Customer Reviews

Bojangles [VHS]

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

At the height of his career, Bill "Bojangles" Robinson was the
highest paid Black entertainer. He died penniless. Bojangles was
considered the best dancer alive and his specialty was tap. He started in
the black-face productions and shocked people when he worked as a solo act.
He was a headliner in Canada which didn't have the same issues with racism
as America. He starred on Broadway and then began making movies
predominately appearing as the Butler to a white star, usually Shirley
Temple. Bojangles was known as "The Man with the Smile" since the
broad smile never left his face while he was dancing. Unfortunately this
Showtime movie shows the pain and anger behind the smile. The pain that
caused a young boy to assume the name of his brother in an attempt to hide
from their grandparent, the pain that caused a string of broken marriages,
and the pain that caused an incessant urge to gamble away his life savings.
Gregory Hines portrays Bojangles. Hines is one of the premier tap
dancers alive. Hines is an incredibly expressive actor without saying a
word. His eyes can speak volumes of what is going through his soul and the
percussive music from his taps tells a story all of their own.
The movie does drag at times and Bojangles isn't the easiest of
characters to like. However the movie is more than worth renting just to
watch all of Hines' tap sequences. The man is an incredible dancer. His
heir apparent, Savion Glover, appears in one sequence that is truly
phenomenal to watch.

As a fan of tap dancing, I wanted to love this movie. Unfortunately, watching it was an endurance challenge. The movie lacks any sort of compelling story line. It essentially drives home the message that Robinson (aka Bojangles) was a gambling, womanizing s.o.b. I don't expect the film makers to rewrite history, but as presented the story didn't take us anywhere. Yes, the tap sequences by Hines and Glover are great, but they would have been greater without the packaging of the "story."

Upon researching the true story of Mr. Bojangles, I thought his movie did not do him justice. First I will begin with the disappointment I felt with the casting. As most of people who took a chance to watch this televised biography, we are aware of what Bojangles looked like. No offense to Gregory Hines, but his casting was horrible. No similarities what so ever, besides the fact that he taps. I believe this movie would have meant more to me had the actor been a no-name. You can't get passed the fact that you're looking at GREGORY HINES. Another issue I have is that, this is nothing short of a recall of Bojangles courtship with his wife Fannie, who he dogged out. The movie spent way too much time on this subject and didn't give us the "MEAT" of this man's life, like his fall out with Stepin' Fetchit, or where he & black hollywood were confined to while recreation was segregated, the western version of Harlem, Central Avenue in Los Angeles ! The place that was hot in the 30's & 40's. The street that had a hotel where Bo always stayed when he came to LA, the Dunbar, where he fraternized with other black stars of his era. The club that they named after him. None of this priceless info was mentioned or recreated. This movie was a waste of my time. 2 hours of nothin'. Fannie's charector was a bad casting move too. She was light complected in real life and a sharp hollywood wife that was involved in a WHOLE lot more than messin' around with ice-cream. Then the movie speeds up once Bo & Fannie actually GET married and by the time you think you're gonna actually see some GOOD STUFF, he's dead and the movie's over. I sold my copy of this movie. It wasn't on the same level of other old biographies of other famous black stars. If you're trully interested in learning more about this legend, please take the time to READ about it first and not just rent or buy this movie believing it as Gospel to Bojangles life. The books tell you more. One in particular is The Experience of Black Hollywood written by Donald Bogle. Very enlightening. Don't waste your time on garbage like this movie. I wish I hadn't.

If you didn't like Bojangles...get TAP. It's GREAT, and it just came out on DVD.
Check out Savion Glover dancing in HAPPY FEET the movie. You see where he also added some of Gregory Hines steps in some cuts.

I am a huge fan of dancing movies and especially Gregory Hines. I loved this movie and have watched it several times.
If you enjoy dancing you will enjoy Bojangles. It is not only a good story, but also has an excellent dancer playing
the main character.

If you are a tap dancer, or if you enjoy tap dance, you will just love this movie. It should be in every tap dancer's collection. "Bojangles" tells the story of the great tap dance star, Bill Robinson, whose career spanned most of the first half of the 20th Century. He was hugely popular in vaudeville and achieved world-wide fame as a movie star in the 1930's and '40s, when black artists rarely had access to such success. He was widely considered to be the finest tap dancer of his generation. He was especially noted for his clear, meticulously executed rhythm dances. Bill Robinson influenced every tap dancer who saw his work and was known for his generosity in creating opportunity for talented young dancers all over the country. He was a great entertainer and a very generous man who was so loved and respected in Harlem that he was named Honorary Mayor. When he died in 1949, more than a million people lined the streets of New York to pay homage. Robinson's film work is excellent, particularly Stormy Weather, in which he played opposite the great Lena Horne. And his film performances as Shirley Temple's partner are classics.

Gregory Hines, a gifted tap dancer, actor and singer is quite wonderful as Bill Robinson. No other dancer/actor could have done this role, as Hines was rightly considered to be the finest tap dancer of his generation. The film turns out to be a tribute to both artists. I am grateful to have this film as a fitting remembrance to both of them.

Bravo.

Not too short and not too long. detailed and specific. it makes sense, informative, and entertaining.

I borrowed this video from the library, and viewed it only once. Once was all I could take. I never knew too much about bojangles, nor did I wanted to watch any of his movies. But I found his biography very interesting. Gregory Hines was superb in this video; hats off!. I saw the real bojangles in the movie "Stormy Weather," and he was great. This movie was very moving and a bit depressing; but that's the way it was for the starving African Americans of the entertainment era. Thus proven by historians of the African American history.

This movie was awsome. THe coolest flick since titanic. I highly recommed it. Go Bo!

My older brother danced with the nicolas brothers before they passed away and he teaches tap dancing. thought i send it as a birthday present.