While the DVD has a disclaimer that warns viewers of possible offensive content, it really has very little to offend, if anything at all. I've seen much worse in bits and pieces of other films over the years, and there is nothing here really to offend other than the fact that some ideas have changed since 1936 yet some things haven't. The film is an allegory of the bible as performed by an all black cast. It modernizes many stories from the bible as told to a group of children by a minister, focusing on Adam and Eve, Noah, Moses and the slaves of Egypt, the capture of the Hebrews by the King of Babylon, and finally life during the time of Christ. All is done in a sweet and beautiful setting, employing hundreds of black actors in one film, something seldomly done during the 30's by a major Hollywood studio such as Warner Brothers. People might be offended by its resemblance to the infamous "Going to Heaven on a Mule" sequence from "Wonder Bar" (made at Warner Brothers two years before), as the setting seems to be the same. However, there are not visibly any white actors in black face, nor giant watermelons or tap dancers. Only one visual (men praying while playing craps) might cause raised eyebrows, but since the actors are all black, it actually seems more based on something that would really happen. Is this any more stereotypical than characters 40 years later on "Sanford and Son" and "Good Times" were? It's one thing to say that some stereotypes are based upon truth, but here, if there are stereotypes of any kind, they are balanced with the opposite side of the spectrum as well.
This is based upon a Pulitzer prize winning play by Marc Connelly which probably has not been performed in decades. We have seen many positive changes in films and theatre since 1936, yet "Green Pastures" remains historically important for not only being one of the few mainstream all black films ("Hallelujah!" in 1929 is a rare earlier artistic triumph) that we only occasionally saw ("Cabin in the Sky" and "Stormy Weather" 7 years later) but a respectful one as well. Rex Ingram is a wonderfully dignified God; My only complaint is that he seems too human in his analyzation of humanity, and not the all-knowing kindly perfect spirit I have come to know God as. Eddie "Rochester" Anderson is very unrecognizable in looks and voice as Noah, which is a credit to his acting ability. Not once did I think of him as Mr. Benny's sidekick while watching him. It's difficult to describe this film and analyze it entirely; It would require more words than allowed here. Each story is told simply and beautifully and each performance is greatly nuanced with humanity and compassion. If other spiritual dramas had half the heart and soul of what this film has, then we would be very graced in our film viewing experience.
This is based upon a Pulitzer prize winning play by Marc Connelly which probably has not been performed in decades. We have seen many positive changes in films and theatre since 1936, yet "Green Pastures" remains historically important for not only being one of the few mainstream all black films ("Hallelujah!" in 1929 is a rare earlier artistic triumph) that we only occasionally saw ("Cabin in the Sky" and "Stormy Weather" 7 years later) but a respectful one as well. Rex Ingram is a wonderfully dignified God; My only complaint is that he seems too human in his analyzation of humanity, and not the all-knowing kindly perfect spirit I have come to know God as. Eddie "Rochester" Anderson is very unrecognizable in looks and voice as Noah, which is a credit to his acting ability. Not once did I think of him as Mr. Benny's sidekick while watching him. It's difficult to describe this film and analyze it entirely; It would require more words than allowed here. Each story is told simply and beautifully and each performance is greatly nuanced with humanity and compassion. If other spiritual dramas had half the heart and soul of what this film has, then we would be very graced in our film viewing experience.