The music doesn’t match the film. The electronic orchestra just doesn’t fit and is painfully noticeable when a score must blend seamlessly into the background. Some scenes had piano behind them, and that would have been preferable throughout. Another problem is the acting overall has a theatrical feel to it—almost as if the cast came from a repertory company. This works on stage when you have to play to the back of the room, but not so much when you act close to the camera.
That said, one of my favorite parts of the film is Parkes’ and Hensley’s portrayals of Gilpin and O’Neill. Their conflicts are the highlight of the film—not only from their performance but in the very nature of that conflict. Gilpin struggles through the entire run over O’Neill’s depiction of the black lead character. It’s not that the role itself was problematic, but the n-word problem and how he speaks. On the other hand, O’Neill claims that it’s there for authenticity and takes significant issue with any actor thinking they know the part better than he does. Both characters make strong cases for his position, but in the end, the playwright wins. It’s a conflict that’s hard to watch but sparks a necessary discussion to inform our opinions better. Though he lost, Gilpin was right, In My Humble Opinion.
“Their conflicts are the highlights of the film…the very nature of that conflict.”
I’m surprised the story of Charles Gilpin has never been told before on film. It’s ripe with dramatic potential, and Egeli and Bowater took clear advantage of that fact. Gilpin’s story is told with melodrama and gets dark at times. Still, it’s also a depiction of the painfully slow door of opportunity (more like a tiny sliver) opening for Black America of that time. It’s important to honor the struggles of those who came before us, that brought us to this point today—much has changed, but the fight continues.
I recommend The Black Emperor of Broadway because of the importance of Charles Gilpin’s story and accomplishments, and the presentation of the battle between a writer’s words versus the dignity of the actor saying those words.
"…a writer’s words versus the dignity of the actor saying those words."
