Jackson advocate. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1939-current, 1944-02-26
Hail Document
As Being Superb
In Performance
Narration By
Carlton Moss
Gets Good Hand
By ERNEsT E. IoHNsON

By ERNEST T.. JOHNSON
WASHINGTON-(A N P)-Tf1s
is strictly opinion
The war department last week
held a preview of 1.-THE Negro
Soldier" to which had been invited
newspaper writer's persons identl-
fled with service organizations, and
others whose viewpoint would be
desirable as guidance in the hand
ling Of the production.
Under the supervision of Col.
Frank Capra, a Hollywood crafts
man of proven skill, a document
has been turned out that is superb
in content, direction, and perfor-
nance. The script was written and
narrated by Carlton Moss, whose
theatrical capabilities first came to
be recognized in the days Of the
WPA Theater program in New
York.
STORY OF OUR BOYS
''This is the story Of the partici-
patton of Negro Americans in the
various wars engaged in by the
United States says the informa-
ton sheet that was circulated. "It
traces the role of the Negro soldier
from Crispus Attacks, hero of the
Boston massacre, to Robert Brooks,
first American soldier of the armor-
ed force to die in this war Fur
ther on it add: This is the story
of 10 per cent of our nanpoWer,
fighting for and helping to build
our great nation
From this reviewers point of
view, the picture will have been
made in vain if it does not appear
before white audiences. This cam
not be too strangely emphasized. 1t
is to be expected that Negro audi
ences will see it at commercial
houses, but there is less certainty
as to white audiences.
Regarding the script and charac-
terizations, "The Negro Soldier
should settle finally the issue of
| Negro portrayals which heretofore
have been of the stereotype sort Of
caricature. Carlton Moss does an
able job of narration in the role
of the preacher. He is not the
frock coated type but rather a
begoWned minister of the gospel
talking about living today rather
than dying tomorrow. The dialogue
throughout is true to life, and
there was noticeable absence Of
grins.
There are two criticisms which
ought to be cited, not so much
of the film as it is of the war
department policy as it has been
fostered to date.
BELIEF STILL HELD
The production reaches back in
to the pages Of history and builds
up splendid picture of the Negro
soldier valiantly acquitting himself
in this nations various battles for
the preservation OF liberty. But the
department has done nothing to
date to disprove the widely hold
notion that Negroes are confined to
stevedore jobs and labor battal-
ions. Not even does this picture
attempt it, unless the faxed shot
of a Negro downing an enemy
plane is the answer.
The other criticism is that the
war department climaxed the pic
ture by showing the pictures of
various herods of this war For the
most part they were white. The
exceptions were two: Pvt. Robert
Brooks and Dorie Miller.
Brooks was the first member Of
the armored force who died in the
Philippines, and for whom a field
has been named at Fort Knox, KY.
Brooks was Negro, to be sure,
but from all that can be learned,
the army did not know it,
SHOULD ASK SHOWING
Miller was mess attendant in
the United States navy who grab
bed a machine gun and fired at
enemy craft in the Pearl Harbor
attack. From a strictly technical
point of view, Brooks does not
count because he was "miscast" SO
to speak. Miller was a borrowed
hero for an army film.
To insure that fine production is
seen IN our neighborhOod, Ne
groes are urged to communicate
their desire to the war activities
division of the war department. |
That whites may see it as we'll,
Key people should be apprised of |
It SO that they too might urge
their local theaters to request a
J,