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With EVELYN PREER, CHARLES D. LUCAS. Produced, written and directed by OSCAR MICHEAUX. The earliest surviving feature film directed by an American Negro. A landmark effort, using a mixed race cast, the film was released only a few years after "The Birth Of A Nation." While it could be considered "the other side of the coin," it is in no way comparable in budget or production values. In terms of a message, the story of a young black woman trying to finance a school for blacks in the South, by trying to get money in the North, was just as shocking today as it was when first released. The depiction of lynchings and the rape of black women by white men is particularly startling. (official distributor synopsis)
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The history behind certain films just fascinates me. In the case of the first surviving film directed by a back filmmaker, it's particularly fascinating because it was considered lost for a long 70 years until it resurfaced in Spain. It has been restored from the Spanish version. Unfortunately, the original English intertitles did not survive, only Spanish translations did. Nevertheless, this fact doesn't change the significance of the film, which addresses racial issues and the oppression of black people, issues that were still ongoing at that time. The footage appears to have been preserved intact, despite being censored during its time. It’s no wonder. There are scenes here that were quite intense for their time, but it’s too bad they were so exaggerated. However, what detracts from the impression is the image quality, as well as, for example, the acting performances. To view the film merely as propaganda is foolish; rather, I see it as an attempt to resist and show that racial issues simply exist and persist in society. Nevertheless, it's true that nowadays, it's just not easy to watch this kind of film.
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Photo © Micheaux Book & Film Company
