I had low expectations for this picture, and boy was I surprised. This is really gripping picture. Every frame riveted my interest. It is about two people from two extremely different cultures trying to make a go of it. Both do their best. Both confound each other by failing to explain their cultural expectations.You would think this fish out of water plot would generate a comedy with lots of African music. But it doesn't. You feel the anger and frustration of both parties over their anger at their partner refusing to behave "sensibly".I don't think I have ever seen a film that even attempted to give me an idea of what is is like to be an African living in a hut. It was quite gut wrenching.In one sense she failed, but her life was ever so much richer because she dared to follow her heart. Be prepared; the film is 131 minutes.

What strange thing is the attraction between two human beings. It is a mystery hard to explain. In the case of Carola Lehmann, a successful shop owner from Switzerland, on a holiday in Kenya with her boyfriend, it is the chance encounter with Lemalian, a handsome Massai youth that catches her eye. Carola, who is about to go back home, has second thoughts about returning to a normal life in what is considered a civilized country, and decides to stay behind for an uncertain life with a somewhat primitive African man.Carola, who has no other friends in Kenya, except Elisabeth, the wife of a black man, makes the trek to a remote part of the country to the Massai enclave where Lemalian hails from. The shock she receives when she sees the primitive society where she has decide to settle with her man, is somehow ameliorated by the love in her heart. Their lovemaking is not exactly the way she expects it; to make matters worse, she witnesses a young woman subjected to a ritual that involves the cutting of a part of her sexual organ.Trying to get out of the poverty she experiences, Carola decides to go back home to sell her shop. With the proceedings, she sets up a store that she sees as a service to the community. The only thing is that everyone wants credit. Her life changes dramatically when she delivers a baby girl. Eventually she becomes disillusioned with the ways Lemalian has changed. She asks for his permission to take the girl back home. Lemalian, reluctantly, gives her the permit and both mother and daughter depart for a new life.Director Hermine Huntgeburth did a marvelous job in recreating a story that is based on the real Carola's experiences in Africa. The film never fails to surprise because of the candid account it has for the viewer. It shows a courageous woman who gets beaten by the customs and the environment. In trying to make a family life, she is overwhelmed by the primitive ways of the people she wanted to help.Nina Hoss, who plays Carola is marvelous. She exudes intelligence in her approach to the character she is playing. Jackie Ido, on the other hand, is somewhat stiff. Never having seen anyone of the actors before, we approached the film with an open mind knowing full well the limitations Ms. Huntgeburth must have encountered while filming in such a primitive setting."The White Massai" will stay in our memory for quite some time.

The White Masai is a very handsome production that showcases excellent cinematography by Martin Langer and some fine performances by Nina Hoss and Katja Flint as two European women trying to cope with life in Kenya. Carola knows fairly early on that she has gotten into a situation that will call on all her emotional resources if she is to survive. Nina Hoss conveys her sudden attraction to Lemalian, followed by bruising experiences with female circumcision, a woman called bewitched who gives birth at the side of the road, a crooked "mini-chief" who craftily skims money off the receipts at her store, and other trials. She seeks help from Pater Bernardo the missionary, very skillfully played by Antonio Prester.The story is engrossing but it is true, as another commenter noted, that you're never in doubt about the next plot turn. This film should be seen by all those who enjoyed The African Queen and Out of Africa; it has the same romantic appeal as those classics.

I don't understand why people gave this film such a high rating. Ah OK, I know it's all about romance. Well, i like movies about love and romance. movies which cause that warm feeling around your heart and almost make you cry. But "Die Weisse Massai" is not quite about romance in my opinion. It certainly was intended to be, but what came out is a movie about naivety and ignorance. So instead of a warm feeling around my heart i had to chuckle to myself all the time and couldn't await until the obvious happens.--- Spoilers from here on ---Let me introduce you to the story. A woman from Switzerland comes to Africa for holidays with her boyfriend. They meet an attractive Massai warrior who she falls in love with. After he helps them out of a dangerous situation and the both spend some time with each other she is determined to stay in Africa, follows him to his village and they merry. After the romantic start the obvious problems begin. All of them are based on the culture clash. "He" is a Massai warrior and comes from a society where women count nothing. And "she" is a modern woman who tries to fulfill herself. He realizes that her mentality is different from what he is used to in his area and even allows her to open a shop. Soon he becomes jealous because from his standpoint it looks like she is flirting with her customers (she is looking straight into their eyes and is smiling at them). He accuses her of cheating several times until she can't stand it any more and leaves him.I am aware that some women might admire her because of her "bravery", leaving home for an adventurous life in the bush with a mysterious stranger. For me it's just pure ignorance and naivety. In my eyes this relationship could have even worked if her husband wasn't the only one who makes concessions. There was so much she could have done. Take that driving scene for example where he crashes the car. Why didn't she just try to teach him driving when they were alone, so that he wasn't ashamed of others watching his wife teaching him. Yes this might have been a very difficult task because of his ego, but hey it's a challenge. Or take the jealousy. All she had to do is not to smile at her customers. She could have even try to teach him how to run a business. In the circumcision scene she did as if she never have heard about it before. And what did she expect? That there is a hospital at every corner?All those small things show how naive (err i mean "how much in love") she was when she changed her life. It makes her character look like another ordinary, ignorant white woman from the west coming to the beautiful beaches of the third world to roast herself in the sun.This movie might become interesting from another point of view. You can see it as a metaphor for the problems between the "civilized" west and the developing east/ third world. the west always tries to change the east, but when difficulties arise, the west flees back to his sheltered world leaving the east suffering.