Monday, September 24, 2007
the ideas of being radical
I agree with the previous post as well. Even Micheaux not being radical with all of his concepts was still a radical thought. He could include the iconic sambo but still maintain a sense of independence and develop the other black characters in the movie. By overloading the sambo with ignorance this made room to develop the intelligent black lawyer and the sly witty black woman. This makes his film radical while still maintaining face in the 1930's.
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I don't think Lem Hawkins was a "stereotypical foil" as you suggest. Micheaux had spent the previous twenty years fighting Hollywood stereotypes of African Americans and I don't think he would change course in "Murder in Harlem" for dramatic effect. My belief is that Micheaux was trying to show that African Americans were individuals; some were ignorant and some aspired to greatness. By doing this, he was attempting to demonstrate that people of color were human and should be treated as such.
I think Sembene attempts the same thing in Black Girl. Although the white family is a stereotype of the "benevolent master," we find real humanity in Diouana, her boyfriend, and her Mother. These characters demonstrate the humanity by their growth and their character.
James Kimball
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