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MINSTREL MAN (TV)

Summary

This made-for-television movie tells the story of two brothers' experiences as minstrel show performers in early 20th-century America. The program begins as Harry Brown Jr. describes the history of minstrelsy, explaining that the musical comedy shows, which prominently featured broadly stereotypical black characters, began before the Civil War and depicted slaves as happy-go-lucky entertainers. Later, white performers in blackface took over the genre, though black performers in makeup also "imitated the white folks imitating them." Harry, his father Harry Sr. and his brother Rennie perform in a parade and then onstage, with Harry Sr. serving as the "interlocutor," or host. During the middle of their routine, however, Harry Sr. drops dead of a heart attack, and their boss, Carmichael, tells the boys that their act is useless without him. Harry is determined to return to the stage, though Rennie loves only music and disdains the embarrassing race-based humor. Years later, while working as street musicians, the brothers meet fellow performer Charlie Bates, who invites Harry to join his show, though Harry states that he and his brother work together. At the show, however, Rennie cannot bring himself to don the blackface makeup, and as Charlie and Harry take the stage as a double act, Rennie leaves and finds inspiration from a piano player in a restaurant.

Charlie and Harry enjoy a period of success onstage, but the Depression worsens and Harry soon finds that their touring company has been repossessed and that Charlie has vanished with his money. He attempts to find work at a circus, though is told that whites are the true "experts" at blackface performances and is forced to accept a position as a "genuine Zulu warrior" in a cage. He is angered when Charlie suddenly appears again, but Charlie swears that he needed the money as "working capital" and has secured them both excellent positions in a minstrel show in Chicago. Though doubtful, Harry accepts his offer, and they soon encounter Jesamine, a pretty young woman with a beautiful singing voice, and entice her to join their company as well. They board a rented train to Chicago and soon recruit several more performers from their former group, though when Harry attempts to make a move on Jesamine, he is surprised to find that she has smuggled her young son aboard the train as well. Harry declares that they need Rennie's musical talents and tracks him down in a bar in Louisiana, and though the brothers are happy to be reunited, Rennie declares that he will not go back to performing in minstrel shows. Harry points out that he has "a right to be heard," however, as most of his original music is performed uncredited in white clubs, and Rennie agrees to at least aid the troupe with rehearsal.

Back on the train, Harry apologizes to Jesamine for his behavior, and their flirtation deepens as she encourages him to "let somebody in." When Rennie states that he will soon leave the group and return to New Orleans, Harry tells him that he is planning a new kind of performance devoid of blackface makeup and racist jokes, though Charlie frets that the Chicago manager, Oliver Turpin, will not approve. Jesamine convinces Rennie to stay with them after all, and he pens some new songs for Harry's revised show. Along the way, they encounter another train carrying a rival minstrel troupe, and they perform their new ragtime-themed show for the other owner, Mr. Finch. Impressed, he offers to buy them out, stating that a black-owned company can never succeed, but Charlie and Harry refuse him, and Charlie is later annoyed to learn that Finch "stole" a few of their performers in retaliation. In Cairo, Illinois, they are told that impoverished whites will not want to see "better and smarter" black people onstage, and their non-minstrel musical show is met with anger and heckling. Harry regretfully realizes that they must resume performing as buffoonish stereotypes, but Rennie appears mid-show in whiteface makeup and mocks the audience as rednecks. He declares that he will no longer tolerate the "humiliation and abuse" of minstrelsy, and many people are arrested in the ensuing riot.

Harry and the others are soon released from jail, and they are devastated to find that Rennie has been lynched by the angry mob. The troupe sadly buries their friend and leaves town, and Harry angrily declares that his brother died proving a meaningless point. Jesamine, however, informs him that he died in defense of "dignity." They finally arrive in Chicago and Charlie assures Turpin that they will perform an "old-fashioned" minstrel show and not cause trouble, but Harry finally understands his brother's words and defiantly removes his makeup at the last second. The rest of the troupe follows suit, and the audience is surprised and pleased with their unique ragtime sound. Turpin bitterly informs Harry that they will not be allowed to perform there again, but Harry declares that they will always have the fond memory of performing their own self-respecting music. Commercials deleted.

Details

  • NETWORK: N/A
  • DATE: November 30, 1999 9:00 PM
  • RUNNING TIME: 1:41:42
  • COLOR/B&W: Color
  • CATALOG ID: 122035
  • GENRE: Drama, historical
  • SUBJECT HEADING: African-American Collection; Drama, historical; Blackface comedy
  • SERIES RUN: CBS - TV, 1977
  • COMMERCIALS: N/A

CREDITS

  • Roger Gimbel … Executive Producer
  • Edward L. Rissien … Co-Executive Producer
  • Mitchell Brown … Producer
  • Robert Lovenheim … Producer
  • William A. Graham … Director
  • Richard Shapiro … Writer
  • Esther Mayesh Shapiro … Writer
  • Fred Karlin … Music by
  • Meg Karlin … Lyrics
  • Donald McKayle … Choreographer
  • Glynn Turman … Cast, Harry Brown Jr.
  • Ted Ross … Cast, Charlie Bates
  • Stanley Clay … Cast, Rennie Brown
  • Saundra Sharp … Cast, Jesamine
  • Art Evans … Cast, Tambo
  • Gene Bell … Cast, Harry Sr. / Fat Man
  • Earl Billings … Cast, George
  • Anthony Amos … Cast, Young Harry Jr.
  • Amechi Uzodinma … Cast, Young Rennie
  • Arthur Rooks … Cast, Robert
  • Carol Sutton … Cast, Tess
  • Wilbur Swartz … Cast, Finch
  • Robert Earle … Cast, Turpin
  • Don Lutenbacher … Cast, Carmichael
  • Billy Holliday … Cast, Pitchman
  • Robert L. Harper … Cast, Fair Manager