Greetings And Salutations, and welcome to my review of Song Of Freedom. Before we get into it, here are my ratings:
Story - 1.50
Direction - 1.25
Pace - 1.25
Acting - 1.25
Enjoyment - 1.25
TOTAL - 6.5 out of 10
Song Of Freedom surprised me by putting a smile on my face and a warmth in my heart. For a 1936 film about one African man's dream to find himself and help his people, I wasn't expecting much. Blissfully, I received so much more. The story is well written, intelligent, and finely structured. And not only does it address a couple of major issues it did so at a time other writers, directors, and producers would have steered clear of the subject matter. For one, it's the story of a black man, and Paul Robeson plays the part of John Zinga perfectly. Though it's not only this issue that's highlighted. John has a wife, Ruth, who is portrayed forcefully by Elisabeth Welch. Ruth is a powerful outspoken woman who speaks her mind. In 1936 this was pretty much unheard of, a strong female lead. And, she is a lead. Ruth, being finely constructed, works superbly alongside her husband, John. When they are on the screen together, they demand your attention. It's an ideal pairing of an actor and actress with their characters.
But my delight didn't stop there. The director does an admirable job in putting the tale onto celluloid. Even the stock shots of crowded theatres fit in the movie without drawing undue thoughts. He uses light and shade sublimely to build the tension and unease, especially in the night sequences and imprisonment scenes. But don't get me wrong, it's not perfect. As was the standard back then, whenever there was a chase scene - in Song it's on foot at the start - they speed the film up, giving the segment a Keystone Cops feel, which is terrible. However, it's only a slight thing, so it's easy to accept it and still enjoy the picture.
But, by and far, one of the most pleasurable things about Song Of Freedom is the cast. These actors and actresses are brilliant, and there are no small parts. In one scene, John has invited one of his dockworking buddies to watch his on-stage performance as he's made it as a famous singer. He's talking to him and his wife when he's interrupted by a Lord who may know the secret to the mysterious song that John keeps singing. The dockworker and his wife depart, but not before doffing his cap to the lord and giving an awkward curtsey - the look on the wife's face is outstanding. These trivial elements add depth and believability to the film.
Though I'm not a great fan of musicals, Song is not a typical musical. The music is not integrated into the telling of the story. The music is there because John Zinga is a singer. And a bloody good one at that. Though I will say, Robeson does sound better at acapella than with accompaniment. I would highly recommend Song Of Freedom to anyone who enjoys this style of drama. I thoroughly enjoyed it and will be revisiting it soon.
Please feel free to visit my Dramatisation Of Life to see where I ranked Song Of Freedom.
Take Care & Stay Well.
