-1970 sure, bloodthirsty tyrants.

[@Black_Patriot-Veteran-1970]

@@dirkhamadziripi2793 I'm Black like you, friend.

[@ladymsthing6056]

Nah, winners don’t feel guilt.

[@sergegainsbourgii1852]

@@Black_Patriot-Veteran-1970 lol- like Idi Amin, Mobutu & Papa+Baby Doc?