Strapping ex-NFL'er turned John Ford staple player (and Spartacus pacifist) Woody Strode stars in this Italian produced roman à clef (a.k.a. Out of Darkness, Seated at His Right and Super Brother [!]) that details the final grim days of Congolese rebel leader Patrice Lumumba. The non-violence preaching Lumumba (here given the nom de guerre Maurice Lalubi) was detained, tortured and then summarily executed in January 1961 by CIA-backed Belgian mercenaries 'safe-guarding' American interests in the region. (Recently released 1975 interviews with White House minute-taker Robert Johnson seem to suggest that it was Eisenhower himself who ordered the hit.) Unfortunately, all the fascinating political and historical information about Lumumba on this disc has been relegated to the supplementary text materials, for Black Jesus itself sheds scant light on Lumumba's life or work, choosing instead (and unwisely) to set its narrow focus on his torturous interrogation and eleventh hour bonding to petty thief cellmate Oreste (Franco Citti). The result? The charismatic freedom fighter's martyrdom is robbed of much of the resonance and outrage it could (should?) have evoked from the audience. Still, Strode's strong lead performance--though admittedly hamstrung by the film's often laughable English dubbing (from the original Italian)--is enough to earn this low-budgeter an optional (if weak) recommendation. If you're really interested in the life of this controversial African leader, however, I'd suggest waiting for Raoul Peck's acclaimed 2000 film Lumumba (tentatively slated for September 2002 home video release). (S. C. Sickles)
Black Jesus
Ivy, 90 min., not rated, $19.95 July 1, 2002
Black Jesus
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