Review: Denmark Vesey’s Rebellion

Yaphet Kotto plays Denmark Vesey a slave who buys his freedom from somewhat avuncular ship captain and owner Captain Vesey, and then organises a slave rebellion. Bernie Casey plays another slave initially reluctant to uprise against his racist but oddly sympathetic master Mr. Benjamin (Ned Beatty, whose character name isn’t listed on IMDb). Also somewhat sceptical of Denmark’s plot is Cleavon Little, slave to governor William Windom. Brock Peters shows up as a black preacher, whilst Antonio Fargas plays Gullah Jack, who seems to be some kind of practitioner of witchcraft in his spare time.

 

Shamefully obscure to the point where IMDb’s listing is lacking in certain cast and character information and there’s no Trivia items for it, either. Even if you can manage to get your eyes on it, most sources have a 90 minute version, whilst a certain free social media site contains a 2hr version where the sound infuriatingly cuts out for the rest of the film (it definitely is a 2hr version though). There was also only one External Review on IMDb as well. Now there’s going to be two for this excellent 1982 slavery drama from director Stan Lathan (who has directed a lot of television shows and stand-up specials, particularly Dave Chappelle) and writer William Hauptman (who won a Tony Award a few years later on another project). Made for TV, it deserves to be just as well known as Alex Haley’s “Roots” in my opinion.

 

Yaphet Kotto was an actor of great power and physical presence. Here as the title freed slave who organises a slave rebellion he’s a simmering volcano. Donald Moffat is also excellent as the slave boat captain who becomes Denmark’s ‘Master’. Some might not appreciate such an avuncular depiction of a slave boat captain, but it’s not like he’s painted as a perfect human being either. He ‘allows’ Denmark to buy his freedom and gives him a $200 discount. The latter is a nice gesture under the circumstances perhaps but the circumstances still have him buying a human being to use for slave purposes. A nicer than usual slave owner is still a slave owner, with Ned Beatty and William Windom playing similar slave owners who are only nice to their slaves as one would take care of their ‘property’. Beatty in particular is seen being horrible to the main character for instance, perhaps because Denmark isn’t someone he’s personally profiting from. Antonio Fargas has a memorable role too, albeit quite a jarring one as at one point he dressed up like Baron Samedi, completely different from anything else he does in the film. The rest of the cast don’t get as much to chew on, but Carl Lee (as another slave somewhat sceptical of the revolt, William Windom (as the Governor), Bernie Casey, and Brock Peters (getting to orate as only he can with that great booming voice) are all solid. Cleavon Little is a bit underused, however.

 

An important, solidly made film that should be better known and more widely seen. A strong cast, a really compelling story. See it however you can get your eyes on it, it’s no “Roots” but what is?

 

Rating: B

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