NEGRO LIFE.

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 316, 23 December 1936, Page 2

NEGRO LIFE.

NEW INTERPRETATION Paul Robeson’s Latest Picture Paul Robeson, in “The Song of Freedom,” which is coming soon to New Zealand, is a Negro stevedore who becomes a great singer and then goes to find his people in Africa. His singing is magnificent, his actinggood, and 'the story is unusual and interestingly’ told. Robeson is shown for the first time as an ordinary man,, and the film is the first, to treat Negroes on the screen as ordinary people. It is unusual, if only for these reasons; but it has further originality in that its story deals with a coloured man’s efforts to identify himself racially; and in doing so switches without strain from the London docks to the world of opera, and from thence to a savage island off the coast of Africa.

Racial Angle. This unusual material has been quite neatly blended by' director Elder Wills with what is basically a familiar story of a poor fellow’s rise to musical eminence; but the plot avoids the major cliches of such a story, and achieves “difference” because of the racial angle. It also serves to introduce and use Robeson’s voice in a natural manner. Zinga is a stevedore, happy except for the fact that he is always dreaming of one day going to Africa and finding his people, although he does not know from which tribe or which part of the, continent he comes. He is discovered by an operatic impresario, and becomes a famous singer, but at the height of his success he meets an African scholar who traces his origin by’ means of a medallion he wears. This sugge/Ls that he is hereditary king of an island off the African coas't; and he and his wife go there, only to find the people in a state of savagery, dominated by witch dic'tors. How he proves himself king, and what comes of it, makes up the balance of the story.

Magnificent Voice. Robeson, acts sincerely and naturally, .convincingly bringing out the man’s overwhelming desire 'to know his origin and to find his people. It is his magnificent voice, however, which is the best part of bis performance; and the musical side of the film has been cleverly' planned io give it fine opportunities. The music, in fact, is in every way commendable; it is a pity the dialogue is not always as good. Other sound performances come from Elisabeth Welch as the singer’s faithful wife, and Esme Percy, who is excellent as the excitable impresario. This is a fairly modestly produced picture, but it is worth seeing for its unusual subject-matter and Robeson’s fine singing, especially’ in a duet with Miss Welch.