1st watched 8/9/2002 - - 5 out of 10(Dir-Oscar Micheaux): Excellent written story, but badly played out and cheaply produced. It is so hard for me to write this review because I admire so much about the way this story played out and the depth of the reality that was built into this movie about an adopted light-skinned child who is constantly trying to be something she's not and getting into trouble despite her excellent mother and obvious charmed life despite what her circumstances could have been. The reality is that many adopted children never understand that their loved and that was the point of this story. The bad part is that the obvious little funding that was given to this production was apparent in the acting and the production. This is too bad because with a better core of actors and actresses this could have been great. Nice little scenes of well-done dance routines are also kind of thrown in for commercials for the performers who were probably ignored by the majority of people in the white-ruled 1930's. Micheaux could have made a lot of money as a screenwriter, if he was white, with this vehicle, if Hollywood would have given it a chance despite it's frankness. I hope he got by okay anyway, and I will look for other title's that he may have had his hand in because of the obvious talent that showed through in this one.
