Take a Giant Step

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

What a delightful movie about some of the issues facing Black Americans (adults as well as youth) in American society. This landmark film not only tells the story of Spence (portrayed by popular era crooner Johnny Nash) and his family as they strive to maintain or advance in a racially turbulent 1950's era America but, tells bits and pieces of our own stories as well.

Nash's portrayal of Spence, being pulled in various directions was insightful and brilliant. It brought back memories for me (some not so fond) and had me reflecting on similar dilemmas of my youth (social role confusion or ambiguity, self concept and identity, the true meaning of friendship, integrity and the price we pay for standing up for what was right, the concept of "the mask," and the challenge of walking between two worlds).

This movie was also a coming of age story for Spence as he tried to navigate "head on" through complex socio-sexual and racial issues that the adults around him routinely sought to ignore, downplay, or tolerate. At the same time, he was grappling with issues of manhood (while not knowing exactly what that meant).

Interestingly enough, the major black adult characters held an almost child-like status within this racially charged society. It was clear that the social imprint made its mark. These characters knew exactly how to smile in order to keep the peace, take insults with grace, and grin in order not to offend even though they were hurting inside. They knew exactly where their "place" was and warned Spence to stay in his.

Despite this posture, it becomes clear that the black adults in his life were just as conflicted, angry, lost and perplexed as Spence was but dare not show it. "Grandma," was a delightful exception and departure from this social stance. I found her rebellious nature refreshing. Moreover, these supporting characters were slightly less developed in the story-line than Spence.

The movie surprised me when it addressed the sexual tension between Spence and the female housemaid (portrayed to perfection by Ruby Dee). The issue of a sexual relationship between a young black man and an older black woman was clearly taboo for the time period when this film originally aired. Of course, the movie could have never gone as far as "How Stella got her Groove Back." However, it did introduce this topic area and subsequently, handled it "diplomatically." It was clear that those two would be together at some point in the film (again, somewhat risqué for the times). It was refreshing to see that it at least did not shy away from this controversy.

I found this movie to be a fascinating "Tour de France" through the rapidly unpredictable twists and turns of socio-sexuality and racial expectations, power concepts, and self-identity which many within minority communities still grapple with today.

I view this as a "thinking man's movie" in that it leaves you with things to ponder. I appreciate that in a film. It is clearly rare among today's films. To me, this movie looms as a refreshing reminder, a confirmation that, with very few exceptions and under current conditions, the very best of nearly everything: the arts, TV, literature, cinema and music is behind us. This movie earns TEN stars...

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.

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 ****