The Northwest enterprise. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1931-1952, 1937-02-26
THE MOVIES

Miss Louise Beavers, one of our best-known- movie
stars, when interviewed IN Boston recently, said the big
companies" are getting tired of criticism of what they are
trying to do for Negroes, or words to that effect We do
not object to Miss Beavers viewpoint, for we would natur-
ally expect that to be colored by the fact that she is directly
concerned because of the livelihood. But we do object to
Miss Beavers manner, for it. is the public, and not the big
companies" who decide the motion picture policies. This
fact was clearly demonstrated when the Catholic boycott
forced the movies to clean house, cut out SO much smut and
gangsterism, and put in, instead, more historical and clas-
steal pictures. AS a result, the children of our country get
a real break, for now the movies are plainly an educational
as well as an entertainment factor in American life.
We have not yet seen Miss Beavers in her latest picture,
Rainbow on the River" but members of our family have,
and we can tell Miss Beavers right here that while her act
ing is said to be excellent, the role she plays is certainly not
appreciated by our modern, high school colored girls and
boys. We understand that she pleads in the picture that
she wants to remain a slave; and that she shows every soil
citation for the education of a little white boy, while she
let's a little coIored boy grow up in ignorance. OF course
that is the script, and Miss Beavers is paid to do the acting,
but we are mentioning it to show our wen-iked star just
how her roles register with her public. White stars are very
anxious to know how their public takes their roles, and It
Miss Beavers is to remain popular, she must be like the
white stars in this respect, and not with white people alone,
but with her own race as well.
In this connection, we will quote a letter from Mrs.
Carrie Pembroke, head of the Department of English of
Lane College, jackson, Tenn, which sent to us in re-
Spouse to a query on the movies. Miss Beavers might read
this letter with profit, and then pass it along to the big
companies which pay her what ought to be and what we
hope is a handsome stipend.
II believe that I speak for the race when I say that we
feel personally affronted every time we see the coon hunting,
dice throwing scenes. We feel ashamed and Disguised when
we see any stalwart man playing a frightened, cringing, role.
It is insulting to the race to show only the nanny type of
woman. This type of woman is rarely given anything to
do except hang clothes on a line in some rich lady's back
yard, or chase small boys away from a dice game. The
higher aspirations or finer s~ensiblities of the race are sell
dom shown. l think that we generally appreciated the role
given to Mr.. Paul Robson and his partner in Sanders of
the River" Mr.. Robson acted the part of a self-sacrificng
father and husband.
w the general public ever get an idea of the "Soul
Of Black Folk by the roles Negroes play in the movies?
Does the great American public know of the heart hunger
and the longing of the Negro for the higher and nobler
things of life? There is talent in the race, and we should
like to see it used more fully. We belive that the present
Interpretation is faulty. The life Of a people can never be
interpreted by showing only the middle and lower stratas
of their society"