Melvin & Jean: An American Story

African American couple Melvin and Jean McNair live in France, as have many Americans who have either committed crimes or faced penalties for perceived misdeeds, such as the writers of the “Blacklist Era.” The McNairs face arrest if they return to the United States, so director Maia Wechsler divides her time between France and the U.S., where she interviews Melvin's siblings, Kate and James, who recall facing segregation while growing up in North Carolina. Melvin lost his college scholarship after participating in a protest, so he joined the Army and served in Germany, where he suffered discrimination from fellow soldiers. After being joined by his wife, Jean, Melvin dropped out to stay with her and their baby rather than serve in Vietnam (the pair would have a second child a few years later). Afterward, the McNairs went into hiding in Detroit, where in an act of political resistance in 1972 they hijacked a jet to Florida with three other African American activists, and from there, flew to Algeria to join Eldridge Cleaver's Black Panther Party conclave. When that community fell apart, the McNairs fled to Paris, where they found refuge with a left-leaning white family (by this point, they had sent their children to live with their parents). In 1976, authorities caught up with the couple, who stood trial in France. Although they were allowed to remain, more legal and personal challenges would lie ahead. In the decades since, the McNairs have poured their energies into youth programs in provincial Caen, where they serve as mentors for at-risk youth. The pair have even befriended the pilot of the plane they hijacked, but America still remains off-limits to them—and that may never change. An intriguing profile of a couple's experiences (and the consequences) during the greatest period of political protest in 20th-century America, this is recommended. Aud: C. P. (K. Fennessy)