As a young girl growing up in the African nation of Botswana, Precious Ramotswe was encouraged by her father to follow her dreams, no matter what. Now in her mid-30s, Precious is doing just that — by opening her country's first and only female-owned detective agency for the benefit of those who need help the most.
The first major film/TV project to be shot entirely on location in Botswana, 'The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency' is based on the best-selling novels by Alexander McCall Smith and co-written and executive produced by Richard Curtis and the late Anthony Minghella.
Like McCall's novels, the series chronicles the adventures of Precious Ramotswe (Jill Scott), the cheerful, eminently sensible proprietor of The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, located in the Kgale Hill Shopping Center on the outskirts of Gaborone. Aided by her efficient yet high-strung secretary Grace Makutsi (Anika Noni Rose), Precious investigates a variety of cases, helping townspeople solve mysteries in their lives, from missing children to philandering husbands to con-artist scams.
Precious Ramotswe exemplifies the courageous efforts by real-life Africans to improve the quality of their lives while preserving their culture. Though Precious brings a playful, even innocent, exuberance to her job, the "mysteries" she investigates are quite serious, and include child kidnapping, poverty, organized crime, health crises, spousal abandonment and infidelity — ongoing problems that confront many Africans (and Americans) today.
In the lead role of Precious Ramotswe is Jill Scott, the R&B singer/songwriter who has won three Grammy® Awards since 2005, branching out into acting with 2007's 'Hounddog' (her debut, as Big Mama Thornton) and 'Why Did I Get Married?' Other regulars include Anika Noni Rose ('Dreamgirls') as Precious' quirky secretary Grace, Lucian Msamati as her devoted suitor JLB, and Desmond Dube ('Hotel Rwanda') as her neighbor BK, a flamboyant hairdresser. Guest stars include David Oyelowo (HBO's 'Five Days' and 'As You Like It'), Idris Elba (HBO's 'The Wire' and 'Sometimes in April'), Colin Salmon ('Die Another Day'), and Tony® winner John Kani ('Final Solution').
The pilot (which debuted on the BBC in 2008) is the last film directed by Anthony Minghella ('Cold Mountain,' Best Director Oscar® for 'The English Patient'), who co-wrote its script with Richard Curtis (Oscar® nominee for 'Four Weddings and a Funeral,' Emmy® winner for HBO's 'The Girl in the Café'). The pilot was produced by the late Sydney Pollack (Oscar®-winning director of 'Out of Africa' and 'Tootsie'), Timothy Bricknell ('Cold Mountain') and Amy J. Moore.
it's totally brilliant! the cast, the picture quality, the colours. uhhhh, i just love everything about it (esp idris elba lol).
Posted by: ngum | March 27, 2009 at 02:24 PM
From the first time I saw it I loved it. Very funny yet so real. If you have not seen it, I strongly recommend you tune to BBC 1 on Sundays at 9 pm as it is still running. This is what African films should look like not those Nigerian films with monotonous plots that are usually unprofessionally filmed with poor sound quality and the noise ew! that usually irritate next door neighbours. This is a mater piece of scripting and directing for TV and I think African producers, writers, directors, actors and actresses should learn a lot from this.
Posted by: Willie | March 30, 2009 at 04:08 AM
Funny as some of the episodes are, the cast are stereotypical and their portrayal rather outrageous. After "enjoying" the dramatic antics of the lead characters; brilliantly portrayed by Jill Scott as Precious and her quirky little secretary Anika Rose, it downed on me that the amateurish approach to their jobs, of both ladies is a stereotypical depiction of Africa. It seems as if Africans cannot be demure, composed, classy and intellectual.
And this is no fault of the producers - but I felt a sense of revulsion and shame at some of the story lines, because they are true.
But this is drama, and this is comedy. It should've been lighter with something that didn't made Africans look so stupid-- like paying a detective to find a small unhappy dog? Some of the stories portrayed the gory and filthy side of Africans.
In the episode of "The Big Bonanza" Precious had to use her bare hands to extract a watch from the dead carcass of a crocodile, which had swallowed a client's husband- effectively, she was dipping her hand into the belly of a dead man to extract a watch!! How filthy is that!!
Something else worried me! Georgeous as Jill Scott is, she wouldn't cut it as a lead in a Hollywood Detective Story; because she doesn't "look the part." I applaud the producers for giving her the part, because I am not prejudicial about the way people look in such things. But I'm highlighting this to confirm the perception that the "typical African lady" is an ample figured Mama (as portrayed) in the mind of the Whiteman. That is why she was chosen; to go with the perceptin of the adipose African Mother.
If there was a real life African detective lady, she'd be a slim, sassy, saucy, sexy little minx, dressed in a provocative outfit, and not in a large boubou wearing comfortable or flat shoes.
OK, and the dialogue was a drag. Not sharp and quick-witted. Their tongues(accents) seemed too heavy for English. I thought that was a mistake. Art should imitate life-- to a certain extent. They spoke English like it was great effort that took out strength from the actors. I know it is meant to be a Botswana accent, but...
Again, the little child actor (bless him) couldn't act and speak at the same time. Check out little kids in Slum Dog.. that's what I'm talking about. They make out Africans to act stupid and make-do with mediocrity.
Posted by: samiraedi | April 04, 2009 at 12:37 PM
Samiraedi do I notice more than a touch of embarrassment about the fat African mami? Women in the West suffer immensely from the idealization of anorectic waifs that bear little semblance to reality. I suppose you would have been more content with a version of CSI Gabarone.
Posted by: bonor | April 04, 2009 at 02:31 PM
Samiraedi
You raise valid points. The stereotypes should not come as a surprise because after all the books were written by a white British man
Bonor
Yes! the West suffers from anorexia but we shouldn't be glorifying obesity in Africa. Our women become shamelessly obese after they wed and hide behind huge "cabas". They don't eat right (all that red oil and fried food) or engage in any healthy exercise. Obesity is glamorized in Africa and as a result people die everyday from preventable diseases...diseases which would have been prevented if they just had a bowl of salad two days a week instead of the red oil-infested Achu.
In Africa we cherish curves and curves are definitely good. A lot of Nigerian actresses in the limelight like Omotola, Genevieve, Ini Edo and even American celebrities like Beyonce are beautiful curvy women (even though they are considered fat by Western standards). Such curves are good and should be promoted in Africa (as we already do) because it is healthy. However, there is a difference between being curvy and obese.
Posted by: UnitedstatesofAfrica | April 08, 2009 at 12:25 AM