Customer Reviews

Hattie McDaniel: Black Ambition, White Hollywood

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

 

 

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.

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.

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.

The early chapters of the book, which rely more on public records to tell the story, detail McDaniel's harrowing early childhood. These are gripping and based on easily verifiable facts. When the book veers away from these facts, it is less succesful. The author tends to guess what Hattie McDaniel might have been thinking without much proof. Honestly, I was more interested in finding out "what happened" than "what the author thinks Hattie's motivation was for getting married."

The woman had a fascinating, unusual life and I did learn things about her I wasn't aware of, such as the fact that her Best Supporting Actress Oscar wasn't her only famous Black female first. However, the meanderings into McDaniel's psyche were distracting and confusing, mainly because the author rarely cited sources who would actually have known what Hattie's inner world was like, such as close friends, when she made such conjectures. (I wouuld have liked some backup for the author's assertion that McDaniel's latter-life "false pregnancy" was a publicity stunt!)

Asides painstakingly analyzing Hattie's every film role for shades of hidden meaning were awkward. After about midway through the book, I was fairly disappointed, which was sad since the book seemed so promising. The voices of marginalized black early Hollywood actors, many of whom died obscure and penniless, should be heard. Unfortunately, in this biography, Hattie McDaniel's voice is somewhat muffled.

The context of this book is sweeping -- slavery, the Civil War, American culture, the Hollywood system, the history of a family and the struggles of a gifted woman. The complexity and depth of this biography are compelling, as was Hattie McDaniel. A beautiful, intelligent book.

Looking back at Hattie McDaniel's life, I had to question why now? Why recognize her life with a stamp now? I sought out the answers by reading this book. This is a well documented biography written by a historian who is also a very good storyteller. She captures the times that Hattie McDaniel came up in as well as the story of her parents and older siblings. Her accomplishments are meaningful when effectively presented in that context. as Jill Watts has done in this book. Miss McDaniel managed to participate in every form of show business from vaudeville, blues shows, theatre, radio, movies and television. I read this book from cover to cover. The information I read complimented the biography I just finished about Lincoln Perry (Stepin Fetchit).

Imagine an African-American winning the Best Supporting Actress Academy Award for the 1939 film "Gone With The Wind." Or even being nominated for that matter. But that's just how moving Hattie McDaniels's portrayal of Mammy was. Especially the sorrowful retelling of events in the Butler household to "Miss Melanie"(Olivia De Havilland), after the tragic death of Bonnie Blue. A scene that always brings tears to my eyes. That's how talented this lady was. And even more surprising, considering the fact that Ms. De Havilland was also nominated in the same category, for her sensitive role of Melanie.

A good window to the plight and many indignities suffered by black actors in Hollywood for decades. Seemingly with the lame excuse of "not wanting to offend the southern audiences, with positive portrayals of blacks on screen." Ms. McDaniel did the very best she could, with the negative material she was consistently offered. But we go deeper into the personal life of Hattie as well. Probably not as deep as this work could have gone, like the supposed lesbian affairs she was rumored to have had. All-in-all, a very good background of the struggle for equality and respect, by blacks in Hollywood. And Hattie McDaniel was at the forefront in trailblazing the way.

I was looking forward to reading an in-depth biography of Miss McDaniel - this wasn't it. Very dry reading, and for some reason the author felt the need to use the subject's full name in every sentence. If you didn't know who you were reading about just by the title of the book, you would certainly be sure of it by the end of the first chapter. By the end of the book, you were sick to death of the name Hattie McDaniel. Definitely written by a teacher, not an author who had any interest at all in her subject. A truly boring book.

This is for the most part a well written and researched book, but to me personally the book was a disappointment as it is heavily focused on the aspect of McDaniel being a black actress working in the motion picture industry of the 1930s and 40s. It dwells on the impediments to her career, despite her undisputed talents, because of her race and how Hollywood and the studios, during that time, exploited black actors in stereotypical roles and rarely made films that featured fully drawn black characters. The book never relates any of McDaniel's personal experiences or incidents while making the movies she appeared in; how she related working with other actors or with her directors, or how she developed a character in a specific film. It mostly just mentions the name of the film and how she was reviewed in it. If, like myself, you are hoping for a more traditional biography of a great actress and very unique and admired personality, we will have to wait a little longer till someone writes it. If however you're looking for more of a social history about black performers working in the old studio motion picture industry, this book may serve you well. With regards to the title, "Hattie McDaniel: Black Ambition, White Hollywood" I should have guessed as much so it is entirely my own mistake. The book is appropriately titled.

Hattie McDaniel was the first black woman to win an Oscar, and this award has cemented her in film history. Her achievement broke barriers for black actors in the future, but it was also a curse that made it difficult for her and other African American stars to find work.

Hattie began as a blues and jazz singer and worked her way up in the ranks of Hollywood to become an instantly recognizable and beloved star. Although she was criticized for playing maids, she retorted that she'd rather play a maid than be one. She was the daughter of a former slave and knew hardship, so she relished making money and worked hard to get it.

This book is an interesting read because it goes deep into the plight of the black performer in a time caught between the Civil War and the Civil Rights Movement. Hattie was flung in the middle of the struggle by blacks for equality and respect and the struggle by many whites, especially in the south, who preferred blacks to be treated as second class citizens. Watts did her research and documents the race struggles splendidly.

The only thing lacking in this book is a good overall impression of who Hattie McDaniel was. We get snippets here and there about her being ballsy, sometimes temperamental, and loyal to her friends, but these come spaced too far between all of the racial history. Although this history is essential to understanding Hattie's legacy, it dilutes a sense of why we should love her as well as respect her.