WHITE MAN'S BURDEN
A film review by Ben Hoffman
Copyright 1995 Ben Hoffman
About twenty minutes into the movie it became clear what point writer/director Desmond Nakano wished to make: What if black people changed places with white? What if everything were reversed and the blacks owned the factories, that racist black cops beat up whites as the white police did with Rodney King? What if all the indignities blacks frequently suffer at the hands of many whites were reversed?
Once having gotten that understanding and, because I have always been a fighter for racial and religious equality, I did not need a movie to bring it into focus for me. More importantly, would those who are racist go see such a movie or would word of mouth tell them the film is heavy-handed and then not go see it? I'm inclined to think that would be the case ... which is a pity.
Director Nakano says that if "white Man's Burden" can jar viewers out of their usual polarized complacency and provoke genuine dialogue on race, then it will have succeeded in its intent. This film is very unlikely to accomplish that, however honorable and worthy its intentions.
Louis (John Travolta) works in a factory where all the employees are white, the one exception being the executive who runs the place. Louis is a hard worker; he does more than is expected. When a package has to be delivered to the factory's owner, Thaddeus Thomas (Harry Belafonte), he volunteers to do it. Arriving at the gated entrance to the estate, the maid, via phone, tells him to bring the package around to the side of the house.
Inside the house, the family and friends, all elegantly attired, and served by a white maid, are departing after dinner. This is one very rich, high society family. As Louis is standing, package in hand, waiting for someone to come and accept it, Thomas' wife has just finished with her shower and is taking off her towel while standing at an open window, at which point Thomas sees Louis and assumes he is a Peeping Tom. When the maid had told Louis to go to the side of the house, she meant the other side.
The package is accepted by the maid. Louis, next day, approaches his black manager and asks if he could become a foreman as the current foreman is leaving, and "as you know, I have been a hard worker for nine years here." Instead, he is fired. The explanation which Louis ekes out is that the boss does not want Peeping Toms employed at his plant.
Louis is desperate. He has not ever earned enough to support his wife and two children and now he is being canned. In the evening, in despair, he goes for a walk. He sits at the curb. A police car with two black policemen jump out of their car and command him to raise his hands. When he asks what that is all about they begin to club him even while he is lying on the ground covering his bloody head with his hands. (A robbery had recently occurred and the description of the robber fit Louis.) [All whites look alike?] When the police discover he is not the robber, they say "Sorry about that" and take off in their patrol car.
Attempts by Louis to meet with Mr. Thomas and explain meets with rejection. Mr. Thomas does not want to talk with him. At this point, the desperate Louis points a gun at Mr. Thomas in order to force him to listen and get his job back. What follows is a kidnapping.
It is quite obvious that the movie has a real, and important story to tell but I do not think this film is the one to do it.
Tom Bower plays Louis' homeless friend who does not want to get involved with the kidnaping. Kelly Lynch has the role of Louis' wife trying to make ends meet.
2.5 Bytes
4 Bytes = Superb
3 Bytes = Too good to be missed.
2 Bytes = So so.
1 Byte = Save your money.
-- Ben Hoffman
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