Episode 83: "Song of Freedom" (part 1)

"Song of Freedom" (1936) stars Paul Robeson, and part one of this episode is mostly plot set-up. It took me two tries to watch this movie. All I could think was 'Paul Robeson, sure does sing a lot in this joint.' So this movie was obviously a chance to showcase Robeson's voice to the masses. But that's also what kept me from watching the movie the whole way through the first time. It's not that Robeson sounds bad or anything...I just didn't expect it to be a musical I guess (I don't know why...most of the old timey movies are) and it seemed to take too long to get back to the plot. But I read a review online that made me go back and give it another watch. Here's part of it:

This Hammer Studio, from London, England which is famous for its horror films surprised me with this great film from 1936 starring Paul Robeson, (John Zinga) who works as a London dock worker and sings songs all the time besides having a great bass voice for the opera and is discovered by a great opera director and producer from London, England. John is always wanting to go to Africa where he came from, but he does not know exactly where he was born, but he still remembers a song which he heard when he was very young. One day John happens to sing this song on stage in an opera performance and this song is recognized by an Englishman who tells him where it comes from and also a charm which John wears around his neck which helped determine its origin. John also has a wife and they both visit this Island and try to introduce themselves to these people and that is when the story gets very interesting. Don't miss this great film from the past, it is a gem in the rough.

So I went back to it...and I'm glad I did. Stick it out through part one, it's slow but it does get interesting later on. In the meantime enjoy Paul Robeson's voice throughout part one, his wife Elisabeth Welch is lovely, and the opera guy is a trip. But in part two the story gets good.

Peace.