The Rise and Fall of Idi Amin (also titled Amin: The Rise and Fall) is a 1981 British-Kenyan-Nigerian biographical film directed by Sharad Patel and starring Joseph Olita as the titular Ugandan dictator.
As the title implies, the film chronicles Amin's overthrow of his predecessor Milton Obote and subsequent rise to power, during which he proceeds to commit numerous atrocities against both his own people and those in neighbouring countries until he is finally overthrown himself in 1979. Although it has occasionally been labeled an exploitation film, it is a surprisingly accurate portrayal of the events involved, including Operation Entebbe, the Tanzania-Uganda War, and the kidnapping of British journalist Denis Hills.
This film provides examples of the following tropes:
- As Himself: Denis Hills portrays himself in the film.
- Atrocity Montage: Quite a number of them. The first thing the titular dictator does is embark on a political cleansing campaign, brutally slaughtering any remaining Obote loyalists, and it only gets worse from there.
- Attempted Rape: When Amin sets his sights on a woman named Mary Mosuke who is attending one of his parties, he invites her into his bedroom, where he attempts to force himself on her, but she stabs herself in the stomach before he can carry out the deed.
- Badass Boast: A villainous example, but still.Amin: I do not fear death, for I have survived nine attempts. I am invincible!
- Body in a Breadbox: Dr. Oloya goes to the freezer to get some ice, only to find to his horror that Amin keeps the severed heads of several of his victims in there.Amin: Doctor! For an African, you are looking very white!
- Bullying a Dragon: Eventually, Amin decides to invade Tanzania, a considerably larger country with a better-equipped and more professional military. The results are predictable.
- Chummy Commies: Amin attempts to forge an alliance with the Soviets, only to quickly alienate them with a few ill-chosen remarks.
- Decapitation Presentation: When one of Amin's wives falls ill, Dr. Oloya goes to pick up some ice, only to find the severed heads of two of Amin's political opponents in the freezer. When confronted on this, Amin explains that whenever there is a regime change in Africa, a few heads will inevitably roll.
- Dirty Old Man: Well, dirty middle-aged man, but still the same idea. Not only does the titular dictator have a harem of wives, most of them considerably younger than himself, but he repeatedly hits on whichever attractive woman he sets his eyes on.
- Faux Affably Evil: Despite being an unstable, paranoid despot, Amin affects a jovial disposition, though this merely serves to thinly conceal his psychopathic behaviour .
- Foregone Conclusion: Given the film's title, it is an inevitability that Amin's regime will eventually collapse following his foolish decision to declare war on Tanzania, a much larger and more heavily defended nation than his own.
- Full-Circle Revolution: When Amin overthrows the unpopular dictator Milton Obote, he promises Uganda will be free. Of course, he fails to keep this promise and his regime proves even more brutal and repressive than Obote's.
- Gilligan Cut: After Amin appoints his best friend Benedict Kiwanuka as the new chief judge of Uganda, the latter states that he is looking forward to overseeing the upcoming election. Amin responds that this is not the time to be discussing politics, before the film cuts to the first of many war crime scenes.
- Hair-Trigger Temper: It really doesn't take much to set the titular dictator off. Point out that the Ugandan shilling is completely worthless and that the country is bankrupt? He'll haul you off to be executed and replace you with a Yes-Man. Confront him about his harsh treatment of non-Muslims? He'll shoot you point-blank in the mouth. In real life, Amin's notoriously erratic behaviour is believed to have been the result of untreated bipolar disorder or possibly long-term syphilis.
- I'm a Humanitarian: Upon examining the corpse of chief judge Kiwanuka, Amin cuts a piece of flesh from his arm, recites a Muslim prayer, and gulps it up.
- Large and in Charge: Amin is a former heavyweight boxer as well as a ruthless dictator. This is reflected in his nickname, "Big Daddy".
- Make an Example of Them: After having his fourth wife Kay killed for allegedly having an affair with a doctor, Amin orders the coroner to chop off her arms and legs. He then shows the mutilated corpse to a group of schoolchildren, saying that the same fate will befall anyone who is disloyal to him.
- Make It Look Like an Accident: After shooting a man in a fit of rage, Amin orders Dr. Oloya to list the man as having died in a car accident, but the doctor refuses.
- Military Coup: To seize control of Uganda, Amin takes advantage of his control of the military and Obote's unpopularity to overthrow him.
- New Era Speech: Upon taking power, Amin gives a speech announcing that Uganda is now free from Obote's tyranny and that he is ready to rebuild then nation.Amin: Thank you very much, ladies and gentlemen. Thank you very much, fellow officers. Thank you very much, friends, relatives, and distinguished guests. I am so happy to see you all celebrating our country's liberation, thank you very much. I'm a man of few words, but I must say this: Uganda is now a free country, thank you very much. Ugandans will now be free to discuss anything, thank you very much. My government will not tolerate interference from politicians while I am personally building Uganda. If you like, you will be defeated, for I am the world's strongest general. Ask my soldiers. Ask those who have had the honour of boxing me. Ask my wives. Why, even ask my government! My concern for justice will be shown by my selection of Uganda's new chief judge. You see here among you today, I appoint Benedict Kiwanuka now! Ben is a good man and clever man. That's why Obote feared him. That's why Obote put him in prison. That's why I made him my chief judge. Thank you very much.
- Politically Incorrect Villain: As well as hating any and all non-Muslims in Uganda, Amin is a virulent anti-Semite. When a British newspaper article compares him to Hitler, he takes it as a compliment and even says that he plans to erect a statue of him in the centre of Kampala.
- The Purge: Once he comes to power, Amin seeks to stay there by destroying any and all political opposition, starting with Obote's remaining supporters.
- Scary Black Man: Amin can get pretty intimidating whenever the situation presents itself, especially when he gets angry. And he gets angry very easily.
- Tempting Fate: Shortly after giving a speech proclaiming himself invincible, Amin proceeds to get his ass kicked by the Tanzanians and get ousted in a coup.
- Villain Protagonist: It's a biopic about one of Africa's most infamous dictators, so this is a given.
- Witch Doctor: Amin consults one in an attempt to identify his new political enemies. Upon hearing their names, he orders them slaughtered down to the last man.
- Worthless Currency: A bank manager explains to Amin that if they keep printing more and more money, then the Ugandan shilling will have less value to foreign investors than toilet paper. Amin doesn't take this comparison very well.Amin: Toilet paper?! You call Ugandan money shit money?! Take the governor here outside and show him what we do to shit!
