Nina Mae Kinney a/k/a The Black Garbo co-starred in Sanders of the River directed by Alexander Korda. McKinney and Paul Robeson were told that this film would portray African Americans in a positive light, that was even one of the conditions that Robeson would be in the movie. But after it was re-edited without the knowledge of McKinney and Robeson, as well as the other African American actors, it highlighted the power of the British Empire around the world.
Its no different judging this history from any other. Its against the background of the time not our current perspective that we should analyse this kind of material . Paul Robeson did nothing wrong in this context, on the contrary he did well to cope at all.
I mean, his dialogue is something that no self-respecting black actor portraying a man under colonialism would perform, even if he was playing the part of a British loyalist.
They say the black guy in the film disowned his part in it after he saw the finished good, decrying how the producers inserted parts without his knowledge that effectively made the film a propaganda for British imperialism. But after flicking through the film (I couldn't watch the whole thing, it's in black and white for God's sake), I don't see how Paul Robeson could have not seen this coming.
@1tephania They called him back to the studio for reshoots that he was contractually obligated to do. He'd taken this job in the hope of offering an inside perspective into African culture and had even spent four months with a camera crew in Africa getting footage. A lot of that stuff made it into the film.
Sanders of the River
Nina Mae Kinney a/k/a The Black Garbo co-starred in Sanders of the River directed by Alexander Korda. McKinney and Paul Robeson were told that this film would portray African Americans in a positive light, that was even one of the conditions that Robeson would be in the movie. But after it was re-edited without the knowledge of McKinney and Robeson, as well as the other African American actors, it highlighted the power of the British Empire around the world.
damienrecords 3 months ago
Its no different judging this history from any other. Its against the background of the time not our current perspective that we should analyse this kind of material . Paul Robeson did nothing wrong in this context, on the contrary he did well to cope at all.
chrisburke52 10 months ago
I mean, his dialogue is something that no self-respecting black actor portraying a man under colonialism would perform, even if he was playing the part of a British loyalist.
1tephania 1 year ago
They say the black guy in the film disowned his part in it after he saw the finished good, decrying how the producers inserted parts without his knowledge that effectively made the film a propaganda for British imperialism. But after flicking through the film (I couldn't watch the whole thing, it's in black and white for God's sake), I don't see how Paul Robeson could have not seen this coming.
1tephania 1 year ago
@1tephania They called him back to the studio for reshoots that he was contractually obligated to do. He'd taken this job in the hope of offering an inside perspective into African culture and had even spent four months with a camera crew in Africa getting footage. A lot of that stuff made it into the film.
McRighty 3 months ago