This Academy Award-winning documentary short Paul Robeson: Tribute to an Artist, narrated by Sidney Poitier, traces the career of Paul Robeson through his activism and his socially charged performances of his signature song, “Ol’ Man River.”
USA
USA
A man who stood head and shoulders above the rest of us. No one did it like he did.
A titan of the people, Paul Robeson dedicated his life to the betterment of black Americans, and of all people, using his abundant musical gifts to spread messages of acceptance, tolerance, progress, and resistance against the oppressive forces of the world. He represented everything that the imperial US government hates, but they were never successful in destroying his spirit.
Robeson's infallibility sets a standard to which we should all strive.
What does one do if they sing as well as Frank Sinatra, act as well as Anthony Hopkins, yet receive three-fifths of their respect? Paul Robeson's life answers that question as best as it can while still remaining true to human rights.
Expertly narrated by the masterful Sidney Poitier, this film's brilliant juxtaposition of historical photographs and Old Hollywood footage is so seamless, it places the perfect benchmark for documentary filmmaking as a whole.
This Oscar winner for Documentary Short is nothing special - a very straightforward reflection on Roberson's career. If anything, it was too short. I wanted to know more about his personal life, how he came to his politics, as well as his life in his final years. But this was laser-focused on his public performances.
It is elevated by extended clips of Robeson singing and in movies. Anytime Paul Robeson is on screen, you can't look away. His magnetism and soul were captivating.
“Most importantly, however, were the questions raised by the State Department as to my political opinions. Here is a question of whether one who wants to sing and act can have, as a citizen, political opinions. And, in attacking me, they suggested that when I was abroad, I spoke out against injustices to the Negro people in the United States. I certainly did. And the Supreme Court Justice just ruled, Judge Warren in the segregation cases, that world opinion had a lot to do with that ruling, that our children, negro children, can go to school like anybody else in the South. I’m very proud to have been a part of directing world opinion to precisely that condition.”
I had…
Paul Robeson was among the most defining black icons of early 20th century America. Between my discovery the Criterion release of his works, the BFI retrospective on his films as a black star, and the continued political turbulence of today, I've been thinking about this man a lot this year. What does Robeson have to contribute to modern conceptions of blackness (read: color), historical revisionism, and racial protest/resistance? Two Robeson texts provide some answers: "Ol' Man River" (his signature anthem, as seen in this excellent if woefully short documentary) and "I Want to be African" (Robeson's landmark 1934 essay, a call to African-Americans to get back in touch with their African roots, available for reading here.)
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This was an…
Oscar-winning short documentary about a great actor and singer as well as civil rights activist who would certainly be remembered as one of the all-time greats if it hadn't been held back by racism and segregation. He was the first black man to play Othello on the stage in the US, had an amazing voice, and his charisma is off the charts.
And this short, made three years after his death, does a very good job at getting all this across.
A sweet tribute documentary to Paul Robeson, narrated with love by Sidney Poitier. Robeson is remembered today as a great actor and singer for both Broadway stage and Hollywood screen. He's also, I hope, beloved for his work as a leading political activist for both Communist and pro-Black causes. This movie celebrates Robeson's accomplishments and firsts — Robeson was the first Black person to play Othello in a white production, directed by Margaret Webster — but the man was so remarkable that this thirty-minute career overview by no means covers all his achievements. During his late teens and early twenties, Robeson was also one of the greatest collegiate football players of his day and became the first Black quarterback in National Football League history! Oh, and he played in the NFL while earning a law degree from Columbia. He was a prodigious student, learning a remarkable number of ancient and world languages.
Paul Robeson is one of the most important people of the 20th Century. His talent and intellect and determination cannot be understated. The work he's done to make this world better in all kinds of ways is unfathomable. And his rendition of Old Man River is perhaps the greatest performance of any song by any one.
Feel like the presentation left a bit to be desired but the sheer interest of the subject material more than makes up for it, could have been three hours and still gripping. This man lived the life of an RPG protagonist, becoming the leader of every single guild and shit.
In itself, an efficient collection of clips of the titan that was Paul Robeson - singing, acting, activisting - with spirited narration from Sidney Poitier. As an attempt at correction of an historical wrong, however, it cannot be faulted and for this overdue tribute the film deserved its Oscar for Best Documentary Short.
for the hot and vintage movie man poll on tumblr dot com, Paul Robeson lost to Sidney Poitier in the semifinals, and i just know it wasn't what Poitier would have wanted
“All men are brothers because of their music.”
I honestly wish this were 3x longer! The use of Paul Robeson's various “Old Man River” archival performances is an effective narrative tool to illustrate the many intentional lyrical changes alongside shifts in societal dynamics throughout his career.
Robeson stands among the rare few in world history whose incredibly magnetic presence was so profound that even two opposing armies would suspend their gunfire just to experience the captivating power of his singing!
I recommend watching TIFF’s video Paul Robeson: The First Black Star, as an short follow-up to this documentary!
2024 BHM 3k Challenge
#5 A film starring Paul Robeson
