Here is a tale of two Black Brothers.
Black Brother #1 is sadistic, brutal, corrupt and egotistical. He is a liar, thief and a murderer. He is conniving, manipulative and will bully others to get what he wants. He uses and disrespects women and would easily sacrifice his wife, the mother of his child, while showing no remorse. He is the poor example of a father figure and has no regard for his ill son. Brother #1 is the personification of evil.
Black Brother #2 is hardworking, honest and family-oriented. He is articulate, bright, clean and a nice-looking guy. He struggles against all odds to provide for his family and dreams of giving them a better life. He loves his wife, is loyal, respectful and tries to meet her needs of him. He loves his son, is a nurturing father figure and a positive role model. He is willing to sacrifice his all to protect, provide and bring some degree of happiness to his child. Brother #2 is the personification of a good man.
Question #1: If you had to choose, which one of these two Black Brothers would you want to be?
Question #2: If you had to choose, which one of these two Black Brothers would you want to be representative of a Black male to the world?
Question #3: If you had to choose, which actor portraying each of the two Black Brothers would you give the Best Actor Oscar?
I have wanted to do this post for a while. I have been meditating on it from time to time when it appeared that Forest Whitaker was the front-runner in winning the Best Actor Oscar for his portrayal of Idi Amin, the former President of Uganda, in “The Last King of Scotland”. He had already won the Best Actor awards at the British Oscars, the Screen Actor’s Guild and the Golden Globes. I wasn’t aware of the movie until all the buzz was building about his performance, so I went to see it. I found the film to be “okay” but his performance was solid. I like Forest Whitaker. I have seen most of the movies he’s acted in and have always found him to be a good, competent actor. Forest Whitaker played Black Brother #1 to perfection.
Weeks before I had also gone to see “The Pursuit of Happyness” with Will Smith. I went to see this movie mainly because the storyline interested me: the struggles of a Black father to care and provide for his son. I had also heard that Will Smith’s performance was good, but that wasn’t what drew me to see it. The film moved me. It touched me to the point of tears. I found Will Smith’s character inspiring. He depicted the type of Black man I want to be. The type of man I wish we all were, regardless of colour or culture. His performance lent to the dynamics of the film…. it wasn’t the film. Will Smith played Black Brother #2 to perfection.
When I heard that both Black actors were nominated, I knew one thing for sure. Will Smith wasn’t going to win! I wasn’t sure if Forest Whitaker would win, but I knew that he would win before Will Smith would. I knew Will Smith wouldn’t win for the same reason Barak Obama won’t win, which was so eloquently stated by Sen. Joe Biden: “I mean, you got the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy. I mean, that’s a storybook, man.” This is certainly not the characteristics, attributes or image that America, and most importantly, liberal “white” America, expects or wants of it’s “negroes.”
Forest Whitaker’s portrayal of Idi Amin was very similar to the performance of Denzel Washington in “Training Day”. Even down to the “Big Black Demon” manipulating and leading the young, eager, naïve and good intentioned “white boy” astray. Denzel had also played Black Brother #1 to perfection in that film. Denzel Washington won the Best Actor Oscar for this performance. As we all know, Forest Whitaker won the Best Actor Oscar for his. It is said that history repeats itself. I will add to this: “especially when it comes to perpetuating and awarding the negative stereotype of the Black male in the mass media.”
On a further note, Forest Whitaker has subsequently won for Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture at the 2007 NAACP Image Awards.
(Sigh)
Asabagna
March 6, 2007 at 10:31 pm
Dear Asa,
I am so glad to find your blog and look forward to reading it regularly. Thank you for writing about racism in the light of God’s grace. I really believe true reconcilliation must begin in the House of God. Have you read “Letters Across the Divide”?
Blessings,
Sherri
March 7, 2007 at 12:24 am
Question #1: I would be Brother 1, just to see what it is like on the other side of the Black Man & plus Brother 2 can get boring sometimes. LOL
Great analogy on the bad guy thing & comparison to Denzel’s award; that was big time on point.
I saw TLKoS when it was released national (the 1st time) & feel in love with it. A very powerful story. I felt really bad for the wife that got jacked for getting her creep on & just as bad for the dr that got jacked at the airport.
The one thing that did turn me off about the move were the sex scenes, actually theu pissed me off a little.
Bygbaby
March 7, 2007 at 2:11 am
Yes, Yes, YES!! Its interesting as I question myself about this: I saw Last King twice; I love Training Day. I thought Denzel’s performance was great. Forrest was fantastic.
Yet, everything you said is unassailable. Its truly fucked that this IS the message. But it is the message. I haven’t seen Pursuit, but I will.
Thanks
March 7, 2007 at 6:05 am
wow…this post has so many different levels – loving the discourse.
As a black woman, I will answer the q’s differently
Question 1: Black Male 2! No doubt. I think some women have to force themselves out of the idea that they ALL want thugs or bad boys. We need to kill that myth right now. Give me an intellectual black PhD student who is calm and collected over a wannabe 50 cent anyday.
Question 2: Black Male 2.What has happened to us black people that we would rather the image of thugs be played out rather than the beauty of the Langston Hughes, Chinua Achebe or Wole Soyinka. These are all articulate men whose words are overflowing with so many important issues.We should be applauding them, not the Nellys of the world.
LKOS – Asa, I just have such a soft spot for that film because it just put the spotlight on East Africa. You hardly ever hear about East Africa in general and even though it wasn’t for a good reason, I was very impressed with FW’s acting because he even tried to speak in Swahili and he killed that accent perfectly. Idi Amin was an evil man no doubt and it is hard to dramatise what he did because it has repercussions even today in East Africa and how Uganda is like even as a country. I think he deserved to get the Oscar. Not because of how the image he was portraying but because he really came to life and it proved his acting skills. It was uncomfortable to watch and the image isn’t nice but perhaps we need to see that so we see that that politics on the continent needs to be changed.Perhaps celluloid exposure is needed for more people to care about Africa?
Pursuit of Happyness – WS was extremely good in this too. He is just proving more and more his weight. I know that his time will come though. Since ‘Ali’ and now POH, he just needs the next big thing and he will get that Statuette.
–A
March 7, 2007 at 2:06 pm
Hi Sherri… you are welcome anytime! No I haven’t read “Letters Across the Divide”. Who is it by and what is it about?
March 8, 2007 at 9:18 am
Asa,
I attend a deliberately integrated church in Franklin, TN and my pastor (a man, I think, after your own heart) gave it to me. The book is by David Anderson (black) and Brent Zuercher (white). These two men had been friends and attended the same church. At one point, one moved away and they began writing letters to each other discussing racial issues.
Sherri
March 15, 2007 at 7:05 pm
Your analysis of why Whittaker won and Smith didn’t is right on the money! I hope it doesn’t preclude Obama from succeeding and I look to the success of the Bill Cosby show as an example of white America accepting a positive Black image, if only one were presented to them with a little bit more frequency.
April 17, 2007 at 2:05 pm
This is a very interesting comment!
I’ve never thought of it this way. However, I thought that it was just part of Hollywood’s obsession about African movies.
People are sick of chick flicks/romantic comedies/action etc..they want to see something interesting/real/touching and if it involves Africa and poor african kids being slaughtered then GR8!
Kizzie