If Beale Street Could Talk, directed by Barry Jenkins, is an excellent adaptation of James Baldwin’s 1974 novel of the same name, which depicted Black intimacy in the age of uprising racism. Baldwin’s literary genius was nurtured and evolved during an era where the United States was at the nucleus of cultural and political transformation. Somewhere between unrealistic rom coms and realistic Black struggles, “If Beale Street Could Talk.” portrayed the rich expanse of intimacy among the Black characters. Even though there have been plenty of Black love stories depicted in film history, Jenkins’ adaptation pays homage to Baldwin’s distinct voice of love and reality.
Figure 1 – The Movie Poster. Source – Wikipedia
This cinematic masterpiece alternates between two timelines. In the first narrative, we meet our main protagonists, Tish (Kiki Layne) and Fonny (Stephen James), and witness their transition from childhood friends to lovers. In the second narrative, we see a struggle between a Black family and a racially biased legal system. The transition between a mesmerizing portrait of young love and the hard-hitting reality of racial discrimination in the backdrop of 1970s New York keeps the audience on their toes.
“I hope that nobody has ever had to look at anybody they love through glass” – Tish Rivers (Kiki Layne)
The image of Tish telling Fonny about her pregnancy paints a haunting portrait of racial oppression and the hope that binds their love. Like many young African American’s in the late 70s, Fonny is falsely incarcerated on a rape charge. Tish, along with her parents, Sharon and Joseph Rivers (Regina King and Colman Domingo), and Fonny’s father (Michale Beach) fight against the racially dominated justice system while dealing with the limits of parental love. The financial burden, emotional turmoil, and the cleft between the family over colorism add fuel to this complex narrative. While Fonny’s accuser, Victoria Rogers (Emily Rios) fits the bill of an antagonist, Jenkin made sure that this Puerto Rican woman is portrayed as another victim of circumstances, which adds another dimension to its realistic approach.
Figure 2 – Tish delivering her pregnancy news. Source – Youtube Capture.
Many creative factors contributed to bringing Baldwin’s narrative to life from a technical standpoint. The vibrant color scheme paid homage to the 70s New York vibe and its old-school technicolor touch. The stellar cast members portrayed their characters unapologetically, without overshadowing the other performers. One of the films’ pivotal moments is when Tish’s mother (Regina King) travels to Puerto Rico to identify the accuser. Even though she knows the journey will be financially and emotionally taxing, she also knows that it will be a factor in influencing her son-in-law’s freedom and her daughter’s happiness. Burdened with fear and desperation, her love for Tish overpowers her emotional ordeals. Lastly, the background score by Nicholas Brittel, along with scores by jazz greats such as Miles Davis, John Coltrane, and Nina Simone evokes falling in love, heartbreak, and an unsettling future.
Figure 3 -Barry Jenkins’ painterly adaptation of Baldwin’s novel. Source – Youtube Capture.
Barry Jenkins does a marvelous job of translating Baldwin’s novel with a mesmerizing and painterly adaptation of the plot, as well as a melancholic narrative of Tish’s, which builds around a first-person perspective. Instead of unrealistic affirmations, this movie celebrates tenderness and self-realization in the face of racial injustice. Baldwin’s passionate imagination remains an educational monument for every artist and revolutionary mindset.
Anand Subramanian is a freelance photographer and content writer based out of Tamil Nadu, India. Having a background in Engineering always made him curious about life on the other side of the spectrum. He leapt forward towards the Photography life and never looked back. Specializing in Documentary and Portrait photography gave him an up-close and personal view into the complexities of human beings and those experiences helped him branch out from visual to words. Today he is mentoring passionate photographers and writing about the different dimensions of the art world.
