Song of Freedom
1936 British film / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Song of Freedom is a 1936 British musical drama film directed by J. Elder Wills and starring Paul Robeson. It is an early feature produced by Hammer Film Productions.
This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. (January 2018) |
Song of Freedom | |
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Directed by | J. Elder Wills |
Screenplay by |
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Based on | The Kingdom of Zinga by Claude Wallace & Dorothy Holloway |
Produced by | H. Fraser Passmore |
Starring |
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Cinematography |
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Edited by | Arthur Tavares |
Music by |
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Production company | |
Distributed by | British Lion Films |
Release date |
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Running time | 73 minutes |
Country | United Kingdom |
Language | English |
Budget | $500,000 |
Robeson plays John Zinga, a black dockworker in England with a great bass-baritone singing voice. He is discovered by an opera impresario and becomes an international star. Yet he feels alienated from his African past, and out of place in England. By chance, he is informed that an ancestral medallion he wears proves his lineage to African kings, and he leaves fame and fortune behind to take his rightful place as royalty. Reunited with his people, he plans to improve their lives by combining Western technology with the best of African tradition.
Although unsuccessful in the US, it was notably chosen in 1950 to open the convention of Ghana's Convention People's Party. The ceremonies were presided over by future first Prime Minister of independent Ghana, Kwame Nkrumah, Robeson's friend from his London years.