Comments on: “He My Boss, Not My Massa” http://cwmemory.com/2009/12/12/he-my-boss-not-my-massa/ Where History, Heritage, and Education Intersect Thu, 24 May 2012 16:37:29 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Larry Cebula http://cwmemory.com/2009/12/12/he-my-boss-not-my-massa/#comment-12700 Larry Cebula Wed, 16 Dec 2009 07:34:30 +0000 http://cwmemory.com/?p=5688#comment-12700 I would actually agree that Birth of the Nation is a better film. The most disturbing thing about Birth of a Nation is that is both (exactly as Msimons says) a Klan propaganda piece and simultaneously a landmark breakthrough in American film making. You want to ignore it but you cannot. I would actually agree that Birth of the Nation is a better film. The most disturbing thing about Birth of a Nation is that is both (exactly as Msimons says) a Klan propaganda piece and simultaneously a landmark breakthrough in American film making. You want to ignore it but you cannot.

]]> By: Larry Cebula http://cwmemory.com/2009/12/12/he-my-boss-not-my-massa/#comment-12653 Larry Cebula Wed, 16 Dec 2009 01:30:54 +0000 http://cwmemory.com/?p=5688#comment-12653 Oh I wish it had been in the movie--it tips the director's hand and shows the Lost Cause interpretation that is at the heart of the film. Oh I wish it had been in the movie–it tips the director's hand and shows the Lost Cause interpretation that is at the heart of the film.

]]> By: Kevin Levin http://cwmemory.com/2009/12/12/he-my-boss-not-my-massa/#comment-12648 Kevin Levin Tue, 15 Dec 2009 20:33:39 +0000 http://cwmemory.com/?p=5688#comment-12648 I actually think that Birth of a Nation is 10x more sophisticated and interesting compared with Gods and Generals. I actually think that Birth of a Nation is 10x more sophisticated and interesting compared with Gods and Generals.

]]> By: msimons http://cwmemory.com/2009/12/12/he-my-boss-not-my-massa/#comment-12647 msimons Tue, 15 Dec 2009 18:50:13 +0000 http://cwmemory.com/?p=5688#comment-12647 It can't be worse than Birth of a Nation which is a Klan Propaganda piece. It can't be worse than Birth of a Nation which is a Klan Propaganda piece.

]]> By: Kevin Levin http://cwmemory.com/2009/12/12/he-my-boss-not-my-massa/#comment-12645 Kevin Levin Tue, 15 Dec 2009 16:28:48 +0000 http://cwmemory.com/?p=5688#comment-12645 Best of luck to you. I failed to get through it even after paying to see it in the theater. Best of luck to you. I failed to get through it even after paying to see it in the theater.

]]> By: msimons http://cwmemory.com/2009/12/12/he-my-boss-not-my-massa/#comment-12644 msimons Tue, 15 Dec 2009 16:20:32 +0000 http://cwmemory.com/?p=5688#comment-12644 That is the reason I have not wasted my time or money to watch it yet. It got panned all over. I might rent it during Christmas break to see if you and Larry are just over reacting about the whole thing. That is the reason I have not wasted my time or money to watch it yet. It got panned all over. I might rent it during Christmas break to see if you and Larry are just over reacting about the whole thing.

]]> By: Kevin Levin http://cwmemory.com/2009/12/12/he-my-boss-not-my-massa/#comment-12643 Kevin Levin Tue, 15 Dec 2009 15:45:26 +0000 http://cwmemory.com/?p=5688#comment-12643 It's a cut piece of film that reflects Maxwell's oversimplified and distorted view of the Civil War. It's modern-day Lost Cause garbage that confuses the place of black southerners in Confederate ranks. It's a cut piece of film that reflects Maxwell's oversimplified and distorted view of the Civil War. It's modern-day Lost Cause garbage that confuses the place of black southerners in Confederate ranks.

]]> By: msimons http://cwmemory.com/2009/12/12/he-my-boss-not-my-massa/#comment-12642 msimons Tue, 15 Dec 2009 15:43:00 +0000 http://cwmemory.com/?p=5688#comment-12642 I'll get you some Tums. Come on Larry it is a cut piece of film that someone got off the Directors cutting room floor. Relax 95% of the general population will never see it and very few have seen the movie. I'll get you some Tums. Come on Larry it is a cut piece of film that someone got off the Directors cutting room floor. Relax 95% of the general population will never see it and very few have seen the movie.

]]> By: Kevin Levin http://cwmemory.com/2009/12/12/he-my-boss-not-my-massa/#comment-12638 Kevin Levin Mon, 14 Dec 2009 14:21:38 +0000 http://cwmemory.com/?p=5688#comment-12638 I would like to believe that, but I suspect that it was simply deleted owing to the length of the movie. Cutting this particular scene still left us with a 4-hour plus movie of Civil War silliness. I would like to believe that, but I suspect that it was simply deleted owing to the length of the movie. Cutting this particular scene still left us with a 4-hour plus movie of Civil War silliness.

]]> By: Dan Wright http://cwmemory.com/2009/12/12/he-my-boss-not-my-massa/#comment-12637 Dan Wright Mon, 14 Dec 2009 13:35:18 +0000 http://cwmemory.com/?p=5688#comment-12637 I think the filmmaker here has exploited the theater/film/literature tradition of suspension of disbelief, where I'm willing to set aside judgement in favor of being entertained. I'll do that for a James Bond movie, but not so much for a so-called historical film. Maybe that's why Maxwell deleted this scene - he might have known that he was stretching our suspension of disbelief beyond its limits. I think the filmmaker here has exploited the theater/film/literature tradition of suspension of disbelief, where I'm willing to set aside judgement in favor of being entertained. I'll do that for a James Bond movie, but not so much for a so-called historical film. Maybe that's why Maxwell deleted this scene – he might have known that he was stretching our suspension of disbelief beyond its limits.

]]> By: Kevin Levin http://cwmemory.com/2009/12/12/he-my-boss-not-my-massa/#comment-12636 Kevin Levin Sun, 13 Dec 2009 12:05:39 +0000 http://cwmemory.com/?p=5688#comment-12636 You are absolutely right. In fact, some states made illegal to free slaves at various points or mandated that the freed slave must leave the state. <br><br>The bigger problem with the scene is (along with much of the rest of the film) that it fails to move beyond the level of cliche. The viewer is left with little understanding as to why these black men are with the army and how they conceptualize the war. The individual in this scene is confused about what he will do next now that his former master is dead. All he knows to do is to escort the body home and then he will take stock as opposed to the tens of thousands who are fleeing to the Union army or free territory. I would love to know why this scene was deleted. You are absolutely right. In fact, some states made illegal to free slaves at various points or mandated that the freed slave must leave the state.

The bigger problem with the scene is (along with much of the rest of the film) that it fails to move beyond the level of cliche. The viewer is left with little understanding as to why these black men are with the army and how they conceptualize the war. The individual in this scene is confused about what he will do next now that his former master is dead. All he knows to do is to escort the body home and then he will take stock as opposed to the tens of thousands who are fleeing to the Union army or free territory. I would love to know why this scene was deleted.

]]> By: Marc Ferguson http://cwmemory.com/2009/12/12/he-my-boss-not-my-massa/#comment-12635 Marc Ferguson Sun, 13 Dec 2009 11:52:18 +0000 http://cwmemory.com/?p=5688#comment-12635 The act of emancipating one's slave was much more complicated than merely giving him/her "freedom papers," whatever those might be. The laws varied from state to state, but they always involved a court process, and in many, if not most, southern states also had other stringent conditions, put into place during the decades prior to the war to prevent emancipations. How would a rebel soldier, away from home and in wartime conditions, have gone through the necessary legal process? A slave owner might well have said to his/her slaves as the Union army approached, "you're free to go," with bitterness or perhaps hopes of enticing the slaves to stay and work, but such statements carried no legal weight and had the Confederacy ultimately won would not have been viewed as legitimate. The act of emancipating one's slave was much more complicated than merely giving him/her “freedom papers,” whatever those might be. The laws varied from state to state, but they always involved a court process, and in many, if not most, southern states also had other stringent conditions, put into place during the decades prior to the war to prevent emancipations. How would a rebel soldier, away from home and in wartime conditions, have gone through the necessary legal process? A slave owner might well have said to his/her slaves as the Union army approached, “you're free to go,” with bitterness or perhaps hopes of enticing the slaves to stay and work, but such statements carried no legal weight and had the Confederacy ultimately won would not have been viewed as legitimate.

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