Beale Street Talkin’

(Baltimore, MD) There are times when you realize you are witnessing something that is special. So when I received an invite to see a screening of “If Beale Street Could Talk” on January 10, 2019; I was especially excited by the question and answer session with writer, Ta-Nehisi Coates and Barry Jenkins, the Director of the film.

First for the disclaimer, I have not read the James Baldwin book but I am a big fan of his writing and his takes on American culture and how “Black Folks” inhabit its unique space. The book written in 1974 (the year I graduate from high school) comes after a successful writing career (Notes on Native Son, Go Tell It On the Mountain and others). Baldwin, the contemporary writer, wants to tap into the angst of the period. He already has dealt with several racial conflicts. This book comes at a time following the height of the Civil Rights Movement. In urban America, the strife of inner city life is tied up with crime and what it does to families. The vehicle he uses is the arrest of a young Black man framed for a rape. The dynamic of becoming a father behind bars adds to the tension. This is a love story in all of its complexities.

Barry Jenkins, the Director of Moonlight, won Best Picture at the Oscars in 2017 (in the strangest   

presentation on live television – they lost, then were told they won.) I was thrilled Jenkins would tackle a James Baldwin book. It’s not easy; people have read the story and have preconceived notions about how it should work. Would it be true to Baldwin’s prose or would it need a contemporary twist to reach an audience 45 years, removed from the period? The answer is on the screen.

Coates’ upbringing in Baltimore has informed much of his writing. The same can be said of Jenkins who grew up in the Liberty City neighborhood of Miami during the “Crack Epidemic.” The invite to come to Baltimore is both intriguing and brings an air of expectation that few can imagine. Both men are at the top of their game… This is like having Langston Hughes and Richard Wright, or Countee Cullen and Ralph Ellison compare notes.

They are friends and you find out following the screening this is the “mutual admiration” club. It becomes clear when Jenkins stops the Q and A. He reminds Coates of their first meeting in a San Francisco bar 14 years ago. Over drinks, Jenkins says “You stopped me and said, ‘you need to get out.’” (FYI, this is not a reference to the recent movie.) Stunned, Jenkins is literally told he “needs to leave the country.” Following the conversation, Jenkins says he took the writer up on his suggestion and moved to Paris. While in Paris, he writes a pair of screen plays, Moonlight and If Beale Street Could Talk. The movie director says, “Thank you.” (Crowd goes “Awww!!”) The audience begins to realize they are in for a conversation, which will be remembered. Coates acknowledges the gesture and then tells the filmmaker, “You know, I didn’t have a passport during that time.” There are chuckles. Like Baldwin, Coates and Jenkins have lived in Paris. Is it coincidence? There is a time honored of tradition of expatriates finding that unique Black Voice in Europe...hmm?

There are some 700 people hanging on every word these two men say. The early part of the conversation is about the usage of close ups of the actors' faces. There hues cover the range of Black folks complexions. It leads to a discussion about the details of Blackness and Black love. The overwhelming African-American crowd knows it’s not something you see on the screen often. “This movie is about the personal stories” of the characters laid out by Baldwin. The lead actress, Kiki Lane (who plays Clementine), “it’s her first movie,” according to the Director. Later, Jenkins tells the story of a screening in Paris and how the French are taken with Clementine’s’ hair style. “How did you do it (in a French accent)?” “It’s just her natural hair,” as the movie director shrugs his shoulders.  

As I watched the movie, I had lot of questions. Coates, who’s seen the movie before, had many of the same questions. “I’ve got questions about how you ended the movie...?”  “Well," as Jenkins sighs, “There is alternate ending to the movie.” I don’t want to give away about how it ends, but let’s just say, you’ll want to get the DVD when it comes out.

There is a lot of trauma in this movie and the Director addresses it this way, “How you deal with trauma can make you go crazy.” He lets the movie goers in on a scene he thoroughly enjoys. It involves the character Fonny (Stephan James) and his friend Henry (played by Brian “Paper Boi” Tyree). It is a twelve minute sequence of the two men talking about Henry’s time in jail. Initially, the Director uses two cameras, but decides to use only one. The layering makes this scene work. It starts with “Where you been?” What did you do? Whatca been doin?” It’s like peeling an onion, something is revealed with each layer. It is a foreboding sense that you never want to be there - jail.

Another scene I was personally interested in was the announcement of Clementine’s impending pregnancy. Both families are invited to come over to the River household. “A life is coming,” Sharon Rivers (Regina King) tells the family of Fonny. The females of the Fonny family aren’t pleased to hear a child is coming into this world and one of his sisters responds accordingly, “Who is going to take care this baby? Fonny, ain’t got no job and he’s in jail.” These kind of confrontations play out in Black families…with a sense of "we will find a way." The Baldwin treatment of religion and Blackness is on full display.

Lastly, Regina King who plays Sharon Rivers gives an unbelievable performance. As I watched her on the screen, I’m reminded she began her acting career on a TV a sitcom as a young girl. Her breakthrough performance came opposite of Janet Jackson in Poetic Justice and numerous other parts (Ray). We have watched her turn into an actress worth watching and crafting believable characters.

One of the “out of the blue” questions came during a section where Coates tries to get at Jenkins motivations about his film making. Coates asks, “Were there any TV/films you saw growing up that had an impact or influenced you?” Jenkins begins to think and rolls back the idea of influence. “I believe after I saw Spike Lee’s, School Daze…I said, ‘Hmm, that’s different.’” He goes on to say he never knew that world existed. This leads to questions about education and the role of teachers for both men. On the topic of post-secondary education, Jenkins talks about attending Florida State University. His major was creative writing. Things change via the football team. Several of his friends use the stadium cafeteria because of the food. It’s also where the film school is located. On one occasion, there is an open house and he attends. He changes his major.  It wasn’t smooth sailing. His first short film was a disaster because he didn’t know about cameras, exposures and film. He takes off a year and comes back with renewed vigor.

The conversation between the two men goes on for more than 30 minutes. I would have been okay with them continuing the conversation allowing the audience to listen in. It was nuanced, it was measured, it was all over the place, and it was Black folks thinking like Black folks without the filters. A welcomed break from some heavy issues I often cover in Black Politics.