Baldwin writes, “The immense quantity of polish expended on Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner? is meant to blind one to its essential inertia and despair.” Are there recent movies you can think of that depict a false narrative of the Black experience?

Book Clubs The Devil Finds Work BookBrowse Discussion
1

In the author’s critique of Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner? he writes on page 71, “The immense quantity of polish expended on [the movie] is meant to blind one to its essential inertia and despair.” What aspects of the film is Baldwin referring to? Are there recent movies you can think of starring Black actors that seem well-intentioned on the surface but in actuality depict a false narrative of the Black experience?

2

I’m not a movie buff but I doubt there are any recent movies that depict a false narrative. I think I would have heard about one from my friends that do watch movies. I also think that because movie production is much more inclusive now it also makes this an unlikely occurrence.