Hattie McDaniel: Black Ambition, White Hollywood [Paperback]

Jill Watts (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 6, 2007

Hattie McDaniel is best known for her performance as Mammy, the sassy foil to Scarlett O'Hara in Gone with the Wind. Though the role called for yet another wide–grinned, subservient black domestic, McDaniel transformed her character into one who was loyal yet subversive, devoted yet bossy. Her powerful performance would win her the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress and catapult the hopes of Black Hollywood that the entertainment industry ––after decades of stereotypical characters–– was finally ready to write more multidimensional, fully realized roles for blacks.

But racism was so entrenched in Hollywood that despite pleas by organizations such as the NAACP and SAG ––and the very examples that Black service men were setting as they fought against Hitler in WWII–– roles for blacks continued to denigrate the African American experience. So rather than see her stature increase in Hollywood, as did other Oscar–winning actresses, Hattie McDaniel, continued to play servants. And rather than see her popularity increase, her audience turned against her as an increasingly politicized black community criticized her and her peers for accepting degrading roles. "I'd rather play a maid then be a maid," Hattie McDaniel answered her critics but her flip response belied a woman who was herself emotionally conflicted about the roles she accepted but who tried to imbue each Mammy character with dignity and nuance.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In her imperfect yet fascinating biography, Watts (Mae West) unveils the largely tragic tale of Hattie McDaniel, the first African-American to win an Academy Award. Born in 1893, the youngest daughter of freed slaves, McDaniel sang and danced to help provide for her poverty-stricken family. Her early career as a comedian and singer garnered raves. She landed in Hollywood, appearing as an extra in scores of early 1930s films. Soon speaking roles in films like Stella Dallas led to her Oscar-winning performance as Mammy in the 1939 epic Gone with the Wind. This achievement marked the pinnacle of McDaniel's career—and heralded its collapse. Despite the complexity of her portrayal, McDaniel became typecast as the affable, disgruntled or tippling domestic. Although she'd educated herself , dressed elegantly and became involved in a range of political and social issues, McDaniel was hampered by studios that presented her as an eye-rolling, dialect-speaking Jemima. Watts's strength lies in her explication of the political and social conflicts in which McDaniel was embroiled. Yet her illumination of the complex actress herself is weak; she only comes alive in the book's final chapters. Nevertheless, Watts has crafted a compelling, disturbing history of blacks in early Hollywood. Photos.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal

Adult/High School Through research and interviews with friends of McDaniel, Watts explores the actress's life and career. Though she worked in a variety of venues, including television and radio, she was arguably best known for her role as Mammy in Gone with the Wind. When McDaniel signed the contract, in 1939, to play the part, she said, This is a chance to glorify Negro womanhood…. The first black actress to win an Academy Award, she said in her acceptance speech, I sincerely hope that I shall always be a credit to my race and the motion picture industry. For a time, she hoped that the award would mean more opportunities for her and a wider range of roles for black performers in general. That did not happen. Forced into continuing to play the role of the faithful servant, she was criticized by many members of the black community, including the press, for perpetuating negative stereotypes. The choice, as she saw it, often came down to accepting the parts she was offered and trying to give them worth or leaving the entertainment industry. Watts presents a fascinating and well-written study of a complex woman who strived for recognition as an actress and yet too many times was denied the opportunity to use her talents. Peggy Bercher, Fairfax County Public Library, VA
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Amistad (February 6, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060514914
• ISBN-13: 978-0060514914
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.3 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #629,082 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Sweeping Story of a Complex Lady, February 20, 2006

By 

Graceann Macleod "Books Fuel My Life" (London, UK) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Hattie McDaniel: Black Ambition, White Hollywood (Hardcover)

This well-written, even-handed biography not only tells you about Miss McDaniel, but also about where she came from and how she came to be the woman she was. The youngest daughter of a former slave and Union Army veteran, a woman of deep faith and love of family, and one of the hardest working people I've ever read about. A lot of time is spent in discussion of Miss McDaniel's father's fight for his rightful pension after the Civil War, and it gives one a great deal of insight into the family's tenacity. This knowledge informs as to why McDaniel's fight with Walter White was so bitter and long-lasting.

The lady fought for and earned her place in Cinema History, and Jill Watts documents her journey in an informative and interesting way.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars The Elusive Miss McDaniel's Life, May 19, 2006

By 

History Reader (United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Hattie McDaniel: Black Ambition, White Hollywood (Hardcover)

This book on one of the most memorable Black performers from the studio period catches some of her vivacity--her mother is said to have given her youngest child a nickel on occasion to just stop singing, dancing and carrying on. The reader can't be sure that Mrs. McDaniel wasn't just trying to find a moment's peace or if she was attempting to dissuade her daughter from setting off on what she regarded as the primrose path. This bio does a good job of detailing her family's path from slavery to her role as one of the most visible representatives of her people to the average American in the '30s and '40s.

Hattie McDaniel's ability to endure as well as her gift for imbuing her often subservient characters with much more edge than audiences were aware of at the time are delineated nicely in this biography. The author is remarkably thorough, mentioning Miss McDaniel's lifelong generosity to others, constant work to educate and make her industry more equitable, and even her participation in midget car races(Oh, where is the film of this?!)as well as her pioneering efforts to represent women, as well as Black Americans, as human beings. There is also some suggestion that Hattie McDaniel may have had to maneuver behind the scenes to maintain her preeminent position, though this is presented as indicative of the actress' savvy understanding of the inner workings of the Hollywood publicity machine.

It's a little dry in parts, since the author, a professor of history, ascribes some conscious social and political motivations to this artist's early work that may be a bit hard to believe. Hattie McDaniel deserves to be recognized for her contributions, but sometimes, I suspect that like most of us, she did what she did in order to keep the wolf from the door. A worthwhile read.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Hattie McDaniel: A wonderful actress, March 22, 2006

By 

MB "bio-lover" (New England) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Hattie McDaniel: Black Ambition, White Hollywood (Hardcover)

Even though I enjoyed this book enormously, I felt that there was too much speculation and not enough concrete facts included in it. As an avid non-fiction reader, I believe that this is key in any good biography. I can appreciate the fact that because Miss. McDaniel was a black woman living in an era that was difficult for any woman, let alone a black woman. The author did let the reader know that there just wasn't alot of documentation on even acclaimed black people in that time in history. That is a shame. I loved Miss. McDaniel's retort to a black newspaper that critizied her for portraying mostly maids in film. She said that she "would rather portray a black maid in the movies and earn a good wage, than to actually work as a maid and earn a meager salary." You go Miss. McDaniel. Overall, a good read.