A UNITED KINGDOM (12A, 111 mins) Drama/Romance. David Oyelowo, Rosamund Pike, Jack Davenport, Tom Felton, Vusi Kunene, Terry Pheto, Laura Carmichael, Nicholas Lyndhurst, Abena Ayivor. Director: Amma Asante.

Released: November 25 (UK & Ireland)

A shameful episode of bigotry during the post-war decline of the British Empire provides rich source material for Amma Asante's handsome and deeply moving love story.

Anchored by impassioned performances, A United Kingdom dramatises the true romance of a defiant African prince and a London salesman's daughter, which embroiled two continents in an ugly tug-of-war for supremacy.

The central couple are kept apart for many years, including the birth of their first child, and scriptwriter Guy Hibbert captures the terrible injustice and anguish of this period of exile with aplomb.

Hibbert also gifts leading man David Oyelowo several barn-storming speeches against apartheid and intolerance, including a pivotal meeting of tribal chiefs, where the prince tearfully tells the assembled throng, "I love my people, I love this land - but I love my wife."

His unswerving belief that love conquers all, at a time when the world still bears the scars of bitter conflict, galvanizes every beautifully composed frame and plucks the (heart)strings of composer Patrick Doyle's lush orchestrations.

Cinematographer Sam McCurdy contrasts the industrial grey of London with the sun-baked golds, oranges and browns of southern Africa, a ravishing backdrop where poisonous emotions take root and produce bitter fruit.

Seretse Khama (Oyelowo), heir apparent to the nation of Bechuanaland (now Botswana), is studying law in 1947 London before returning home to lead his people.

He has been prepared for this role by his proud uncle Tshekedi (Vusi Kunene) and a council which kowtows to the British.

At a dance organised by the London Missionary Society, Seretse falls in love with typist Ruth Williams (Rosamund Pike), whose bigoted father George (Nicholas Lyndhurst) would never condone the flourishing romance.

"Father will hate [Seretse] on sight," observes Ruth's sister Muriel (Laura Carmichael). "He's cleverer than him... and he's black."

Paternal rage pales next to the indignation of Alistair Canning (Jack Davenport), the British government's representative in southern Africa.

"If you choose to marry the leader of an African nation, you will be responsible for the downfall of the British empire," he coldly informs Ruth.

Unperturbed, the couple marries and Ruth accompanies Seretse to Bechuanaland, where she faces hostility from uncle Tshekedi, aunt Ella (Abena Ayivor) and Seretse's sister Naledi (Terry Pheto).

Meanwhile, the British - represented by snivelling district commissioner Rufus Lancaster (Tom Felton) - and the South African government use underhand tactics to separate the lovebirds.

A United Kingdom is a stirring ode to love, distinguished by molten on-screen chemistry between Oyelowo and Pike.

Asante elegantly navigates the political quagmire, eschewing heavy-handed sermonizing about the controversial inter-racial romance, including powerful scenes of Ruth attempting to win over the sharp-tongued women of Bechuanaland.

Archive photographs over the end credits hammer home the couple's remarkable sacrifices and their enduring legacy in Botswana, and far beyond.

(Damon Smith)

:: SWEARING :: NO SEX :: VIOLENCE :: RATING: 7.5/10

ALLIED (15, 124 mins) Thriller/Romance/War/Action. Brad Pitt, Marion Cotillard, Jared Harris, Simon McBurney, Lizzy Caplan, August Diehl, Matthew Goode. Director: Robert Zemeckis.

Released: November 25 (UK & Ireland)

With a protracted opening sequence set in 1942 French Morocco, Robert Zemeckis' old-fashioned espionage thriller explicitly doffs its fedora to the film Casablanca and a bygone era of sweeping romances.

The pre-release hype surrounding Allied has focused on wicked whispers about the relationship between Brad Pitt and Marion Cotillard, which resulted in the Oscar-winning French actress issuing a statement to deny any involvement in her co-star's divorce.

On screen, they are an exceedingly attractive pairing and screenwriter Steven Knight provides the actors with plentiful reasons to moan with ecstasy in a steamy sex scene set during a violent sandstorm.

However, Pitt and Cotillard don't come close to melting celluloid and the script fails to make explicit the consequences of failure for their two secret agents.

The characters are gambling not just with their own lives, but also with the future of countless European nations, and not once do we experience a palpable sense of jeopardy or nail-biting tension.

Success seems preordained from the glossy opening frames... but appearances can be deceptive.

Wing commander Max Vatan (Pitt), a Canadian intelligence officer posted to London during the Second World War, parachutes behind enemy lines to assassinate a German ambassador.

He joins forces with glamorous French Resistance fighter Marianne Beausejour (Cotillard), who is already embedded in Casablanca and will pose as his adoring wife.

Sparks fly as the faux romance kindles deep desire, pulling the wool over the eyes of Commandant Hobar (August Diehl) and other Nazi officials.

"I keep the emotions real, that's why it works," coos Marianne, explaining the art of her seductive deception.

The couple reunite in London, where they marry, raise a beautiful child and entertain friends and family including Max's bohemian sister, Bridget (Lizzy Caplan).

As the Allied war effort gathers pace, Max is ushered into a covert meeting with his superior, Frank Heslop (Jared Harris), and a military intelligence official (Simon McBurney).

They present damning evidence that Marianne is a spy working for the Germans.

Max denounces their suspicions, but he reluctantly agrees to run a Blue Dye test on Marianne, leaving bogus intelligence in plain sight at home to see if the same information is intercepted in coded messages to Berlin.

If her guilt is proven, Max must execute his wife.

"You will go home and carry on as if nothing has happened," confirms Frank, but Max is determined to winkle out the truth.

Allied is a triumph of style over suspense, maintaining a pedestrian pace even when German bombs rain down on London.

Pitt and Cotillard look luminescent thanks to cinematographer Don Burgess, and both are draped sexily in Joanna Johnston's impeccable period costumes.

Action sequences are surprisingly gruesome and blood-thirsty, warranting the 15 certificate, but fail to quicken the pulse.

Elegance bullies excitement into weary submission well before the two hours are up.

(Damon Smith)

:: SWEARING :: SEX :: VIOLENCE :: RATING: 5/10