I thought I was just being racist except my great-grandmother was black so that can’t be it. My parents and grandparents were still fighting Jim Crow Laws when I was a baby. Segregation was not legal in Iowa but some communities, ours for example, passed local ordinances designed to keep the races separate - not in schools, but there was discrimination in housing, in business, in restaurants - businesses and restaurants could refuse to serve blacks. My grandparents owned a restaurant in town and it was the only restaurant to serve blacks back in the Forties.
Anyway, I’ve noticed for years that in Hollywood films it’s often the African American character who saves the day in a semi-mystical magical miraculous way. And I’ve wondered about this.
I’ve asked myself- Am I imagining this? Is this some weird stereotype? An apology by white people to black people? I mean, what does it mean? It’s certainly not coincidence and to be honest I wasn’t sure how I felt about it. I guess it’s better to be stereotyped as an angel than a demon, but it’s still a stereotype.
And then my son told me - “It’s well-known, Mom. It’s the concept of the Magical Negro.”
“You’ve got to be kidding!” I exclaimed. “You mean this is an actual phenomenon?”
“Yup,” he said.
“Silly me…”
From Wikipedia:
The Magical Negro is a supporting stock character in American cinema who is portrayed as coming to the aid of a film’s white protagonists. These characters, who often possess special insight or mystical powers, have been a long tradition in American fiction.
Many within the African-American community in the United States now express unhappiness about the ongoing use of such magical characters. In 2001, Spike Lee, while discussing films with students at Washington State University and at Yale University, said he was dismayed at Hollywood’s decision to continue using the premise; he noted that the films The Green Mile and The Legend of Bagger Vance used the “super-duper magical Negro”.
Critics use the word “negro” because it is considered archaic, and usually offensive, in modern English. This underlines their message that a “magical black character” who goes around selflessly helping white people is a throwback to stereotypes such as the “Sambo” or “Noble Savage”.
Here are a few movies off the top of my head- I especially think of The Matrix because Lawrence Fishburne plays John the Baptist to Neo’s Jesus:
(I bet you can add a bunch more and I have to admit this - Morgan Freeman’s voice is so mesmerizing that I can hear my mom say… “If Morgan Freeman told you to jump off a bridge, would you?” And I’d answer… “Yes.”)
The Defiant Ones
Vanishing Point
Silver Streak
Ghost
Hudsucker Proxy
The Shawshank Redemption
Happy Gilmore
Dogma
The Pelican Brief
The Green Mile
The Matrix
Bedazzled
The Legend of Bagger Vance
Hitch
O’ Brother, Where Art Thou?
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Million Dollar Baby
Constantine
The Book of Eli
Learn something new everyday!
I keep seeing stuff like this particularly about a film be an allegory for something completely different and having seen maybe the movie and not seen this particular hidden meaning in it, it begins to confuse me somewhat. And now you and jnr. have done the same for every movie with a black hero I have ever seen……. stop messing wi ma heed wuman …..
Xxxxx
I may have heard of this at some point. I can’t recall. What if it is a magical person in a non-white film?
I’ve seen a few of those films. As far as I knew, there were characters that happened to be white, happened to be black and happened to be shades in between.
Hi Will. Thanks for the comment. One would think that, I mean I’d like to think that because we come in all colors, shapes, sizes, etc. But at the same time I believe there is something to the concept.
Well, hmmm Steph… there are lots of elves. There’s Wolverine and Iron Man and Thor… I suspect this is a question for an African American film maker.
Sorry, Tom! Don’t want to ruin the magic! I still like those films - aside from the other Matrix films. Like the original. And Hitch is hilarious.
I guess I’m color-blind as I didn’t see anything…except an exceptional film.
Hmm, never really heard the expression before or thought too much about it.
I actually had heard the expression before, Sandra, but I believe it was in an L.A. Times op ed piece and I didn’t pay much attention.
That’s good, Anny.
I have too wonder if all the movies fit the Magical Negro stereotype. One in particular - The Pelican Brief. Never read the book, so don’t know if character in book was black. But always thought that movie producer just cast Denzel cause he is a great actor and always does a great job. But I could be naive. I often am.
So good to be reading your posts again. For some strange reason, I’ve stopped getting your emails. I’ll sign up again as I always enjoy what you have to say.
As for magical negros in Hollywood films, I hadn’t noticed. But Rob and I did see a fabulous HBO film the other day, Something The Lord Made, where the black lead saved the day. Mos Def played a black lab assistant to the white doctor, played by Alan Rickman. In this case, it was based on a true story, and without the brilliance of the lab assistant, the doctor would not have had the medical breakthroughs. In fact, “Vivian Thomas”, who Mos Def portrayed, was given overdue honors at John Hopkins Hospital. Great post, as usual, Julia.
Hi Diana - in that particular case, Something the Lord Made, the story is true. So it’s more a biography or a tribute, I guess. The black man did save the day but Vivian Thomas really truly saved the day thanks to his intellect and ability. Not by magic! And the story is his - he had to overcome a great deal of prejudice in order to succeed. Persistent gentleman.
I don’t know either, Roberta, because I didn’t read the book. I will say this, it’s an underrated movie - might be one of Julia Robert’s best roles, certainly Denzel Washington is fantastic. I actually can’t imagine a better fit for the part, not after seeing his grasp of the character.
The Pelican Brief is one of those movies I never tire of seeing. (except when they cut too much out) Both Julia and Denzel do an excellent job. Denzel is great in anything. He is one of America’s very best actors…..and he makes acting look so easy. Not to mention he is just so sexy.
Roberta, I’m not passionate about Julia Roberts. I like her, don’t love her, but I do love her in The Pelican Brief. The character is so frightened and she really channels that. Now Denzel, on the other hand, I’ve been passionate about since St. Elswhere!
Isn’t it racist to think using African actors as heroes is racist? Doesn’t that defeat the purpose of using qualified actors in all roles without being prejudged with an ulterior motive. Can’t they just be good actors who can play the part? (sigh)
Heroes are heroes, Ray. The concept doesn’t detract one iota from the skill of the actor or the quality of the story. It’s just something I’ve noticed and now I’ve learned there’s actually a ‘concept’!
And the “night before the closing arguments” scene in A TIME TO KILL.
But I grew up in Fort Scott, Kansas, remember? THE LEARNING TREE by Gordon Parks (semi-representative of actual events in his home town) did not use the magical nego technique.
Oh, Marylin, I get so emotional I can’t watch A Time To Kill. It’s such a horrible amazing movie! Yes, true about The Learning Tree. Very true. One of my favorite movies.