Friday, October 2, 1998
UCLA archive series honors versatile, little-known actor
FILM: Paul Robeson pushed for African Americans’ rights on and
offscreen in 1930s
By Ash Steffy
Daily Bruin Contributor
He was one of the quintessential geniuses in U.S. history.
Accomplished in theater, sports, music and civil rights activism,
he also had an impressive and unique film career in the 1930s and
1940s. But most people have probably never heard of him, and if
they have, his name is only vaguely familiar.
Paul Robeson, the focus of the UCLA Film and Television
Archive’s current film series "Paul Robeson: Star of Stage and
Screen," which runs from Oct. 1 to Oct. 11, defied overwhelming
odds. He maintained his dignity in a film industry which
traditionally stereotyped African Americans during the 1930s and
’40s and eventually used his superstar status to fight vehemently
for worldwide civil rights.
Yet why is there this gross omission from the present-day
American students’ education? Perhaps it is because Robeson
traveled in Europe knowing that racial progress was faster there
than in the United States. In addition, Robeson’s communist
friendships and outspoken leftism got him blacklisted by the House
Committee on Un-American Activities.
Paul Von Blum, professor of African American studies and
communication studies at UCLA, theorized that these factors
combined to create the prevailing ignorance of Robeson’s
achievements in America.
"One, Americans generally are ignorant about history," Von Blum
said. "Two, the lingering historical consequences of McCarthyism
still keep his name out of textbooks. Finally, white Americans
can’t deal with the fact that a black man excelled in so many
fields."
Even though Robeson had a varied and distinguished career, the
archive’s series highlights Robeson’s accomplishments in film.
Robeson fought hard to play strong black roles, and in doing so,
he paved the way for future African American film stars. Sidney
Poitier, during his recent acceptance of an American Film Institute
award, acknowledged the profound impact of Robeson on his own
career.
But, as the films in this series demonstrate, Robeson couldn’t
completely overcome the limitations of his era.
"He fought hard to make strong black roles," said Ed Guerrero, a
cinema studies professor at New York University. "But he didn’t
necessarily control his image – to completely have avoided
stereotyping would have resulted in him being out of work."
As a result, his movie career was a mixed success. Robeson
starred in 11 films between 1925 and 1942. The films were often
problematic, as in Robeson’s critically praised performance as a
black man who rises to power in Eugene O’Neill’s play, "The Emperor
Jones." The film rampantly stereotyped the minor black
characters.
Two years after "Jones," Robeson agreed to appear in "Sanders on
the River," thinking it would be a critique of British Imperialism.
He played Bosambo, a quick-witted escaped convict who becomes the
head of a tribe in the British colony of West Africa. Toward the
end of shooting, however, producers re-worked the script into a
pro-British depiction and left the underlying racism intact. Though
Robeson completed the picture, he was deeply upset by the
experience and publicly denounced the film.
In 1937, Robeson had the misfortune to star in another
imperialistic adventure film, "King Solomon’s Mines." "Mines"
brought to life H. Rider Haggard’s story of a legendary diamond
mine in Africa. The movie benefited from the fast-paced direction
of Robert Stevenson (later Oscar-nominated for "Mary Poppins"), as
well as strong performances by Robeson and Anna Lee. Lee will
appear in person on Oct. 4 to introduce the film she starred in 61
years ago.
In addition to these and more films, the archive will screen a
rare newsreel from 1949 documenting Robeson’s political activism
showing Robeson visiting Welsh mines and singing to the
workers.
In the United States, however, his pro-leftist sympathies caused
him trouble.
Robeson’s outspokenness eventually led to the U.S. government
banning him from foreign travel. This kept him from performing live
for his biggest fans in Britain and the Eastern Block.
But Robeson refused to be typecast. His versatility shows up in
the eclectic body of work he amassed, from London-produced
adventures and avant-garde documentaries, to Hollywood comedies and
serious message films.
Still, Europeans admired the scope of Robeson’s achievements
through his work in film.
"He starred in so many different types of films," said Charles
Musser, professor of American studies and film studies at Yale
University. "He had the ability to try, fail and yet still
persist."
FILM: "Paul Robeson: Star of Stage and Screen," runs from Oct. 1
through Oct. 11 at the James Bridges Theater. For more information,
call (310) 206-8013.
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© 1998 ASUCLA Communications Board