My Song Goes Forth (also known as Africa Sings, Africa Looks Up, U.K., 1937), is the first documentary about South Africa as apartheid was being imposed.[1] The film features singer, actor and civil rights activist Paul Robeson singing the title song and adding a prologue that asks the viewers to interpret the remainder of the film against the producer's intentions.[1] Alternately entitled "Africa Sings", the initial purpose of the film was as a pro-white supremacy short-subject documentary which serves as an advertisement for the birth of apartheid in South Africa but with a conflicting message in the voice-over. Primarily the documentary has been associated with Robeson and early Anti-Apartheid activism due to his re-editing and rewriting of the films' narration.[2]
The advance publicity booklet on the film when it was entitled "Africa Sings", touted it as showing "what the white man achieved for himself" and "what he has done for he natives."[3] "Africa Sings" was one of the first documentary films from South Africa to take a look at the lives of South Africans of all races. There are images of location life, schools and colleges, and a cross-section of occupations, from mine-workers to road-gangs, school-teachers to house- servants, waiters to cane-cutters.[4] Mainstream reviewers gave the documentary a tepid response; the London Daily Worker thought it was too bland to serve a staunch liberationist purpose.[5]
Paul Robeson's rewritten narration and singingedit
Hired by the director Joseph Best, Robeson worked carefully to revise the film's prologue and in the final version says,
"Every foot of Africa is now parceled out among the white races. Why has this happened? What has prompted them go there? If you listen to men like Mussolini they will tell you it is to 'civilize' — a divine task, entrusted to the enlightened peoples to carry the torch of light and learning, and to benefit the African people... Africa was opened up by the white man for the benefit of himself — to obtain the wealth it contained."[5] "Despite the then radical narration, Best was unable to find an audience for the film, so he reedited the content, carefully not showing poor whites along some of the more prosperous black townships that had been featured in the first cut. He did keep Robeson's narration but removed parts of it to seem less controversial and more mainstream."[6]
Robeson also sings a pro-African liberation song,
"From African jungle, kraal and hut Where shadows fall on torrid light My song goes forth and supplicates In quest of love and right I seek that star which far or near Shows all mankind a pathway clear To do unto his brother And banish hate and fear"[7]
^(Africa Looks Up publicity booklet n.d.:1;quoted by Schlooser 1970:pg.524).
^Duberman, Martin. Paul Robeson, 1989,Berlin, Moscow, Films pg 202.
^ abDuberman, Martin. Paul Robeson, 1989,Berlin, Moscow, Films pg 203.
^Davis, Peter. In Darkest Hollywood: Exploring the Jungles of Cinema's South Africa, 1996, pgs 142-144.
^(My Song Goes Forth,publicity sheet,Ambassador Films n.d.:2;quoted by Schlooser,ibid.:255).
Further readingedit
Musser, Charles (1 December 2006). "Presenting "a true idea of the African of to-day": two documentary forays by Paul and Eslanda Robeson". Film History. 18 (4): 412–439. doi:10.1353/fih.2007.0006. S2CID 192091567.
January 01, 1970
song, goes, forth, also, known, africa, sings, africa, looks, 1937, first, documentary, about, south, africa, apartheid, being, imposed, film, features, singer, actor, civil, rights, activist, paul, robeson, singing, title, song, adding, prologue, that, asks, . My Song Goes Forth also known as Africa Sings Africa Looks Up U K 1937 is the first documentary about South Africa as apartheid was being imposed 1 The film features singer actor and civil rights activist Paul Robeson singing the title song and adding a prologue that asks the viewers to interpret the remainder of the film against the producer s intentions 1 Alternately entitled Africa Sings the initial purpose of the film was as a pro white supremacy short subject documentary which serves as an advertisement for the birth of apartheid in South Africa but with a conflicting message in the voice over Primarily the documentary has been associated with Robeson and early Anti Apartheid activism due to his re editing and rewriting of the films narration 2 My Song Goes ForthDirected byJoseph BestProduced byJoseph BestStarringPaul Robeson narrator Release date1937 1937 Running time33 minutesCountryUnited Kingdom Contents 1 Synopsis 2 Paul Robeson s rewritten narration and singing 3 Cast 4 References 5 Further readingSynopsis editThe advance publicity booklet on the film when it was entitled Africa Sings touted it as showing what the white man achieved for himself and what he has done for he natives 3 Africa Sings was one of the first documentary films from South Africa to take a look at the lives of South Africans of all races There are images of location life schools and colleges and a cross section of occupations from mine workers to road gangs school teachers to house servants waiters to cane cutters 4 Mainstream reviewers gave the documentary a tepid response the London Daily Worker thought it was too bland to serve a staunch liberationist purpose 5 Paul Robeson s rewritten narration and singing editHired by the director Joseph Best Robeson worked carefully to revise the film s prologue and in the final version says Every foot of Africa is now parceled out among the white races Why has this happened What has prompted them go there If you listen to men like Mussolini they will tell you it is to civilize a divine task entrusted to the enlightened peoples to carry the torch of light and learning and to benefit the African people Africa was opened up by the white man for the benefit of himself to obtain the wealth it contained 5 Despite the then radical narration Best was unable to find an audience for the film so he reedited the content carefully not showing poor whites along some of the more prosperous black townships that had been featured in the first cut He did keep Robeson s narration but removed parts of it to seem less controversial and more mainstream 6 Robeson also sings a pro African liberation song From African jungle kraal and hut Where shadows fall on torrid light My song goes forth and supplicates In quest of love and right I seek that star which far or near Shows all mankind a pathway clear To do unto his brother And banish hate and fear 7 Cast editPaul Robeson NarrationReferences edit a b Africa Sings Archived from the original on 20 February 2012 Retrieved 13 February 2009 Dyer Richard Heavenly Bodies 2004 pg 100 Africa Looks Up publicity booklet n d 1 quoted by Schlooser 1970 pg 524 Duberman Martin Paul Robeson 1989 Berlin Moscow Films pg 202 a b Duberman Martin Paul Robeson 1989 Berlin Moscow Films pg 203 Davis Peter In Darkest Hollywood Exploring the Jungles of Cinema s South Africa 1996 pgs 142 144 My Song Goes Forth publicity sheet Ambassador Films n d 2 quoted by Schlooser ibid 255 Further reading editMusser Charles 1 December 2006 Presenting a true idea of the African of to day two documentary forays by Paul and Eslanda Robeson Film History 18 4 412 439 doi 10 1353 fih 2007 0006 S2CID 192091567 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title My Song Goes Forth amp oldid 1190974302, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
