Birthright

Interesting idea. I don't know enough about the era to know whether they could have gone all the way and confirm the obvious clues leading to Carman Newsome's heritage. The dialogue is terrible but it demonstrates the educational difference between Newsome's Harvard education and others'. I can't help but be cynical of the ending---what do you think the fine white folks are going to do with this uppity negro who inherited this wealth? A sham trial alleging fraud for starters. Fav scene: dancing

Birthright (1939) follows the usual trademarks of Oscar Micheaux's sound pictures. Dreadful dialogue, poor direction and questionable acting. However, for once, he touches on a interesting topic of racism. Usually he just enhances the black stereotype, but this time when he does it, he does it in a context of hypocrisy and how it fits in with the white man's plans to keep the negro down. Still a bad movie, but it's probable the most relevant one Micheaux did in the 30s.