If the director had shown half the stubbornness portrayed by the protagonist, perhaps the movie would have aged better instead of looking and feeling so dated.
I understand that during the filming in the 1960s, racial views of the 1930s were practically the same if not worse, which contributed to my perception that the director tried his best to avoid offending southerners with showing any characteristics in non-whites as anything other than stereotypes: loyal, subservient, dedicated to the mistress of the plantation above your own family's needs and desires for a better life.
The idea that the character portrayed by Robert Earl Jones (Sam) would stay on the island with "Miss Ella" out of some misguided devotion is sickening. She had strong beliefs about land but, unfortunately didn't express the same concerns for the rights of others whom she abused with low wages and accepted them living in filthy shacks.
The movie did nothing to address the opinions of the townspeople or the local government concerning their unlawful & unethical treatment of the workers. Their problems continued.
I understand that during the filming in the 1960s, racial views of the 1930s were practically the same if not worse, which contributed to my perception that the director tried his best to avoid offending southerners with showing any characteristics in non-whites as anything other than stereotypes: loyal, subservient, dedicated to the mistress of the plantation above your own family's needs and desires for a better life.
The idea that the character portrayed by Robert Earl Jones (Sam) would stay on the island with "Miss Ella" out of some misguided devotion is sickening. She had strong beliefs about land but, unfortunately didn't express the same concerns for the rights of others whom she abused with low wages and accepted them living in filthy shacks.
The movie did nothing to address the opinions of the townspeople or the local government concerning their unlawful & unethical treatment of the workers. Their problems continued.