Butterfly; Jeni LeGon: Living in a Great Big Way

Assuming names such as Raven, Yarrow, and Shakespeare, they can rappel down a 200-ft. redwood in seconds flat, physically chain themselves to the earth itself if need be, and know exactly how to bring maximum attention to their particular Good Fight. They're Earth First!--a ragtag, anarchic coalition of largely young folk fiercely dedicated to stopping the rape and despoliation of pristine natural environments by any means necessary. Still, it is unlikely that even the most seasoned of these "tree huggers" could have envisioned the kind of international attention that would ensue from the initially independent act of one of their own, a small starry-eyed slip of a girl named Julia Hill (a.k.a. Butterfly) who lived in the canopy of a 1,000-year-old, 180' redwood situated on land owned by the Pacific Lumber Company in Northern California. To prevent Maxxam Corporation/Pacific Lumber from cutting down the giant tree known as Luna, Hill spent over two years perched on a precarious 6'x8' platform, ultimately saving the giant, at least temporarily, from the chainsaw. Filmmaker Doug Wolens' Butterfly does a serviceable although obviously partisan job of profiling Butterfly and her dedicated compatriots. Although some dissenting views of Hill and her actions are presented (both from within and without the Earth First! movement), she's ultimately portrayed as a kind of St. Julia of the Boughs--a visionary media-age anchorite writing poetry to the cosmos, listening to the voice of Luna whisper inside her head, and working the press for all its worth. An undoubtedly fascinating story, one still wishes that it could have been told by a tougher-minded filmmaker with a more sophisticated narrative and visual sense. Still, this worthwhile portrait is recommended. Aud: J, H, C, P. (G. Handman)Cutting a boyish figure with "no boobs, no nothin'," the 16-year-old Jeni LeGon was not a likely candidate for a position in the Count Basie Chorus Line in the early 1930s, except for one overriding factor: the girl could dance up a storm. At 82, the Vancouver, B.C. based actress/dancer/teacher (she has the distinction of being the first black woman to sign a long-term contract with a Hollywood studio) is still cutting the proverbial rug on the dance floor. Combining interviews with LeGon, legendary tap dancer Fayard Nicholas, and appreciative students, together with archival footage of LeGon opposite Bill "Bojangles" Robinson in Hooray for Hollywood, among other roles, and contemporary scenes of LeGon in her dance studio, Grant Greschuk's Jeni LeGon: Living in a Great Big Way offers both an interesting biography of its subject and a telling tale of prejudice. Although the multi-talented LeGon was initially welcome in Hollywood, script demands for black solo women dancers were virtually non-existent. After starring in several black films in the late '30s and '40s, LeGon took a different tack in the '50s, establishing a black ballet troupe that ultimately folded when it was obvious that sponsorship from the L.A. community was not forthcoming. Although various doors of opportunity have been slammed in her face due to color, Jeni LeGon's unswerving devotion to sharing her love of dance with others has continued unabated without the slightest hint of bitterness or recrimination. An inspiring combination of biography and social commentary, this engaging portrait of a wonderful woman is recommended. Aud: H, C, P. (R. Pitman)