Purlie Victorious, like many things from the early 60s, hasn't aged very well. I saw it on YouTube and it appears to be a very direct adaptation of the stage play, with minimal cinematic flourishes. Except for the mostly black cast it has nothing to do with Porgy and Bess. The plot revolves around a self-proclaimed minister (Purlie) trying to raise the $500 necessary to buy a barn for conversion to a church. This involves a scam regarding an inheritance; the stereotypical white plantation owner is holding the dough. This may have played better in the early days of the civil rights movement but it seems weak to me now.
Upon reviewing the film I couldn't help but notice the verbal rhythms of Purlie once he got to speechifying and how much he reminded me of Jesse Jackson on a roll. But Purlie came first, as written and performed by Ossie Davis, relying heavily on the oratorical styles of the black ministry. Those guys had a way with words. Ten thousand Queens of Sheba!
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The Law of the Jungle isn't much more than a weak rationale for colonialism and racism, I think. Nature is much more cooperative than Kipling would have led us to believe even if he did write some great stories. Animals aren't nearly as violent or predatory as human beings; critters kill for food and that's about it. When animals do fight for non-food related issues (territorial disputes or dominance) they don't end up as fights to the death; the loser is allowed to slink away and lick his or her wounds. Seems like a fair system to me.
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Uncle Ken mentions the need for rules to protect capitalism but we need rules to protect society in general, don't we? The rules, which may be codified into laws, keep things running smoothly and are necessary for a stable society as part of our social contract. One of the strengths of our democratic republic is that we, as citizens, are empowered to change laws and are not ruled by the divine fiat of a tyrant, at least not yet. The Rule of Law has taken quite a beating lately and it's time for the Justice Department to step up, get the ball rolling, and start putting folks behind bars. I don't think it's a good idea to change the rules in the middle of the game as the White House is prone to do and if we aren't all following the same rules we are screwed.
As an aside, the prevailing trend for deregulation, although lawful, may mean that clean air and clean water are not guaranteed for the future. Short term gains can result in long term losses, and that is not a good thing but I don't think that we, as human beings in general, can agree on what we really want. The pendulum is swinging but I'm not sure which way.
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Hmmm...it's Monday morning in Singapore. I wonder if the Rocket Boy is being treated to an Egg McMuffin.
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