The suppressed 1951 film version of Richard Wright’s 1940 novel
Native Son was released in virtual cinemas recently in a restoration presented by Kino Lorber in association with the Library of Congress, Fernando Martín Peña, and Argentina Sono Film. The film was also aired by Turner Classic Movies (TCM) this past weekend.
Shot primarily in Buenos Aires, Argentina with some exterior location shots done in Chicago, the movie was directed and co-written by Pierre Chenal, a Belgian-born director associated with French poetic realism.
Richard Wright in Native Son (1951)
In addition to co-adapting his own novel for the screen, Richard Wright performed the lead role as the ill-fated Bigger Thomas, a poor young black man in Chicago. Deeply oppressed and driven by intense fear, Bigger quickly becomes ensnared in a true American tragedy.
power. on after words , part of booktv this weekend on c-span2. the late photo journalist leonard freed documented the 1963 march on washington. hundreds of his photos have been published by his widow, brigitte freed. up next a 40 minute discussion of the book with remarks by john coal with the library of congress. without, gooage. wrut colt to good afternoon, welcome to the library of congress. i m the director of the library of congress which is the reading and book promotion arm of the library. we re pleased to could sponsor this program with the library prints and photographs division. the center for the book was created in 1977 to help the library of congress stimulate public interest in books and reading and literacy and libraries and we are a private public partnership with the library of congress paying our five salaries but indeed we have raised private money from the beginning to help support our array of programs and projects. there are, center for the books