Paul Robeson: Speak of Me As I Am

Originally produced for British TV, Paul Robeson: Speak of Me As I Am presents a Swiss cheese version of the life of legendary actor-singer-activist Paul Robeson (1898-1976). To its credit, the film features rarely seen newsreel footage of Robeson's visits to the Soviet Union and details his curious silence regarding the brutality of Stalin's regime—particularly the persecution of Russian-Jewish artists whom Robeson considered as dear friends (Robeson's passionate embrace of the Soviet Union and Communism is still soft-pedaled here, as there is no mention of his receiving the Stalin Peace Prize or of his eulogy to Stalin entitled “To You, Beloved Comrade”). In addition, the film looks at Robeson's high-visibility activism (beginning in the 1930s) in support of the rights of impoverished coal miners in Wales, a pioneering example of a celebrity lending his star power to the cause of socioeconomic injustice. Unfortunately, however, the documentary glosses over significant episodes of Robeson's life and career: except for a few clips from Sanders of the River and The Proud Valley, his work in film is completely ignored, nor is there any footage shown of Robeson in concert. Most astonishing, though, is the absurd insistence here that Robeson has been erased from American cultural history and that few people remember him today. Despite good intentions, this disappointingly uneven biography is not recommended. Aud: C, P. (P. Hall)