Re: [Marxism] Gone With the Wind

[Jeffrey Masko via Marxism]

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Just seeing this now, but this week I will be teaching Birth of a Nation
and like many other "hard films" it cannot and should not be ignored. It is
a moment in a classroom where not only the historical moment of production
can be discussed (the place of Woodrow Wilson, for instance and the rise of
Oscar Micheaux as a direct consequence of BOAN) and how the techniques of
editing and scene composition made the contents (overtly racist) digestible
to the audience and (in not a different way that Scorsese for instance can
make wise guys like Joe Pesci seem "like-able".

Many scenes work so that the viewer is aligned (through camera shots such
as a POVs) to feel the "unfairness" of reconstructions so that we feel
sympathy and thus allegiance with the South and southerners. This is why
the film is so important in terms of the development of formal elements and
so powerful as a piece of propaganda. Because it works and did work for the
audiences of that time and this one. Every semester I teach this, folks who
don't know the history of the film or reconstruction take the "side" of the
south in short clips precisely because of the filmic techniques.

This is the unearthing of ideology as a political unconscious in the words
of Fred Jamison. Every text has them and the work of film analysis as
opposed to "reviews" is to bring this to light, which is why Marxist film
crit is the strongest heuristic that we have, and why the methodology of
film analysis is the focus, not aesthetics. As my wife put it.."who ever
thought that was a *good* movie anyway?"
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Re: [Marxism] Gone With the Wind

[wytheholt--- via Marxism]

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The first time I heard a great Mozart opera, I remember how sexist and classist 
its plot was. I left the music hall filled with wonder at how good the music 
was and how socially defective the plot and lyrics were.  Nobody is suggesting 
that we throw Mozart out the window.  One can focus on the beautiful while not 
forgetting the ugly and the context within which it was written.

> On June 26, 2020 at 7:43 PM Michael Meeropol  wrote:
> 
> Here's an example --- In many Marx brothers films, there are incredibly 
> stereotyped blacks hanging around, dancing, etc. --- Groucho would often 
> refer to them as "darkies" --- You have to be inured to those elements but I 
> expect that the more sensitive one is, the less likely is one to be willing 
> to ignore that shit and focus on the incredibly clever humor ---
> 
> I wonder if I could stomach watching "A Day at the Races" again ...Maybe 
> just stop watching near the end!!!
> 
> 
> > > Most movies made before the 1960s, that come close to 
> dealing with race or with having racial or racialized components or figures 
> in them, are going to be suspect on these grounds. This is going to be a 
> case-by-case search and decision-making process, and there will be many close 
> calls, though all movies should have a copy at a central museum of film. I am 
> for keeping "Casablanca" in regular use, as I deem its racist components too 
> minor to cause such a good and classic film to disappear from public 
> availability. But that sort of judgment must be applied to many films; some 
> will be put away, most (I suspect) will survive. WH
> > 
> > >
> > 
> > > 
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Re: [Marxism] GONE WITH THE WIND

[Louis Proyect via Marxism]

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On 6/27/20 12:10 AM, Ken Hiebert via Marxism wrote:

"When even people
with college education talk about cinema,
we post movie reviews from pedestrian
hacks like James Agee…”

It seemed clear to me when Louis posted the Agee review, it was not to further 
our understanding of the movie, or intended to serve as a review, but rather to 
illustrate the racist support for the movie.  With that purpose in mind, it was 
useful to post it.


James Agee was no pedestrian hack.

From Wikipedia:

After graduation, Agee was hired by the Time Inc. as a reporter, and 
moved to New York City, where he wrote for Fortune magazine in 
1932-1937, although he is better known for his later film criticism in 
Time and The Nation. In 1934, he published his only volume of poetry, 
Permit Me Voyage, with a foreword by Archibald MacLeish.


In the summer of 1936, during the Great Depression, Agee spent eight 
weeks on assignment for Fortune with photographer Walker Evans, living 
among sharecroppers in Alabama. While Fortune did not publish his 
article, Agee turned the material into a book titled Let Us Now Praise 
Famous Men (1941).[6] It sold only 600 copies before being remaindered. 
Another manuscript from the same assignment discovered in 2003, titled 
Cotton Tenants, is believed to be the essay submitted to Fortune 
editors. The 30,000 word text, accompanied by photographs by Walker 
Evans, was published as a book in June 2013. John Jeremiah Sullivan 
writes in the Summer 2013 issue of BookForum that, "This is not merely 
an early, partial draft of Famous Men, in other words, not just a 
different book; it's a different Agee, an unknown Agee. Its excellence 
should enhance his reputation."[7] A significant difference between the 
works is the use of original names in Cotton Tenants; Agee assigned 
fictional names to the subjects of Famous Men in order to protect their 
identity.[8]



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Re: [Marxism] GONE WITH THE WIND

[Ken Hiebert via Marxism]

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"When even people 
with college education talk about cinema,
we post movie reviews from pedestrian 
hacks like James Agee…”

It seemed clear to me when Louis posted the Agee review, it was not to further 
our understanding of the movie, or intended to serve as a review, but rather to 
illustrate the racist support for the movie.  With that purpose in mind, it was 
useful to post it.

ken h

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Re: [Marxism] GONE WITH THE WIND

[Andrew Stewart via Marxism]

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What we are witnessing now, both here on this ListServ with respondents to the 
original message and in the wider public discourse, is demonstrative of a 
larger issue, our nationwide refusal to engage with a serious media literacy 
that is commonplace worldwide. I don’t want to say this to sound like a 
self-righteous pedantic ass but it really is a serious issue. When even people 
with college education talk about cinema, we post movie reviews from pedestrian 
hacks like James Agee and Roger Ebert. If you were to contrast what the French 
said about a particular film from the Classical Hollywood Cinema era with a 
contemporaneous review from the States, you’d be embarrassed. We don’t discuss 
serious issues in our critique of cinema, we engage in shallow gossip. I have a 
BA in Film Studies (want fries with that?) and it’s an all-encompassing vacuum 
of nonsense impersonating journalism in the mainstream. 

GONE WITH THE WIND, BIRTH OF A NATION, and TRIUMPH OF THE WILL are tremendously 
important texts for both their craftsmanship and because, perhaps more 
importantly, they succeeded in pushing the viewing public to embrace a 
genocidal politics. To shove them down the memory hole in the name of a 
nihilistic impulse is to actually engage with the maintenance of those hateful 
ideologies  

-precisely- 

because it prevents the public from seeing demonstrations of that which we 
otherwise have enough critical distance from in order to recognize their 
hatefulness. The success of the genocide is predicated upon hiding from public 
view that which is unpalatable. 

Look at the current uprising against police brutality for such an example. It’s 
not that the police started being maniacs just in the past decade, it was 
because everyone has a powerful video camera and internet platform in their 
pocket that the broad public was awakened from its ignorance and forced to see 
that Rodney King-like events were not the exception but rather the rule. 

So I agree with the preservation of cinema that is socially grounded in mature 
politics and historical exegesis. Is TCM up to the challenge? I honestly cannot 
comment, I have never been a subscriber and I have been tuned out of cable for 
years. I like what the Criterion Channel does, which actually is mature and 
coherent film scholarship.

Best regards,
Andrew Stewart 
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Message: 1
Date: Fri, 26 Jun 2020 12:12:42 -0700
From: John A Imani 
To: Activists and scholars in Marxist tradition
   
Subject: [Marxism] Gone With the Wind
Message-ID:
   
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8"

Comrades,

I am black.  72 years old.  An anarcho-Marxian.  And, as an adult, have
logged 50+ years of participation in many many movements always to be found
in the same place: on the front line.  I make those statements because I
have never sought nor accepted the privileges of race, age, my grasp of
politico-economics and/or the braggadocio resulting from  "Jaws"-like
comparisons of battle scars.

And because of these experiences and this disposition I invite criticism as
I have never feared being wrong only of being incorrect.  And, on this,
especially at this special time.

"GWTW" is beautifully filmed, finely acted, magnificently scored, if
historically inaccurate, depiction of the ante-, inter- and post-bellum
South.  It is a work of art even if also an agent of racism.  It--like
statues and monuments klan outfittings and speeches--belongs with those
brethren in a museum.  And alongside these mementos explanations and
criticisms giving these their proper contexts.  In this case that museum's
name is TCM.

I recently saw for the first time Hattie McDaniels' acceptance speech
<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7t4pTNZshA> for winning the Acad Award
for Best Supporting Actor.  It was as magnificent as it was short,
emotional and uplifting.  It was as grand as her portrayal of 'Mammy' in
the film wherein I have never seen an actor so embody the conscious as well
as the subconsciousness of the character portrayed.  Do we burn that film
as some have burned books?

JAI


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[Marxism] Gone With the Wind

[Richard Modiano via Marxism]

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"[GWTW] like statues and monuments klan outfittings and speeches--belongs
with those
brethren in a museum.  And alongside these mementos explanations
and criticisms giving these their proper contexts.  In this case that
museum's name is TCM. "

I concur comrade. Putting the movie in context is entirely reasonable and
in no way is a form of censorship. At the time of the movie's release in
1939 a minority of critics took it to task for its historical fallacies and
its generic racism, but mainstream critics and movie goers overlooked those
historical distortions, something that is no longer possible today.

Richard Modiano
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Re: [Marxism] Gone With the Wind

[A.R. G via Marxism]

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I would distinguish between racial elements and a wholly racist propaganda
plotline. GWTW and BoN didn't just have racism, they *were* racism.

On Fri, Jun 26, 2020, 4:35 PM wytheholt--- via Marxism <
marxism@lists.csbs.utah.edu> wrote:

>   POSTING RULES & NOTES  
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> *
>
> Most movies made before the 1960s, that come close to dealing with race or
> with having racial or racialized components or figures in them, are going
> to be suspect on these grounds. This is going to be a case-by-case search
> and decision-making process, and there will be many close calls, though all
> movies should have a copy at a central museum of film. I am for keeping
> "Casablanca" in regular use, as I deem its racist components too minor to
> cause such a good and classic film to disappear from public availability.
> But that sort of judgment must be applied to many films; some will be put
> away, most (I suspect) will survive. WH
>
> > On June 26, 2020 at 5:40 PM John A Imani via Marxism <
> marxism@lists.csbs.utah.edu mailto:marxism@lists.csbs.utah.edu > wrote:
> >
> >
> >  POSTING RULES & NOTES 
> > #1 YOU MUST clip all extraneous text when replying to a message.
> > #2 This mail-list, like most, is publicly & permanently archived.
> > #3 Subscribe and post under an alias if #2 is a concern.
> > *
> >
> > Did not assert that. Museumed is what needs to be done with these,
> as I
> > wrote, with a critique. As, I believe, that TCM is going to do
> exactly
> > that with GWTW, i.e. shown with a socio-political analysis preceding
> and
> > following the film. And TCM is such a museum open to all.
> >
> > What about "Casablanca" with Dooley Wilson's 'Sam' and Ingrid
> Bergman's
> > 'Elsa' asking 'Renault', the Vichy official, about the "boy" playing
> the
> > piano? With its magnificent music accompanying. Not only "As Time
> Goes
> > By" but with the stirring anti-fascist rendition of "La Marseillaise"
> > conjured up by the courage of 'Victor Laszlo'? Yet another
> remarkable and
> > classic piece of film only to be available "to be studied in film
> classes"?
> >
> > Etc., etc., etc.
> >
> > JAI
> >
> > On Fri, Jun 26, 2020 at 2:10 PM A.R. G  mailto:amithrgu...@gmail.com > wrote:
> >
> > > > Even Birth of a Nation, to my understanding, was treated as
> a cinematic
> > > accomplishment. Maybe both should be studied in film classes
> but they need
> > > not be treated as normal/socially acceptable films to be
> screened just for
> > > entertainment.
> > >
> > > >
> > > > On Fri, Jun 26, 2020, 12:34 PM John A Imani via Marxism <
> > > marxism@lists.csbs.utah.edu mailto:marxism@lists.csbs.utah.edu
> > wrote:
> > >
> > > > >>
> > >> I am black. 72 years old. An anarcho-Marxian. And, as an adult,
> have
> > >> logged 50+ years of participation in many many movements always
> to be found
> > >> in the same place: on the front line. I make those statements
> because I
> > >> have never sought nor accepted the privileges of race, age, my
> grasp of
> > >> politico-economics and/or the braggadocio resulting from
> "Jaws"-like
> > >> comparisons of battle scars.
> > >>
> > >> And because of these experiences and this disposition I invite
> criticism
> > >> as I have never feared being wrong only of being incorrect. And,
> on this,
> > >> especially at this special time.
> > >>
> > >> "GWTW" is beautifully filmed, finely acted, magnificently scored,
> if
> > >> historically inaccurate, depiction of the ante-, inter- and
> post-bellum
> > >> South. It is a work of art even if also an agent of racism.
> It--like
> > >> statues and monuments klan outfittings and speeches--belongs with
> those
> > >> brethren in a museum. And alongside these mementos explanations
> and
> > >> criticisms giving these their proper contexts. In this case that
> museum's
> > >> name is TCM.
> > >>
> > >> I recently saw for the first time Hattie McDaniels' acceptance
> speech
> > >>  for winning the
> Acad Award
> > >> for Best Supporting Actor. It was as magnificent as it was short,
> > >> 

Re: [Marxism] Gone With the Wind

[Michael Meeropol via Marxism]

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Here's an example --- In many Marx brothers films, there are incredibly
stereotyped blacks hanging around, dancing, etc. --- Groucho would often
refer to them as "darkies" --- You have to be inured to those elements but
I expect that the more sensitive one is, the less likely is one to be
willing to ignore that shit and focus on the incredibly clever humor ---

I wonder if I could stomach watching "A Day at the Races" again ...Maybe
just stop watching near the end!!!


> Most movies made before the 1960s, that come close to dealing with race or
> with having racial or racialized components or figures in them, are going
> to be suspect on these grounds. This is going to be a case-by-case search
> and decision-making process, and there will be many close calls, though all
> movies should have a copy at a central museum of film. I am for keeping
> "Casablanca" in regular use, as I deem its racist components too minor to
> cause such a good and classic film to disappear from public availability.
> But that sort of judgment must be applied to many films; some will be put
> away, most (I suspect) will survive. WH
>
> >
>
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Re: [Marxism] Gone With the Wind

[wytheholt--- via Marxism]

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Most movies made before the 1960s, that come close to dealing with race or with 
having racial or racialized components or figures in them, are going to be 
suspect on these grounds. This is going to be a case-by-case search and 
decision-making process, and there will be many close calls, though all movies 
should have a copy at a central museum of film. I am for keeping "Casablanca" 
in regular use, as I deem its racist components too minor to cause such a good 
and classic film to disappear from public availability. But that sort of 
judgment must be applied to many films; some will be put away, most (I suspect) 
will survive. WH

> On June 26, 2020 at 5:40 PM John A Imani via Marxism 
> mailto:marxism@lists.csbs.utah.edu > wrote:
> 
> 
>  POSTING RULES & NOTES 
> #1 YOU MUST clip all extraneous text when replying to a message.
> #2 This mail-list, like most, is publicly & permanently archived.
> #3 Subscribe and post under an alias if #2 is a concern.
> *
> 
> Did not assert that. Museumed is what needs to be done with these, as I
> wrote, with a critique. As, I believe, that TCM is going to do exactly
> that with GWTW, i.e. shown with a socio-political analysis preceding and
> following the film. And TCM is such a museum open to all.
> 
> What about "Casablanca" with Dooley Wilson's 'Sam' and Ingrid Bergman's
> 'Elsa' asking 'Renault', the Vichy official, about the "boy" playing the
> piano? With its magnificent music accompanying. Not only "As Time Goes
> By" but with the stirring anti-fascist rendition of "La Marseillaise"
> conjured up by the courage of 'Victor Laszlo'? Yet another remarkable and
> classic piece of film only to be available "to be studied in film 
> classes"?
> 
> Etc., etc., etc.
> 
> JAI
> 
> On Fri, Jun 26, 2020 at 2:10 PM A.R. G  mailto:amithrgu...@gmail.com > wrote:
> 
> > > Even Birth of a Nation, to my understanding, was treated as a 
> cinematic
> > accomplishment. Maybe both should be studied in film classes but 
> > they need
> > not be treated as normal/socially acceptable films to be screened 
> > just for
> > entertainment.
> > 
> > > 
> > > On Fri, Jun 26, 2020, 12:34 PM John A Imani via Marxism <
> > marxism@lists.csbs.utah.edu mailto:marxism@lists.csbs.utah.edu > 
> > wrote:
> > 
> > > >>
> >> I am black. 72 years old. An anarcho-Marxian. And, as an adult, have
> >> logged 50+ years of participation in many many movements always to be 
> found
> >> in the same place: on the front line. I make those statements because I
> >> have never sought nor accepted the privileges of race, age, my grasp of
> >> politico-economics and/or the braggadocio resulting from "Jaws"-like
> >> comparisons of battle scars.
> >>
> >> And because of these experiences and this disposition I invite 
> criticism
> >> as I have never feared being wrong only of being incorrect. And, on 
> this,
> >> especially at this special time.
> >>
> >> "GWTW" is beautifully filmed, finely acted, magnificently scored, if
> >> historically inaccurate, depiction of the ante-, inter- and post-bellum
> >> South. It is a work of art even if also an agent of racism. It--like
> >> statues and monuments klan outfittings and speeches--belongs with those
> >> brethren in a museum. And alongside these mementos explanations and
> >> criticisms giving these their proper contexts. In this case that 
> museum's
> >> name is TCM.
> >>
> >> I recently saw for the first time Hattie McDaniels' acceptance speech
> >>  for winning the Acad 
> Award
> >> for Best Supporting Actor. It was as magnificent as it was short,
> >> emotional and uplifting. It was as grand as her portrayal of 'Mammy' in
> >> the film wherein I have never seen an actor so embody the conscious as 
> well
> >> as the subconsciousness of the character portrayed. Do we burn that 
> film
> >> as some have burned books?
> >>
> >> JAI
> >> _
> >> Full posting guidelines at: http://www.marxmail.org/sub.htm
> >> Set your options at:
> >> https://lists.csbs.utah.edu/options/marxism/amithrgupta%40gmail.com
> >>
> >
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Re: [Marxism] Gone With the Wind

[John A Imani via Marxism]

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Did not assert that.  Museumed is what needs to be done with these, as I
wrote, with a critique.  As, I believe, that TCM is going to do exactly
that with GWTW, i.e. shown with a socio-political analysis preceding and
following the film.  And TCM is such a museum open to all.

What about "Casablanca" with Dooley Wilson's 'Sam' and Ingrid Bergman's
'Elsa' asking 'Renault', the Vichy official, about the "boy" playing the
piano?  With its magnificent music accompanying.  Not only "As Time Goes
By" but with the stirring anti-fascist rendition of "La Marseillaise"
conjured up by the courage of 'Victor Laszlo'?  Yet another remarkable and
classic piece of film only to be available "to be studied in film classes"?

Etc., etc., etc.

JAI

On Fri, Jun 26, 2020 at 2:10 PM A.R. G  wrote:

> Even Birth of a Nation, to my understanding, was treated as a cinematic
> accomplishment. Maybe both should be studied in film classes but they need
> not be treated as normal/socially acceptable films to be screened just for
> entertainment.
>
> On Fri, Jun 26, 2020, 12:34 PM John A Imani via Marxism <
> marxism@lists.csbs.utah.edu> wrote:
>
>>
>> I am black.  72 years old.  An anarcho-Marxian.  And, as an adult, have
>> logged 50+ years of participation in many many movements always to be found
>> in the same place: on the front line.  I make those statements because I
>> have never sought nor accepted the privileges of race, age, my grasp of
>> politico-economics and/or the braggadocio resulting from  "Jaws"-like
>> comparisons of battle scars.
>>
>> And because of these experiences and this disposition I invite criticism
>> as I have never feared being wrong only of being incorrect.  And, on this,
>> especially at this special time.
>>
>> "GWTW" is beautifully filmed, finely acted, magnificently scored, if
>> historically inaccurate, depiction of the ante-, inter- and post-bellum
>> South.  It is a work of art even if also an agent of racism.  It--like
>> statues and monuments klan outfittings and speeches--belongs with those
>> brethren in a museum.  And alongside these mementos explanations and
>> criticisms giving these their proper contexts.  In this case that museum's
>> name is TCM.
>>
>> I recently saw for the first time Hattie McDaniels' acceptance speech
>>  for winning the Acad Award
>> for Best Supporting Actor.  It was as magnificent as it was short,
>> emotional and uplifting.  It was as grand as her portrayal of 'Mammy' in
>> the film wherein I have never seen an actor so embody the conscious as well
>> as the subconsciousness of the character portrayed.  Do we burn that film
>> as some have burned books?
>>
>> JAI
>> _
>> Full posting guidelines at: http://www.marxmail.org/sub.htm
>> Set your options at:
>> https://lists.csbs.utah.edu/options/marxism/amithrgupta%40gmail.com
>>
>
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Re: [Marxism] Gone With the Wind

[A.R. G via Marxism]

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Even Birth of a Nation, to my understanding, was treated as a cinematic
accomplishment. Maybe both should be studied in film classes but they need
not be treated as normal/socially acceptable films to be screened just for
entertainment.

On Fri, Jun 26, 2020, 12:34 PM John A Imani via Marxism <
marxism@lists.csbs.utah.edu> wrote:

>   POSTING RULES & NOTES  
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>
> Comrades,
>
> I am black.  72 years old.  An anarcho-Marxian.  And, as an adult, have
> logged 50+ years of participation in many many movements always to be found
> in the same place: on the front line.  I make those statements because I
> have never sought nor accepted the privileges of race, age, my grasp of
> politico-economics and/or the braggadocio resulting from  "Jaws"-like
> comparisons of battle scars.
>
> And because of these experiences and this disposition I invite criticism as
> I have never feared being wrong only of being incorrect.  And, on this,
> especially at this special time.
>
> "GWTW" is beautifully filmed, finely acted, magnificently scored, if
> historically inaccurate, depiction of the ante-, inter- and post-bellum
> South.  It is a work of art even if also an agent of racism.  It--like
> statues and monuments klan outfittings and speeches--belongs with those
> brethren in a museum.  And alongside these mementos explanations and
> criticisms giving these their proper contexts.  In this case that museum's
> name is TCM.
>
> I recently saw for the first time Hattie McDaniels' acceptance speech
>  for winning the Acad Award
> for Best Supporting Actor.  It was as magnificent as it was short,
> emotional and uplifting.  It was as grand as her portrayal of 'Mammy' in
> the film wherein I have never seen an actor so embody the conscious as well
> as the subconsciousness of the character portrayed.  Do we burn that film
> as some have burned books?
>
> JAI
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Re: [Marxism] Gone With the Wind

[Louis Proyect via Marxism]

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On 6/26/20 3:54 PM, Louis Proyect via Marxism wrote:


These are complex questions. When James Agee was the film critic for the 
NY Times,


That was The Nation, not the NY Times.

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[Marxism] Gone With the Wind

[Ken Hiebert via Marxism]

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Decades ago I saw a one-person performance of something I recall as Scarlett 
Fever.  The performer grew up in Georgia and gave us a lesson on racism in that 
state.  He suggested that the crowd that turned out to the premiere of Gone 
With the Wind was bigger than the population of Atlanta itself.  I’m not sure 
he was right, but the massive crowd meant that every human being living in 
Atlanta was there or, as he said, people flooded into Atlanta.  He said it was 
one of the biggest celebrations of white supremacy since the Civil War.  See 
the account below.
ken h

http://www.aboutnorthgeorgia.com/ang/Atlanta_Premiere_of_Gone_With_The_Wind 


Noticeably absent were Hattie McDaniel (Mammy) and Butterfly McQueen (Prissy), 
black actresses with major roles who were not welcome in the white side of the 
segregated Atlanta society. Noticeably present was a young Martin Luther King, 
Jr., who sang in a "negro boys choir" from his father's church, Ebenezer 
Baptist.

* * * * * *

Spotlights swept the sky with huge beacons of light. Peachtree at Pryor Street 
was closed to traffic. An enormous crowd, numbering 300,000 people according to 
the Atlanta Constitution, lined the streets on this ice-cold night in Atlanta. 
Car after car paused at Lowe's Grand Theater as the stars came out. Wild cheers 
greeted each celebrity as they braved the cold to participate in a brief radio 
interview.

A rousing ovation greeted a group Confederate veterans who were guests of honor.
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Re: [Marxism] Gone With the Wind

[Louis Proyect via Marxism]

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On 6/26/20 3:12 PM, John A Imani via Marxism wrote:

I recently saw for the first time Hattie McDaniels' acceptance speech
  for winning the Acad Award
for Best Supporting Actor.  It was as magnificent as it was short,
emotional and uplifting.  It was as grand as her portrayal of 'Mammy' in
the film wherein I have never seen an actor so embody the conscious as well
as the subconsciousness of the character portrayed.  Do we burn that film
as some have burned books?

JAI


These are complex questions. When James Agee was the film critic for the 
NY Times, he wrote a tribute to D.W. Griffith when he died in 1947. His 
"Birth of a Nation" was much worse than "Gone With the Wind". Agee 
understood what a great director Griffith was (so was Lenin 
Riefenstahl), but was far too lenient to him politically.


James Agee:
Today, The Birth of it Nation is boycotted or shown piecemeal; too many 
more or less well-meaning people still accuse Griffith of having made it 
an anti-Negro movie. At best, this is nonsense, and at worst, it is 
vicious nonsense. Even if it were an anti-Negro movie, a work of such 
quality should be shown, and shown whole. But the accusation is unjust. 
Griffith went to almost preposterous lengths to be fair to the Negroes 
as he understood them, and he understood them as a good type of 
Southerner does. I don’t entirely agree with him; nor can I be sure that 
the film wouldn’t cause trouble and misunderstanding, especially as 
advertised and exacerbated by contemporary abolitionists; but Griffith’s 
absolute desire to be fair, and understandable, is written all over the 
picture; so are degrees of understanding, honesty, and compassion far 
beyond the capacity of his accusers. So, of course, are the salient 
facts of the so-called Reconstruction years.



https://www.thenation.com/article/archive/dw-griffith-remembered/

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[Marxism] Gone With the Wind

[John A Imani via Marxism]

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Comrades,

I am black.  72 years old.  An anarcho-Marxian.  And, as an adult, have
logged 50+ years of participation in many many movements always to be found
in the same place: on the front line.  I make those statements because I
have never sought nor accepted the privileges of race, age, my grasp of
politico-economics and/or the braggadocio resulting from  "Jaws"-like
comparisons of battle scars.

And because of these experiences and this disposition I invite criticism as
I have never feared being wrong only of being incorrect.  And, on this,
especially at this special time.

"GWTW" is beautifully filmed, finely acted, magnificently scored, if
historically inaccurate, depiction of the ante-, inter- and post-bellum
South.  It is a work of art even if also an agent of racism.  It--like
statues and monuments klan outfittings and speeches--belongs with those
brethren in a museum.  And alongside these mementos explanations and
criticisms giving these their proper contexts.  In this case that museum's
name is TCM.

I recently saw for the first time Hattie McDaniels' acceptance speech
 for winning the Acad Award
for Best Supporting Actor.  It was as magnificent as it was short,
emotional and uplifting.  It was as grand as her portrayal of 'Mammy' in
the film wherein I have never seen an actor so embody the conscious as well
as the subconsciousness of the character portrayed.  Do we burn that film
as some have burned books?

JAI
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[Marxism] Gone With the Wind | Louis Proyect: The Unrepentant Marxist

[Louis Proyect via Marxism]

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(From 2006)

Earlier in the month I caught a few minutes of “Gone With the Wind,” a 
film I had only seen once before in the 1950s with my parents, when I 
was about 12 years old or so. I only remembered two things. One was the 
long tracking shot of the wounded Confederate soldiers in Atlanta that 
was meant to evoke pity. The other was the newly impoverished Scarlett 
O’Hara eating radishes plucked from the ground and vowing never to be 
poor again. I imagine that in 1957, this scene might have resonated with 
my parents who had vivid memories of going without during the Great 
Depression. Such is the troubled legacy of a film that can make such 
Jewish working liberals and Americans from all backgrounds feel sorry 
for slave-owners at the very time the Civil Rights movement was emerging.


full: https://louisproyect.org/2006/08/01/gone-with-the-wind/

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