Big Fella

19371937
1h 13min

In this musical comedy, Paul Robeson stars as Joe, a Marseilles docker hired by a wealthy English couple to find their missing son. When Joe finds him, he learns he escaped of his own will, ... Read allIn this musical comedy, Paul Robeson stars as Joe, a Marseilles docker hired by a wealthy English couple to find their missing son. When Joe finds him, he learns he escaped of his own will, and takes him to stay with a local singer. They offer him a refuge from his repressed whit... Read allIn this musical comedy, Paul Robeson stars as Joe, a Marseilles docker hired by a wealthy English couple to find their missing son. When Joe finds him, he learns he escaped of his own will, and takes him to stay with a local singer. They offer him a refuge from his repressed white parents.

5.8/10

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Director
- J. Elder Wills
Writers
- Ingram D'Abbes
- Claude McKay(novel "Banjo")
- Fenn Sherie
Stars

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Eldon Gorst and Paul Robeson in Big Fella (1937)

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marseille kidnapping runaway blackmail based on novel

Genres
- Drama
- Musical
Parents guide
- Add content advisory

Soundtracks
Lazin'
Written by Eric Ansell
Sung by Paul Robeson on the wharf

Top review

5/10

Paul Robeson's Big Fella is an enjoyable slight trifle of a movie

After starring in Song of Freedom together, Paul Robeson and Elizabeth Welch reunited in this, Big Fella. They end up temporarily caring for a rich white kid (Eldon Gorst) who's run away from his parents because he feels stifled. I'll stop there and just say it's wonderful to once again hear both Robeson and Ms. Welch singing to their heart's content whenever they get the chance. I was partly amused by the plot and some of the interactions though this is probably the most trifle of Robeson's British movies. Good thing it's only an hour and 10 minutes. Since this is Black History Month, I have to note also the appearance of Lawrence Brown as one of Paul's friends. Oh, and also Paul's wife Eslanda as the café proprietor who gives him a tongue lashing at one point. Both previously appeared with him in Jericho. So on that note, Big Fella is worth a look.

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