Took my 11 year old daughter to #HarrietMovie last night & am still disturbed.
She left the theater scared of Bigger Long “the worst bad guy.” The only sadistic character in the movie—who was BLACK, and DID NOT EXIST. wtf, Hollywood!
Great thread by @LaQuetteWrites:
She left the theater scared of Bigger Long “the worst bad guy.” The only sadistic character in the movie—who was BLACK, and DID NOT EXIST. wtf, Hollywood!
Great thread by @LaQuetteWrites:
https://twitter.com/LaQuetteWrites/status/1190409649067110409
@LaQuetteWrites The film is artful, with some great acting, and Harriet Tubman is one of our most important national heroes.
To me, this makes it worse, not better, that it misrepresents slavery, and history, and race in this country. Felt designed to not make white people uncomfortable.
To me, this makes it worse, not better, that it misrepresents slavery, and history, and race in this country. Felt designed to not make white people uncomfortable.
@LaQuetteWrites Additional disturbing aspects of the film:
1) Harriet’s spells were treated as divine intervention. They were seizures from a traumatic brain injury perpetrated by a white person. This displaced blame and diminished her agency.
1) Harriet’s spells were treated as divine intervention. They were seizures from a traumatic brain injury perpetrated by a white person. This displaced blame and diminished her agency.
It also made her a saint (or a superhero, as some have suggested), rather than a brave and determined human being we could emulate.
2) #HarrietMovie framed the problem of slavery as “God don’t mean for people to own people.”
Of course. But the deeper injustices are racism, inequality, dehumanizing, and greed. All of which have persisted since the Emancipation Proclamation.
Of course. But the deeper injustices are racism, inequality, dehumanizing, and greed. All of which have persisted since the Emancipation Proclamation.
3) #HarrietMovie portrayed racism as existing only in the South. In the North, White people treated Black people as equals, and both races seemed to be on an equal economic footing. The main Black characters in the North were wealthy. With more than enough abundance to share.
4) And #HarrietMovie made it seem easy to escape from slavery, like you just walk off the plantation and connect with all these people eager to take care of you.
Sends the message people who are oppressed now just need to be brave & liberate themselves.
Sends the message people who are oppressed now just need to be brave & liberate themselves.
My family is really upset about #HarrietMovie. I ranted above, but have more to add this morning.
My mom pointed out Harriet’s heartbreak - the only scene in which we visibly see her suffer - is when she learns her husband has taken another wife.
Along with the brutalizing of Marie, this makes *all* visible suffering in #HarrietMovie inflicted by Black men. I can’t even.
Along with the brutalizing of Marie, this makes *all* visible suffering in #HarrietMovie inflicted by Black men. I can’t even.
Others are arguing about whether the white savior trope does or doesn’t apply in #HarrietMovie.
Harriet’s owner isn’t a hero, he makes your stomach churn. But he LITERALLY SAVES HER LIFE. And in that scene—the movie climax—she needs saving from a Black man by a White man.
Harriet’s owner isn’t a hero, he makes your stomach churn. But he LITERALLY SAVES HER LIFE. And in that scene—the movie climax—she needs saving from a Black man by a White man.
When Harriet’s courage is needed most, she arrives just in time to save her friend & stop the two villains. And she has a gun! But superhero #Harriet—hides? Watching her friend & benefactor be beaten & kicked to death, by the Black villain, because of her.
https://mobile.twitter.com/island_1980/status/1191225950735757314
I understand it would be inaccurate, and problematic, for Harriet to kill in the #HarrietMovie if she didn’t, as far as we know, in real life.
But when the movie puts her in situations in which she could kill killers to save friends but she doesn’t, it makes her weak.
Her only effective gun use was threatening a fearful Black slave who wanted to turn back.
Her only effective gun use was threatening a fearful Black slave who wanted to turn back.
Filmmakers can choose to allude to but not show the brutality of slave owners —we don’t have to see women raped and men torn apart by dogs every time.
But you owe us the emotional depth of those realities, and you CANNOT then show Black people brutalizing each other.
But you owe us the emotional depth of those realities, and you CANNOT then show Black people brutalizing each other.
I’m nauseated by the Bigger Long mandingo trope I hadn’t even noticed until @LaQuetteWrites pointed it out—it’s so obvious.
Not just the name. He horrifies the White men with his plan to use the prize money on “White whores.”
Not just the name. He horrifies the White men with his plan to use the prize money on “White whores.”
https://mobile.twitter.com/LaQuetteWrites/status/1191063705527693313
Ok, there is also the slave owner’s hand, which he cries about. A lot. But that injury isn’t close to the same scale as these.
Ok, she also shoots her owner’s hand. But this is part of the weak climax, doesn’t feel like a victory.
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