Paul Robeson

[Nearly Sane]

Interesting little article from the BFI on Paul Robeson

http://www.bfi.org.uk/news-opinion/news-bfi/features/paul-robeson-singer-actor-activist

[Hope]

I haven't seen his 'Proud Valley', but I wonder just how true to life it really is?  No doubt it paints the miners in glowing colours and the bosses as despots, but just how true is that.  Is it any truer than the other view, where the miners are little more than animals and the bosses are all sweetness and light?  Having spoken to South Wales miners who met PR, and seen some of his British films, they suggest that they go too far the opposite way to the likes of 'Sanders of the River'.

Now, please don't get me wrong, I love PR's singing and his voice and I find his politics not that dissimilar to my own, but how often does any film give a properly balanced view on issues?  All too often they have a particular social or political bent to them.

[Nearly Sane]

I haven't seen his 'Proud Valley', but I wonder just how true to life it really is?  No doubt it paints the miners in glowing colours and the bosses as despots, but just how true is that.  Is it any truer than the other view, where the miners are little more than animals and the bosses are all sweetness and light?  Having spoken to South Wales miners who met PR, and seen some of his British films, they suggest that they go too far the opposite way to the likes of 'Sanders of the River'.

Now, please don't get me wrong, I love PR's singing and his voice and I find his politics not that dissimilar to my own, but how often does any film give a properly balanced view on issues?  All too often they have a particular social or political bent to them.

Can I suggest to comment in something, it's better to have watched it first. You have also misread the article as the claims in it are not the ones you have discussed. 

[Hope]

Can I suggest to comment in something, it's better to have watched it first. You have also misread the article as the claims in it are not the ones you have discussed.

My comment was based on this comment in the article - "The film is notable for its realistic and unpatronising portrayal of working people, and of its black lead character.", and on comments that people who used to be miners have made about the film to me. Many of the people I work with at the railway I'm involved in are ex-miners, and who have told me that they were never quite sure of Robeson's true political colours - partly because not all of them were as left-wing as he was.

[Nearly Sane]

My comment was based on this comment in the article - "The film is notable for its realistic and unpatronising portrayal of working people, and of its black lead character.", and on comments that people who used to be miners have made about the film to me. Many of the people I work with at the railway I'm involved in are ex-miners, and who have told me that they were never quite sure of Robeson's true political colours - partly because not all of them were as left-wing as he was.

And that does not make the claim that it was politically balanced which was what you discussed.

[Hope]

And that does not make the claim that it was politically balanced which was what you discussed.

But, as I said in my original post, that was part of the reasoning that some felt unhappy/uncomfortable with him.  After all, the thread is about Paul Robeson, not simply about a single article on him.

[Nearly Sane]

But, as I said in my original post, that was part of the reasoning that some felt unhappy/uncomfortable with him.

and it's still not a claim made in the article. So you have created a strawman about an article about a film you haven't seen.

[Nearly Sane]

But, as I said in my original post, that was part of the reasoning that some felt unhappy/uncomfortable with him.  After all, the thread is about Paul Robeson, not simply about a single article on him.

You picked up and incorrectly represehted what the article talked about in relation to Proud Valley.