Monday, August 15, 2011

Strange days, and "The Help" isn't helping.

"Long time ago, back in the mist of time Back when the crystal waters flowed There was a world so strange and so beautiful All life would flourish and would grow
Years went by, time just fell away Love was worshiped like the sun But as we arrive at the house at the waterside We're living in strange times Do dodo do dodo doooooooo
Strange times, strange times"
~Moody Blues~


These are strange times indeed.

Consider the following: An anti Gay republican was accused of trying to get his freak on with a black male prostitute on the Internet. A mega church preacher from Florida was found dead up in a Zoo York hotel room with drugs in his possession. (Hold the offering plate.) WTF is going on with you preachers,lately?  They are shooting at politicians in Brooklyn. (Wait, this isn't Jamaica.) Negroes are hanging from towers in Oklahoma and refusing to come down. White folks in Louisiana love Wal*Mart so much that they are literally masturbating in the parking lot. (Must be all the beautiful people coming in and out...)

I swear, those Moody Blues dudes were right on the money.

OK, speaking of money, The Help pulled in a little over 25 million this weekend. That's a decent opening by any measure. I am sure that most of you are not surprised. There is nothing A-merry-cans love more than seeing those "dignified" blacks of the civil rights era and the white folks who felt their pain telling us about it. 

Over at The Grio the director and producer of The Help was lamenting the fact that some folks are just too critical of the movie:

"theGrio: What made you decide to direct 'The Help?'

Taylor: I am from Jackson, Mississippi, and this story really pulled at my heartstrings and my nostalgic urges. The moment for me, was when Aibileen and Mae Mobely's characters came to life in the manuscript. I was immediately thrust back, to years ago and I thought of Carol Lee, the woman who helped my mother raise me.

Kathryn Stockett had a very similar situation in her adulthood, where she began missing her nanny. It made her start writing short stories that ultimately became The Help.

I knew I wanted to direct the movie, as soon as I read the manuscript. I got the rights to the manuscript a year before the book was even in print. Kathryn had been turned down by 60 agents, and she said "Tate, I have this book, nobody's interested, you can read it if you want." I did read it, and I was immediately blown away.

So you had a black nanny growing up in Jackson, Mississippi?

Yes I did. Her name is Carol Lee. She is still in my life, she came out to the premiere of the movie and walked the red carpet and everything. I put her in the film too. You know the scene where Skeeter goes to the house and all of the maids have come together to help tell their stories? She is the first woman that tells Skeeter that she wants to help write the book.

So is Carol Lee proud of 'The Help?' Does she feel your depiction of maids in Jackson, Mississippi during the 1960's is authentic?

She was so proud of the movie. So thrilled. Absolutely. She has been one of my strongest supporters.

What was your most memorable experience while making this movie?

Every day was a memorable experience. What I remember the most was the sense of joy, that so many friends were together. Octavia Spencer, Allison Janney, and Kathryn Stockett and so many others. We were able to tell this personal story on our homeland and tell it in a way that we felt was accurate...

What do you say to people that say this film did not accurately represent black maids of south during the 1960's?

I want them to tell me, what their version of accurately is. People are being too critical of this film.

It's so perplexing to me. Kathryn set out to write a book not about victims. She wrote a book about four women that were victims of circumstances of their surroundings. The book is about courage and love and integrity, and talking to whom you consider to be your enemy and finding common ground. Kathryn has said, she would never be equipped or interested in writing a historical, fictional account of the civil rights movement. It's just a story. My job as a director and person who is adapting a novel that is a monumental success is not to go take what she did and make is something that it's not. That would be more offensive and wrong. This is art, this is an expression in storytelling, and this is the particular story that we are telling.

I think anyone who sees this movie will feel that Aibileen and Minny are the most courageous, brilliant, smart, and spiritual loving humans on the planet, and oh yeah they have on a uniform. I didn't film these ladies scrubbing toilets.

I didn't want to have a yard man beaten with a crowbar because he went to use a white bathroom. We have seen that, done before and we know it. That takes away time and moments for me to show the layers of these women. Conversely, that's why I had one of the maid, Yule Mae taken off of the bus and beaten with a club. That's not in the book, but I am trying to show that yeah, horrible things happened in the South, but through a character that means something to the storyline. That's filmmaking.

The scene where Viola Davis sitting on a toilet in a garage in 108 degrees, and then a white woman comes out and tells her to hurry up was visually brutal. To me that's worst than seeing a lynching. It just is." [Source]

I am sorry folks, maybe I need some Kumbaya juice or something, but I just can't get behind the whole I took my nanny to the premiere and she was on the red carpet with me thing. The word patronizing comes to mind.

Mr. Taylor talks about the book being about finding common ground, and about the maids being these "courageous" and "spiritual" human beings; which I am sure that they were. But something is missing. And it's the same thing I see missing every time I watch one of these movies about the civil rights era in A-merry-ca. The story is never being told by the oppressed but always the oppressor. The narrative is always the same: Oppressor finds their humanity and helps the oppressed and becomes a hero to us all.

Sadly, I guess it has to be that way. How else are you going to sell 25 million dollars worth of tickets?    





    

228 comments:

«Oldest   ‹Older   201 – 228 of 228
Yuk, yuk, yuk... said...

Obama just keeps creating those jobs!:

http://www.komonews.com/news/local/127844048.html

alicia banks said...

hobama's super congress is a super scam that no maid can fix!!!

the hell trumps "the help"!!!

http://www.alternet.org/economy/151993/the_%27super_congress%27_is_a_scam_designed_to_force_cuts_to_popular_programs_and_keep_taxes_on_the_rich_low/?page=entire


http://www.alternet.org/economy/152010/americans_don%27t_realize_just_how_badly_we%27re_getting_screwed_by_the_top_0.1_percent_hoarding_the_country%27s_wealth/


http://www.google.com/url?q=http://aliciabanks.xanga.com/732463009/hobama-drama---the-poor-are-getting-poorer-and-the-middle-class-is-being-eradicated/&sa=U&ei=V-NKTuvPDcuPsALO4cW8CA&ved=0CBAQFjAA&usg=AFQjCNF7X3GwkKOBlobii98SPe4CFGvalA

Anonymous said...

Geee, Ms Silberman was one of those who supported Clarence Thomas. No agenda, there...nosirree.
Since she was a political appointment for st reagan..you might not be surprised that she knew absolutely nothing about the government group she was picked to lead. Both st reagan and bush were noted for choosing persons whose qualifications would best be described as minimal. Most were chosen for loyalty to the wingnut cause..or jebus.

If you are going to spread lies from Vdare...you should be adult enough to give the wingnut who wrote the piece the credit. Why are you trying to pass off wingnut material as that written by blog posters? Trying to slip racist idiocy under the door?

Is this lying a pathological thing? Are you unable to cite the work of others? Or do you hope to sneak about?

Mold

Anonymous said...

Just so you know, the material lifted...but never cited...from Vdare is termed paleoconservative by some. Can you say 'wite power'?

Wonder why the poster neglects to mention that they are posting known racist material? Wonder why the poster declines to reveal the 'sorce' of the fibs? Oh, most of the idiocy is from years past...so not only are we treated to gibbering racist silliness...we don't even get the modern stuff.

I'd question pretty much anything this faker lists. There is a distinct hidden agenda...a dishonesty...and the historee they are pushing is a fake.

Mold

Anonymous said...

Just so you know, the material lifted...but never cited...from Vdare is termed paleoconservative by some. Can you say 'wite power'?

Wonder why the poster neglects to mention that they are posting known racist material? Wonder why the poster declines to reveal the 'sorce' of the fibs? Oh, most of the idiocy is from years past...so not only are we treated to gibbering racist silliness...we don't even get the modern stuff.

I'd question pretty much anything this faker lists. There is a distinct hidden agenda...a dishonesty...and the historee they are pushing is a fake.

Mold

Spelling and grammar check broken?

Anonymous said...

Geee, Ms Silberman was one of those who supported Clarence Thomas. No agenda, there...nosirree.
Since she was a political appointment for st reagan..you might not be surprised that she knew absolutely nothing about the government group she was picked to lead. Both st reagan and bush were noted for choosing persons whose qualifications would best be described as minimal. Most were chosen for loyalty to the wingnut cause..or jebus.

If you are going to spread lies from Vdare...you should be adult enough to give the wingnut who wrote the piece the credit. Why are you trying to pass off wingnut material as that written by blog posters? Trying to slip racist idiocy under the door?

Is this lying a pathological thing? Are you unable to cite the work of others? Or do you hope to sneak about?

Just so you know, the material lifted...but never cited...from Vdare is termed paleoconservative by some. Can you say 'wite power'?

Wonder why the poster neglects to mention that they are posting known racist material? Wonder why the poster declines to reveal the 'sorce' of the fibs? Oh, most of the idiocy is from years past...so not only are we treated to gibbering racist silliness...we don't even get the modern stuff.

I'd question pretty much anything this faker lists. There is a distinct hidden agenda...a dishonesty...and the historee they are pushing is a fake.

Mold

GrannyStandingforTruth said...

Apparently the author's real life maid is not happy about the HELP either:

'The Help' Lawsuit: Black Maid Ablene Cooper Sues Author Kathryn ...
Feb 22, 2011 ... Black Maid Sues, Says 'The Help' Is Humiliating ... and sister in a dispute
about the real-life identity of one of her fictional characters. ...

abcnews.go.com/Health/lawsuit-black-maid-ablene...sues-author.../story?id...

Family Maid Files Suit Against Author of 'The Help' - NYTimes.com
Feb 17, 2011 ... Family Maid Files Suit Against Author of 'The Help' ... In the complaint, Ms.
Cooper argues that one of the book's principal characters, ...

artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/.../family-maid-files-suit-against-author-of-the-help/

'The Help' Author Kathryn Stockett Sued By Maid
6 days ago ... The lawsuit quotes passages from the book, including one in which .... 'The Help
' Lawsuit: Black Maid Ablene Cooper Sues Author Kathryn . ...

www.huffingtonpost.com/.../hearing-scheduled-in-the-_n_923534.html -

The Help Author Sued by Black Maid Ablene Cooper
Feb 22, 2011 ... Black Maid Ablene Cooper Sues 'The Help' Author for Embarrassing Portrayal ...
at one point comparing her skin color to that of a cockroach. ...

www.theroot.com/.../black-maid-ablene-cooper-sues-author-help-embarrassing-portrayal -


The Help: Woman sues author over claims she was black servant ...
Feb 17, 2011 ... 'Black servant' sues author of The Help over claims book portrays her in bad
light ... Ablene Cooper, who once worked as a maid for the brother of author ...
It quotes passages from the book, including one in which ...

www.dailymail.co.uk/.../The-Help-Woman-sues-author-claims-black-servant-character.html -

Anonymous said...

Is this lying a pathological thing? Are you unable to cite the work of others? Or do you hope to sneak about?

Yes..heh...heh...we..hope to...heh...heh....sneak about....heh...heh...and fiddle....with our tiddly bits...heh....heh.......show us your book...heh...heh....your a published author...har...har...so we can qouterate you....heh....heh...har...har...

Anonymous said...

There is a distinct hidden agenda...

A hidden agenda?? Do you mean like you with your hidden gender? Is it a hidden a gender when you are a white boy and say you are a black woman? Mold is a hidden gender bender

Respect Black said...

@Mellaneous said:

I assume that you were trying to make the point that most white people have racist leanings, which of course makes sense in a racist society.

Don't assume any such thing. I did however highlight the portion of my statement that was apparently missed.

I said:
If they all readily engage in white privilege THERE IS NO DIFFERENCE.

"But make no mistake there is a big and quantitative difference between those who have the power to drop bombs on other countries and bailout banks and those standing in the unemployment line in rural Pennsylvania."

As I said previously, THERE IS NO DIFFERENCE in the white person that readily engages in white privilege whether he is in the corner office or the corner lot.

StillaPanther2 said...

Brother Field....if someone told the story of the Black maids from our eyes.....they would not like it. There were a lot of ladies that I saw with my eyes that did the laundry for the whites. Going to school in the early morning you would see laundry baskets on the front porches that had been deposited at night. My father refused to have my mother wash and iron the white man's funky drawers. He sent/encouraged her to go to nursing school...she was sucessful...I guess with that job of wash/dry/iron is no ;longer available....havinng babies to get welfare is a viable option. By the way...some colored ladies talked like those precious white kids were more valuble than their little kids....that was so sad to hear them talk about "their" white families.

Anonymous said...

I recently retired from the welfare department in Mississippi. I was often oddly struck by the many older white men who brought their former "nannies" into the office to apply for food stamps and a welfare check. These poor Black women grew old thinking that the white boys they raised, who have now become middle-aged and old men, would provide for them until they died. There seemed to be some sort of unspoken agreement among these older Black women that these whites would assume eternal responsibility for their care. Instead, as soon as these women became needy, the men would trot them out to the welfare office to sign them up for food stamps. Because many of the old women are SSI recipients, they are only eligible for $10 - $13 food stamps per month. Mississippi does not pay welfare to single individuals, only to "eligible" mothers with dependent children. THE HELP does not depict this aspect of maid's life. Based on reviews I have seen and heard, I will not see or read THE HELP. Ms. Stockett should strive to show life for former Black maids as it really is.

Anonymous said...

Nonsense

Twaddle, bunk and tommyrot,
Blather and tomfoolery,
Trumpery and poppycock,
Bosh and rigmaroolery.

Slaver, drivel, blah and tosh,
Balderdash and hooey,
Folderol and fudge kibosh,
Hokum and balooey.


Molds Official Language
----------------------------------


HAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHHAHAHA LMAO!

TP/BLINKS

Anonymous said...

One of the delights for the Capitalists was the elimination of the responsibilities and obligations of the nobility. Being Pwincess sounds great if all you have are the fun parts...but christian historee-ans somehow forgeterate to mention the rest of the 'job'.

Being a maid and nanny and servant is so wunnerful...just ask the wite folks. If being a Moms is so grand...why does Bristol 'twoBabees' Palin have a nanny? Sarey had one..but I would assume Governor is more complex. Kate Gosselin had two nannies, last I looked. Haven't heard from Bachmann...but with a PrayAwayDeGay scam and a wife who was working...maybe they had a little help.
Seems a bit odd...that they encourage stayHome Mommies...but they all leave. And hire people to do the Mom work. Hmmm...what's that about practicing what you preach for others?

Mold

Anonymous said...

Danth's Law.

Mold

Anonymous said...

Still waiting for your proof of what you claim. For pretty much anything. What is your basis for pretending I am a white male? Or are you still rankled for being outed?

Maybe I should list the sockpuppets? Would you like that? Pretty easy....and I can show my work.;)

Mold

Anonymous said...

Pretty easy....and I can show my work.

Mold


Please do.Show your work.

Anonymous said...

Maybe I should list the sockpuppets? Would you like that? Pretty easy....and I can show my work.;)

Mold

Love it, lets go baby, you show your's and I'll show mine. I also have witnesses that still post here daily. What do you have besides outing yourself once again - Danth's Law indeed you are no doubt a white little boy computer geek to even know of this term. Hows world of warcraft going? Are you the wizard or the witch? (I know you like to play the female-sugar) Or was that you like baseball, butt are a hell of a catcher?

Baseball players, now there is a group of men I admire, the only fellers I know who can actually walk with four balls, they waddle but they walk. Do you feel safe when a ball player takes it home with you? Can a guy like you be a ball player even though he doesn't play baseball?

Anonymous said...

Oh, you admit to being sockpuppet. What a not-surprise. And your purpose is to be a PITA on an AfAm blog...typical.
Maybe I will. Or, maybe I like watching you fake it. Reminds me of the auditions on the TV shows...where your friends never told you...and you still beleeve.

And I do love me Dada.

Mold

Missing Vinnie said...

I lived in Jackson, MS too. My father died at 41 of a heart attack, and left my mother with 5 kids, ages 12 to 3 months old.

She went to work to support us, luckily my Dad had taken out a pretty good life insurance poilcy. But, he was a WWII vet, and that helped too, along with the S. Security.

We had a black maid, named Vinnie Mae. She raised us while our mother worked. She would take the bus in the morning to our house, while we were in school, and be there when we got home, and feed us something. My Mom would always drive her home. For about 6 years, she practically raised me. Switched my ass when I was bad, comforted me when I was hurt. Our family loved her as much as any other member.

She got sick, as we got older, and couldn't come to the house anymore. By then, some of the older kids could drive, and would take food & comfort to her house. We always got along fine with her family.

When she died, we all went to the funeral. We were the only white people there. But, her family treated us just like that...family.

I miss her to this day.

Now. You say anything nasty that you want. But it won't change the love I had for Vinnie.

Anonymous said...

Oh Moldy....look at this.....go ahead....we know what you are going to do once you see this picture you rascal you......whacka flacka whacka flacka..

http://www.daylife.com/photo/00ypcWue0lgBq

Anonymous said...

Gee, all that bluster with anal fixation. You might want to understand that not every person stopped learning in Grade Five.
WOW is boring. And they are not polite to women. So your entire 'proof' is that you beleeve. Try again.
Umm..IBM has hired many AfAms...as have more 'modern' firms. Yes, real degrees and everything. And instead of patting your sockpuppet self on the back about your assumed brilliance...you might want to review the term 'computer' and see the women who helped create the industry.
Sorry, can't stop smirking at your fakery.

Mold

Anonymous said...

Pretty easy....and I can show my work.

Mold


Please do.Show your work.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...
Oh, you admit to being sockpuppet. What a not-surprise. And your purpose is to be a PITA on an AfAm blog...typical.
Maybe I will. Or, maybe I like watching you fake it. Reminds me of the auditions on the TV shows...where your friends never told you...and you still beleeve.

And I do love me Dada.

Mold


Oh I am no sockpuppet, but you know that. YOu also know the names you post under, in fact Socrates was the one who first brought the term sockpuppet to this blog or was it Mandinga? Hmmm... So c'mon dave, lets go. Ok Davey? Yes Davey.

Anonymous said...

" And it's the same thing I see missing every time I watch one of these movies about the civil rights era in A-merry-ca. The story is never being told by the oppressed but always the oppressor."

I felt exactly the same way when I read Anna Deavere Smith's Fires in the Mirror and Twilight Los Angeles. People just heap prase on this woman. Wow! A black woman writes about hate crimes her people have perpetrated against Asians and Jews in a way that makes blacks look like the victim! What an openminded person! Now why doesn't she write about Jasper TX, Little Rock, Emit Till and all those lil' "disputes between communties" whites and blacks have had for hundreds of years in a similar manner? Ha ha. Would NEVER happen.

Anonymous said...

I believe I had LOL'D at something written here Field.Did you erase it?



TP/blinks

field negro said...

"I believe I had LOL'D at something written here Field.Did you erase it?



TP/blinks"

No.

SagaciousHillbilly said...

Come on Field, it's about white people telling a story they know about. It's fiction.
AND, if he hadn't taken his nanny to the premier and had her on the red carpet, you'd have dissed him for NOT doing it. I'm with ya 99.99% of the time, but give these white folks a break.

«Oldest ‹Older   201 – 228 of 228   Newer› Newest»