Lost in the Stars

• Director: Daniel Mann
• AMG Rating:
• Genre: Musical
• Movie Type: Musical Drama, Political Drama
• Themes: Race Relations, Social Injustice
• Main Cast: Brock Peters
• Release Year: 1974
• Country: US
• Run Time: 114 minutes

Plot

Lost in the Stars was an American Film Theatre adaptation of the musical play by Maxwell Anderson and Kurt Weill--which in turn was based on the Alain Paton novel Cry the Beloved Country. Brock Peters portrays a South African minister who goes to the Big City to locate his son Raymond St. Jacques, who is now a criminal in the eyes of the white rulers. The minister forges a curious, foredoomed friendship with a white farmer (Paul Rogers). Lost in the Stars has sometimes been accused of blunting the edge of Paton's angry study of the cruelties of Apartheid; fans of musical theatre will be more politely inclined to this loving filmization of the Broadway play. On its own, Cry the Beloved Country was previously filmed in 1951, with Canada Lee, Sidney Poitier and Charles Carson. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Review

Lost in the Stars is a far from perfect musical, but its strengths are such that most viewers willingly overlook its flaws. Criticized by many for presenting a view of apartheid that they see as somewhat patronizing (a charge that applies equally to the book upon which the musical is based), the larger problem with Stars is that Maxwell Anderson and Alfred Hayes' screenplay is often too earnest and polemical. Still, the writers have created a basic human situation that is compelling and engrossing, and this more often triumphs over the occasional didacticism. Most importantly, Stars benefits from a glorious, transcendent Kurt Weill score that includes the haunting and overwhelming title song and the tortured "Cry the Beloved Country," as well as the beautiful "Trouble Man." Director Daniel Mann's work is a tad unimaginative, especially given the material, but he handles his cast very well. Brock Peters scores impressively as the minister, torn between his God and his son, and a young Melba Moore does extremely well as Irina. Though not as cinematic as one might wish, Stars is undeniably powerful. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide

Cast

Ivor Barry - Carmichael; Ji-Tu Cumbuka - Johannes; Clifton Davis - Absalom; John Hawker - Paulus; John Holland - Van Jarsdale; Harvey Jason - Arthur Jarvis; Paula Kelly - Rose; Melba Moore - Irina; Paulene Myers - Grace; Brock Peters - Stephen Kumalo; Paul Rogers - James Jarvis; Alan Weeks - Matthew; Michael-James Wixted - Edward Jarvis; Raymond St. Jacques - John Kumalo; William Glover - Eland; Myrna White - Linda; John Williams - Judge; H.B. III Barnum - Alex

Credit

Jack Martin Smith - Art Director, Paula Kelly - Choreography, Daniel Mann - Director, Walter A. Hannemann - Editor, Alex North - Musical Direction/Supervision, Robert B. Hauser - Cinematographer, Ely Landau - Producer, Edward Lewis - Producer, Henry T. Weinstein - Producer, Alfred Hayes - Screenwriter, Kurt Weill - Featured Music, Alan Paton - Book Author, Maxwell Anderson - From Musical by, Maxwell Anderson - Play Author

Similar Movies

Cry the Beloved Country; Cry, the Beloved Country

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