Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry [VHS]

Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry [VHS]
by Jack Smight

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VHS Movie Reviews of Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry [VHS]

Movie Review: ROLL OF THUNDER a typical TV version of superb novel
Summary: 2 Stars

The story recounts the struggles of a poor black Mississippi family in the 1930's and their attempt to hold on to their family's piece of land despite the machinations of white bigots all around them. This is a story that should be sensitively and delicately adapted, which is the exact opposite of director Jack Smight's typically sledgehammer TV style.

For no good reason, the movie begins in the *middle* of the novel's story and then works its way backward and forward to encompass the novel's material. Thus, the novel's delicate character build-ups, which had rich payoffs in the novel's climax, are mostly laid waste here.

Many of the novel's subtlest yet most powerful images are destroyed here, simply by inadequate camera placement. One example is the incident where Mr. Morrison, the family's burly helper, moves a bigoted white man's car out of his path with his bare hands, while the white man looks on astonishment. The novel exquisitely describes the incident, culminating in Mr. Morrison nonchalantly driving off while the cowardly bigot spews epithets at him. In the movie, the camera, which has been inexplicably swooping in and out of scene for most of the movie, sits in the same, dull stationary position throughout this scene. No close-ups of the bigot's or the children's surprised faces. And then the white man drives off on his own before Mr. Morrison does, neatly killing the entire point of the scene.

All that a viewer can really enjoy are the nice performances, particularly Morgan Freeman in an early-career role as the family's confrontational Uncle Hammer. Otherwise, the book's superb portrait of racism in the 1930's South is negated.