Lee Daniels' The Butler

8/11/2013

While it’s been several months since I’ve been to a movie theatre, it’s been even longer since I’ve anticipated a movie’s release like that of director Lee Daniels’ The Butler. Based on the true story of White House butler, Eugene Allen, it tells the story of his thirty plus years of service (1952-1986) under eight U.S. Presidents. In this historical drama, the lead character, Cecil Gaines (played by the stately Forest Whitaker), during his illustrious tenure, witnesses major changes in America, both political and social: from a presidential assassination to civil rights marches on Washington. From the trailer, it seems as though it will reveal a rather accurate account of the dichotomy of a Black man's life during the most turbulent of times. A man having a foot in two worlds: Black and White. (Even working in The White House, once he stepped outside of 1600 Pennsylvannia Avenue, I'm certain that there was an ever present evil lurking about that society-at-large was always ready to visit upon him as a Black man in America.)

The Gaines Family

This movie has everyone: Oprah Winfrey as Cecil’s wife, Gloria, James Marsden (John F. Kennedy), Alan Rickman (Ronald Reagan), Jane Fonda (Nancy Reagan), Liev Schreiber (Lyndon B. Johnson), Robin Williams (Dwight D. Eisenhower) and Melissa Leo (Mamie Eisenhower), who was nominated for an Academy Award for one of my all-time favorite films, Frozen River. With Lee Daniels (“Precious”) directing and screenplay by Danny Strong (HBO’s “Game Change”) The Butler is sure to serve up a wonderful helping of American history (both good and bad, I'm certain), this Friday, August 16, 2013. I greatly hope that it does not disappoint.

Sidenote: Earlier this week, there was a report that Oprah Winfrey was shopping (or trying to) at an upscale store in Zurich (she was in Switzerland for Tina Turner's wedding) and, after asking to see an expensive handbag, was told no because she could not afford it! (Now, that's funny.) In this film, Oprah plays a character whose prime was during a most tumultuous time in our nation; when racism did not hide behind closed doors, but often sat out on the front porch for a passerby to see and hear. Now, a half of a century later, even someone in her position is still experiencing the same ignorance her character (and her) would have expected to experience some 40, 50, 60 years ago. (And I thought Switzerland was known for being neutral?)