Native Son

Director: Pierre Chenal

1951 / 108min / DCP

“Richard Wright’s 1940 novel Native Son was a literary sensation, but one Hollywood wouldn’t dare touch—the studio system didn’t tell black stories from black perspectives, or employ the likes of Micheaux or Williams (and, in the latter case, never would)—so Wright journeyed to Argentina, where he and French director Pierre Chenal had Buenos Aires stand in for Chicago in this filmed take of the book. American Canada Lee was originally cast as Bigger Thomas, the twentysomething valet who accidentally kills his white employer’s daughter while she seduces him, but dropped out at the last minute and was replaced by the 43-year-old author, who also wrote the screenplay for this deeply odd, one of a kind adaptation.”—Brandon Harris

Intro from Brandon Harris 3:30pm, Sunday, February 19