La soif de vivre

I wanted to like this movie, as I'm becoming aware of the many Hollywood movies which were ahead of their time. In a large respect, this movie did so when exploring the many problems a black family would have in a predominately white neighborhood in the 50's. However, when portraying Johnny Nash as a teenager exploring the underbelly of the city, the dialogue bogged down and it wasn't believable. So mine is a blended rating

The biggest reason I decided to watch this film when it came on Turner Classic Movies recently was because I discovered that the film starred none other than Johnny Nash. He was the pop singer best known for the early 70s hit "I Can See Clearly Now" and I was shocked to see him in the lead role in a film. Well, despite me tuning in only out of curiosity, I was happily surprised to see the 19 year-old Nash did an excellent job playing an angry young Black man who is tired of the treatment of Blacks at that time. So good a job that I am surprised he didn't have a more extensive list of film credits.

The film begins with Nash stomping out of his high school class and then being caught only moments later smoking in the bathroom. As a result of his behaviors, he is then expelled. This is interesting, as apparently times have changed. Nowadays, you'd practically have to commit a string of felonies to get expelled from most American high schools! When he goes home, his grandmother confronts him about his expulsion. It seems that he is the token Black in the school and was angry at the patronizing way that the Civil War was being mis-taught to the kids in this middle-class White neighborhood Instead of telling the teacher off or disagreeing with her or gently correcting her (like he probably should have done), he stormed out on the class.

At about this same time, some White kids come to the house wanting him to pitch in an upcoming baseball game. However, although they want him to play because he's so talented, he's NOT invited to the party afterwords because he's Black! Understandably, he's hurt and angry...though he's also flailing about aimlessly by not directing or controlling his feelings. In fact, he's so aimless that he soon goes to a local bar to get drunk.

It's obvious that Nash's character is meant to be a microcosm of Black America--a group that was on the fringes of society but was beginning to demand more. However, since this movie debuted in 1959 (at the early stages of the Civil Rights Movement), it has somehow gotten lost. Newer films such as IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT and GUESS WHO'S COMING TO DINNER? have gotten a lot more attention over the years, but earlier and well made films like this one as well as INTRUDER IN THE DUST have been generally forgotten.

As far as the film goes, what I liked best was the language. Unlike most portrayals of Black and White Americans of the era, the language here seemed raw and real. There was a bit of cursing and phrases such as "I'll snatch you bald-headed" that added to the realism. Yet, at the same time, it didn't seem gratuitous--more like how people really talked when they weren't on film.

Overall, it's a remarkable film with great insight into the heart of Black America. The only complaint, and it's a very minor one, is that occasionally the film is a tad overly dramatic. It also places, perhaps, too much emphasis on the main character's sex drive. While this IS worth investigating in films, here it tends to blur the overall message. But considering that the film was made with a small budget, relatively inexperienced actors and took big risks, it's a very powerful film, nevertheless.

By the way, special recognition should go to Estelle Hemsley as the Grandmother. Her role and acting were pivotal and very important to the success of this film, though apart from her the acting was still very good throughout.

Beautifully directed (Philip Leacock), beautifully cast and beautiful story, by: Louis S. Peterson ... (screenplay) & Julius J. Epstein ... (screenplay) Louis S. Peterson ... (original play) Acting is superb by all- I will give a pass, a gentle one to Johnny Nash as he sings, some may find his character rather lukewarm. My apology is it's fine, for his character. The films affect on me was at the time I watched it (airing on broadcast 'TheGrio' network) urging, yet in vain, for anyone and everyone in the household to come sit down and watch this "great, great film" with me. One particular scene is brilliantly... written? To make it past potential censorship and that is the barroom scene with the ladies. The mere dialogue will also make it past the children in the household, until the word "prostitute" is said out loud by Johnny Nash.... Just, watch it. Every part of it is so well done, it's a film you really will find yourself unable to turn from the screen.

Continuing the reviews of African-Americans in film in chronological order for Black History Month, we're once again at 1959 when an 18-year-old Johnny Nash played a frustrated black teenager in a mostly white neighborhood who gets expelled from school because of troubles with his history teacher and smoking in the rest room. When he comes home he tells his "Gram" (Estelle Hemsley) what happened and decides to run away than face his parents Lem (Frederick O'Neal) and May (Beah Richards). I'll stop there and just say what a revelation it is, having previously known Nash as just the singer of the hit song "I Can See Clearly Now" from the early '70s, to see him here acting up a storm with so many of his veteran supporting cast. Of them, Ms. Hemsley, O'Neal, and Ms. Richards convincingly convey the struggles they all experienced moving from a poor neighborhood to the middle class one they now inhabit with Ms. Hemsley especially showing what a wise and outspoken woman she can be. She's definitely one you wouldn't want to mess with, that's for sure! Other worthy performances worth noting include Ruby Dee as the maid Christine when she opens up to Spence (Nash's character) about her background and Paulene Myers as the prostitute Violet who didn't realize how young he was when she invited him to her place. So in summary, Take a Giant Step is well worth seeing. P.S. Other people of color that appeared here include: Frances Foster, Royce Wallace, Bernie Hamilton, Smoki Whitfield, Ellen Holly in another good turn as barfly Carol, Roy Glenn as a minister, and Bill Walker as Frank the bartender. The last one would eventually have lasting fame as the Reverend Sykes in To Kill a Mockingbird when he told the daughter of Atticus Finch, "Jean Louise, stand up. Your father is passing." Oh, and since I always like citing any performer with a connection to my current home state of Louisiana, Ms. Richards was a graduate of New Orleans' Dillard University.

Restless black kid in a mostly-white small town wrestles with the values he's been taught by his working parents, whose kowtowing to the whites has left their son combative and surly (add to this a normal siege of hormones for a 17-year old boy, and the picture nearly becomes a race-reversal variation of "Rebel Without a Cause"). Handsome, clean-cut Johnny Nash is very good as the troubled youngster who, in a silent pantomime, stands up to his teacher over lessons involving the Civil War; however, the dialogue from screenwriters Julius J. Epstein and Louis S. Peterson, adapting Peterson's play, alternates between frank and occasionally very awkward. The writers get the action off to a false start with an argument between the kid and his dying grandmother (nothing substantial gets said because the characters keep answering each other's questions with more questions). After Nash chats up some prostitutes and returns home with beer on his breath, the film takes on the shape of any number of teens-in-trouble co-features. The fact that race is the central issue doesn't exactly make the film more relevant or even an anomaly--it's more of a novelty. ** from ****