"You Not Ma Daddy!" (UPDATED)

After Clint Eastwood tells Spike Lee to "shut his face" regarding the lack of black characters in Eastwood's two World War II films, Lee responds in a mature, manly fashion.

Or not.

"First of all, the man is not my father and we're not on a plantation either," he told ABCNEWS.com.

"I didn't personally attack him."

Lee implied that Eastwood was a racist. Twice. I'd call those personal attacks.

Regarding that 'father' thing, I am reminded of the infamous You Tube clip of Detroit City Councilwoman Monica Conyers demonstrating her similar daddy issues.

These people can afford to pay for psychoanalysis. But I guess than one would have to be not-crazy to realize that a shrinking is needed.

I was considering going to see Lee's film when it came out. Now I'm not so sure.

UPDATED: Former Spook (no, not that kind) says that there were some extras who were black in Eastwood's Flags of Our Fathers.

If Mr. Lee bothered to watch Flags, he would find black Marines in a cutaway shot early in the film, and in a historical photograph that appears during the closing credits. Saying there are no African-Americans in the film is simply incorrect.

So, why aren’t blacks featured more prominently in the film? According to Professor Latty (and USMC records), a total of 700 African-American Marines served on Iwo Jima during the battle. But her opinion piece omits an important point, those black Marines represented less than one percent of the 80,000 who fought to take the island from the Japanese.

And, because of segregation, they were delegated to support roles.

Spook also details the Bronze-Star awarded courage of a pair of black Marines (in their combat support roles) but notes that they were not a part of the unit which raised the flag at Iwo Jima.

The battalion and its subordinate companies were all white—another product of the segregated Marine Corps of World War II.

Eastwood was, of course, adhering to historical accuracy rather than PC.

But Lee has succeeded in publicizing his film--and probably in riling up those who probably don't even know that the military was segregated back then and that it was probably one of the first--if not the first--government institutions to desegregate, undoubtedly stemming from the performance of men like the afore-mentioned Marines, the Tuskegee airmen and the "Buffalo Soldiers" which will be portrayed in Lee's WWII movie. Too bad he is doing them such a disservice.

(Thanks to Phelps)

Comments

[Tully]

Obviously both have read the Hollywood Publicity Manual, espeically the part where it says "ALL publicity is good publicity..."

If only they get the paparazzi chasing them on those secret-romance and pregnancy rumors, they'll have the hat trick.

:-)

[baldilocks]

I don't know. I bet I'm not the only one that Spike is talking out of seeing his movie.

[Phelps]

There is also a pretty good rebuttal that says that Lee was even wrong about there being no black people in the movies. (Along with virtually everything else in this situation.)

[DarkStar]

This was first discussed when Eastwood's first movie came out. It was covered in the mainstream press as well.

The Black soldiers who were present at a concentration camp to help free the people there, complained they weren't given their due. People were saying Black soldiers weren't there but some of the survivors of the concentration camp backed up the soldiers' claims.

Lee is doing a good job in getting publicity. But if what I remember is accurate, and I think that it is, then Eastwood should have said more THEN not just when Mighty Mouth has sounded off.

[baldilocks]

Eastwood is just responding to Mighty Mouth (heh). And Eastwood's two movies are set in the Pacific theater of operations, so the complaints aren't his problem.

I think Spike is just drumming up controversy because his last few bombs make it less likely that anyone will see this one whether it's good or not. Unfortunately for him he can't stop his mouth from doing the same thing.

[Don]

Eastwood cast Morgan Freeman in Unforgiven. And it was a good choice, too. I've heard rumors that Morgan may not be white . . .

Flags of our Fathers focused on the Marines (and sailor) who raised the flag. The flag raising and immediate vicinity did not involve black support troops. Letters fro Iwo Jima focused on the Japanese, and the Marines they were facing. Again, no black support troops.