Minstrel Man

For more than two decades, I have searched for my favorite movie, The Minstrel Man (1977), to be either televised or made available for purchase. An excellent performance was done by the cast of this film. This is a "heart-gripping" movie, that defines the inhumanity and positive evils of racism. This film exhibits Black Americans, as working, inventive, compassionate and creative human beings through horrific adversities, and yet they defy to totally release their integrity.

The Entertainment Industry has the audacity to act insulted by acusations like, "it is directly or indirectly at fault for creating and perpetuating monsters in the world". You are surely mentors of today's media. This is a small opportunity to right a big wrong.

I guess I answered my Summary?!

As of 2019, this movie is available to see on YouTube, but you're going to need head phones cause the sound is very low

I've read a number of comments here on the IMDb about the 1977 MINSTREL MAN being "lost". I'm unsure about Mr. Cosby's involvement, but I doubt he would try to suppress a film that has an undeniably positive view of African-Americans, especially with that extraordinary and uplifting ending.

The original producing company, Viacom (assuming they still hold the copyright) is still in existence and highly successful. Even if it has lost the copyright, I can guarantee you that this film does indeed exist and is not "lost". Why it hasn't been made available to the public via DVD is probably because few people know about it. It is after all thirty years old this year-----------and most people aren't interested in a film-----------let alone a TV film---------that is older than a year or so.

I agree with the posters who say this is one of televisions finest moments, and hopefully someday it will become available to all of you.

Jay Allan Fenton

I noticed that the reviews for "Minstrel Man" were all very positive but many complained that the film isn't available on video of DVD. Well, although some say it might be because of political correctness, the fact is many 1970s made for TV films never came out on cassettes or DVD. And so, when you see this film on YouTube, ignore the 'banned movie' slogan slapped on it...no one or government banned it. This isn't to say that folks would be eager to show the film...which is kind of sad.

Now as far as political correctness goes, I can see that some would automatically become offended about any film with the word 'minstrel' in the title. After all, minstrel shows usually featured white men in black-face doing parodies of blacks....and the parodies were often very unflattering. Now here's an odd but seldom talked about truth....some of the very famous minstrels were actually BLACK men pretending to be white men pretending to be black!! In other words, they took control of their culture and the debate! As such, it's an important part of our history...whether it offends us or not. Because of this alone, I recommend you see the movie.

The main reason I saw this movie is because it stars Glynn Turman....a sadly underrated actor. Yes, he did make a terrible film ("J. D.'s REVENGE" is just godawful and I'm sure he regrets having made it)....but he also has many amazing performances and I wish he got the recognition he deserves. He is brilliant in films such as "Men of Honor" and his TV parts ("The Paper Chase" and "Fargo") are mesmerizingly good. I'd love to one day tell him in person how much I appreciate his acting. And, not surprisingly, here in "Minstrel Man" he's on the top of his game.

The film is set in the post Civil War era in America. Sadly, a black man who performs as a minstrel dies of a heart attack...leaving his two young sons to try to continue the act in order to eat. One hopes to one day become a successful musical composer...the other wants to rise to the top in the white-dominated minstrel circuit. The film shows their successes, failures and struggles, as the country wasn't exactly welcoming towards black men at that time.

Overall, the film is a well made look at a mostly lost part of our heritage...for good or for bad....like "Roots" or "The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman" or "Bingo Long and His Traveling All-Stars". Well worth seeing.

Where, oh where, can I find this film? I saw it long ago on TV--it was a tremendously moving, thoughtful, and painfully honest drama about race relations during the period it portrays. Beautifully acted and absolutely authentic in spirit. But it seems to have vanished forever.