Main Cast: Rex Ingram, Oscar Polk, Eddie "Rochester" Anderson, Frank Wilson, Abraham Gleaves, George H. Reed
Release Year: 1936
Country: US
Run Time: 93 minutes
Plot
The Green Pastures began life as a group of "revisionist" Biblical stories titled Ol' Man Adam and His Chillun, written in exaggerated Negro dialect by white humorist Roark Bradford. These Old Testament stories were purportedly told from the point of view of an elderly black Sunday School teacher, who translated the Biblical prose into words that his congregation ("untutored black Christians" was Bradford's description) could readily understand. Thus, "De Lawd" behaves very much like a Southern black Baptist preacher; Heaven is a wondrous bayou-like land of big cigars and eternal fish fries; "Cap'n" Noah is a languid ferryboat skipper who argues with De Lawd over the advisability of bringing along a couple of kegs of liquor on the Ark; and the court of the Pharoah is redefined as a "Mystic Knights of the Sea" type lodge hall, with Moses introduced as a "conjure man". It is, of course, a white man's perspective on black life, but both the original "Ol' Man Adam", and the subsequent Pulitzer Prize-winning stage version written by Marc Connelly and retitled Green Pastures, have a lot more clarity, profundity and spiritual reverence than most "serious" Biblical adaptations. In this 1936 film version of the Connelly play, Rex Ingram is nothing less than brilliant as De Lawd, speaking the most ludicrous of lines with dignity and quiet authority. Others in the all-black cast include Eddie "Rochester" Anderson as Noah, Frank Wilson as Moses, George Reed as Rev. Deshee, and Oscar Polk as Gabriel, who has the film's single most stirring line: "Gangway! Gangway for de Lawd God Jehovah!" Unlike many other so-called racist films of decades past, The Green Pastures nearly always charms and captivates its modern-day audiences; even the most adamant of "P.C" advocates will probably thoroughly enjoy the experience. Playwright Marc Connelly is credited as director of Green Pastures, as he was for the original stage version, but co-director William Keighley and director of photography Hal Mohr deserve most of the credit for the film's strong cinematic sense. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Review
There's no getting around it: Whatever one may think of its virtues, Green Pastures is bound to insult and/or discomfort many modern viewers because of its use of a black dialect and oversimplified depiction of African American characters. For many, these flaws can't be overcome, but if one is able to look past them, he will find Pastures to be a sweet, gentle and loving film that is quite winning. It's also one of the few Hollywood "Bible" pictures that seems to have a genuine religious center to it; true, the stories are interpreted in a context that is totally at odds with their original setting, but this is done with an eye toward making them accessible. On the whole, Pastures is much more successful at conveying a genuine sense of religious feeling than the overblown epics that are more typical of the motion picture industry's take on the Bible. Pastures is also noteworthy for its marvelous cast, and it's a treat to witness these black actors given the rare chance to shine. Rex Ingram is first rate in a trio of roles, his powerful voice and winning manner put to very good use. Eddie "Rochester" Anderson finds plenty of comedy as Noah, Oscar Polk is a delightful Gabriel and Frank Wilson scores strongly as Moses. There's also the added bonus of the Hall Johnson Choir, which sounds appropriately heavenly throughout. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide
Myrtle Anderson - Eve; Edna M. Harris - Zeba; Jimmy Fuller - Cain the Sixth; George Randol - High Priest; Ida Forsyne - Mrs. Noah; Ray Martin - Shem; Charles Andrews - Flatfoot; Dudley Dickerson - Ham; Billy Cumby - King of Babylon; Ivory Williams - Jacob; Ernest Whitman - Pharaoh; Reginald Fenderson - Joshua; Slim Thompson - M.C./Man on Ground; The Hall Johnson Choir; David Bathea - Aaron; Clinton Rosemond - Prophet; Al Stokes - Cain; Rex Ingram - Hezdrel
