Rhodes of Africa – 1936 | 90 mins | Drama | B&W

Plot Synopsis

Impressive historic epic of British imperialism charting the rise of diamond-miner Cecil Rhodes from businessman to Prime Minister of the Cape Colony by 1890. He died in 1902, leaving a fortune to fund the famed Rhodes Scholarships.

Whilst diamond mining in Kimberley, South Africa, Rhodes (Walter Huston) becomes aware of the potential for exploiting other resources. He suggests that it should be colonised, but his plans meet with disapproval. Many of his efforts to build a railway through Africa are also hampered by sabotage, instigated by his rivals. Although he died a broken man due to his complicity in the Jameson Raid, Rhodes’ life and dreams make this a fascinating portrait of ambition in the face of adversity.