'Belle,' Another "Slave" Movie I Will Not See
- Details
- Category: Lifestyle/People
- Published: Friday, 11 April 2014 22:17
- Written by Attorney taleph Haynes Davis
by Attorney taleph Haynes Davis
Apparently, according to an article recently published by "The Root" (and I had heard about this movie and read another article about this new up-coming "slavery movie") another slavery-themed, major motion picture is set to hit theaters next month called "Belle." According to The Root article, the movie chronicles the story, allegedly, "a love story" about "a woman many believe had a role in the ending of slavery in Britain."
Apparently, the central "bi-racial" figure in this movie is a woman named Dido Elizabeth Belle. The Root reports that, according to the story, her mother was an enslaved African, and her father was an officer in the British Royal Navy. The Root also takes a moment to note that "the true nature of and the circumstances surrounding their relationship are unclear" which sounds like to me that Ms. Belle's mother may not have been a "willing" participant in the so-called "relationship" if you get what I mean. According the The Root, the following are further facts about this latest "slavery" themed story: Belle was spared a life in slavery; she was taken from her mother to live in the home of her aristocratic great-uncle, where, even as an illegitimate child, she was afforded the privileged life that came with her father's bloodline; but because she was also biracial/black, she was denied full societal
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and familial acceptance. And The Root article said the character summed up her societal position in the movie as follows: "How may I be too high in rank to dine with the servants but too low to dine with my family?"
Well I for one, I am not going to go see it. I did not see "12 Years a Slave", and I am not going to go see "Belle." I refuse to support movies that continue to depict black-American actors, or black actors from anywhere on the planet, in subservient or slave roles. I did not see "The Butler" and I did not see "The Help" and the only reason I saw "Django" is because my E. St. Louis, Illinois homeboy Reggie Hudlin was involved with the movie (and I admire Reggie immensely), AND, it was somewhat liberating to see a black-American "hero win" in the fictional depiction of the story line of "Django" and shoot and kill slave masters and bigots.
Indeed, just the other day, after reading an article on South Carolina Lt. Gov. Glenn McConnell, who was named president at his alma mater, the College of Charleston just recently, whereby pictures were published in the article of McConnell dressed in a Confederate Army uniform with a pair of Gullah/slave re-enactors, I asked myself the following: "how do you find ANY black-American folks who would take a picture depicting themselves as slaves or act in any way like slaves?". I mean, is that the only type of role that a black-American actor or black actor from anywhere on the planet can win an Oscar or any other award? Maybe I am out of touch with the "business of acting and portrayals" in "Hollywood" and "Broadway" and other less known venues. But I would not be caught dead "acting like a slave" for anyone and I damn for sure am not going to avail myself to the alleged "enjoyment" of watching the "staged portrayal" of slavery or a subservient black-American role ever again at the theatre. I don't act like a slave now and never have, I don't think like a slave now and never have, and I get no enjoyment out of seeing black actors act like slaves or subservient human beings on big screens or on television or on stages.
On the one hand, getting out the stories of individual slave lives and those horrid tales arguably are good from a historical perspective. Indeed, it (the slave trade) is a criminal indictment (in my opinion) on the foundation and formation of this country. On the other hand, one could argue that the "new found" attention (as part of the Hollywood and motion picture business) to this issue is again a continuation of the benefit of the human chattel trade. For me, stories of liberation, self-empowerment, and knowledge are far more liberating for me for entertainment.
My point is offered here respectfully, that there are millions of slave stories that could be depicted. There are enough slave stories that Hollywood could make 3 to 5 a year until we all die and all will not be told. What has NOT been depicted, for instance, are the stories of the countless number of black-American professional, self-empowering, self-employed before the effects of "affirmative action legislation" stories, like, for instance, the stories of the black-American professionals of E. St. Louis, Illinois, who at one point in time were the highest per-capita self-employed doctors, lawyers, and intellectuals in the nation.
For me, as we say, "That's what I am talking about" in terms of stories of liberation, self-empowerment, and knowledge being depicted and portrayed.
Those are stories that are about black-American professionals, who dominated their profession in, for instance, E. St. Louis, Illinois (my home town), and the Metro-St. Louis area beginning in the 1920's, (like my father Dr. Miles Dewey Davis, DDS) and did so in light of the economy and despite the racially tense environment. Those are the stories that speak to liberation that are post Dred Scott v. Sandford, that are post emancipation, that are stories of success during Jim Crow (and armed self-defense with lethal deadly force during Jim Crow), and are stories of success during the turbulent 1960's. Yet, they are never told. They are never depicted in Hollywood, on Broadway, or any other venue at all. I don't need to know about another slave story ever again. Because all slave stories are relevant and if you look to the history of the constitution of this country along with case law, statutes, race codes (for instance see the Louisiana Black Codes of 1806 for example) I do not need to see or experience another Hollywood depiction of the "human chattel economy" and with all due respect, I do not want to purchase a book which speaks to that misery.
I know what the history is about the human chattel trade, and I don't need to see it "depicted for enjoyment" on the "big screen" for any reason whatsoever again.
I know that many of you who will read this entry will disagree with me and that's fine. I encourage discourse everyday as a freedom loving 1st Amendment advocate. However, until a movie is made about the "Story of the Nat Turner Rebellion", you can count me as one who will not be at a theatre watching the subservient portrayals and slave trade portrayals of black-American or black-human depictions.
Attorney taleph Haynes Davis is a well respected Orlando trial attorney who has appeared on several national news outlets as an analyst for high interest court room cases. Our Offices: 150 North Orange Avenue, Suite 415, Orlando, Florida 32801-2317
Our Telephone: 407-839-3725
Facsimile: 407-839-4708
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- See more at: http://www.constitutionally-speaking.com/2014/04/11/comes-another-slave-movie-will-see-belle/#sthash.HpQV2Gtb.dpuf
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