User Reviews

Besides a short film designed to advertise war bonds, this strange, somewhat conservative, but ambiguous, treatment of colonial politics is the sum of Michael Audley's directorial output.

The film employs an attractive and talented cast, including Sidney Poitier, a very young Eartha Kitt, Marne Maitland, and a number of other less well-known performers. Particularly impressive are John McIntyre and Clifton Macklin. The script is a little overbearing at times, and the acting talent sometimes struggles with it. The film does a nice job of exposing the colonial politics of the unidentified African state in which the film occurs. Obam (Poitier) is a bright young man who is on the verge of becoming an important political leader. Torn between a desire to return his country to people and force out the oppressive, exploitive Britishj administration, and his country's need to follow through on the promise of the technological and social trends put in place by the British, Obam must find his way by transcending his own prejudices and becoming more than a leader.

The film is more intelligent than average, and features a surprising amount of expository dialog. However, the true motives of the film makers become shockingly obvious about half-way through the film. To this point, no particular path was clear to Poitier, and he seemed somewhat lost in the political complexities of his people's situation. At this point the film suddenly becomes a heavy-handed Christian propaganda piece. It is truly remarkable how the film segues from real-life concerns about exploitation, violence and usurpation of land to largely failed 20th century missionization attempts. It is also remarkable that the infrastructural improvements enacted by colonial administrations (schools, sewers, etc) are somehow connected to the spread of Christianity. A final amazement is the systematic denial of the history of colonialism and Christianity which permeates the film's characterization of Christianity as a religion of peace.

Although I frankly did not like where the film ended up, and though I can cite a number of technical and aesthetic problems as well, I think Mark of the Hawk is worth seeing. It is an intelligent and provocative film from a time (the 50s) when intelligence and provocativeness were sorely needed in mainstream film. Also noteworthy for Eartha's performance of one of her first hits.

Recommended for Kitt and Poitier fans. Mildly recommended for those interested in representations/discourses on colonialism and religion.

*Spoiler/plot- 1957, A young African 'power' couple is part and helps in African Liberation of their homeland.

*Special Stars- John Ireland, Sidney Poitier, young Eartha Kit

*Theme- People must be active in their countries matters.

*Trivia/location/goofs- British film. Look for a young Eartha Kit here. There is an interesting Christian missionary element brought into the plot with John Ireland's character. The main African liberation character is called 'Hawk" or in African, 'Obam' in the film's plot. I couldn't help but think that a young Mr. Poitier looks so much like US current President 'Obama' in this film with a very similar last name. The President's father was native African or maybe he saw this movie? Coincidence? "Boom microphone" makes an appearance in some of the indoor shots at the top of the film frame.

*Emotion- An enjoyable and well acted film that keeps you engaged and interested. John Ireland wonderfully carries this film.

Apartheid rears its ugly head in this powerful drama of the struggle for independence after years of suppression in the white governed Africa. On the thrust of stardom, the now legendary Sidney Poitier gives an impassioned performance as am educated African native elected into public office, considered an outcast by most of the white men and a traitor by his own people. Sudden violence against his people opens his eyes to what he needs to do to really see his people freed from the bigoted intruders who obviously don't see the black Africans as people, rather as lowly paid workers, barely better than slaves.

The beautiful Eartha Kitt is Poitier's French born black wife, with the gentle Juano Hernandez as Poitier's wise mentor who saw the early days of the missionaries before the oppressors arrived. John McIntire plays a missionary who shares his own political horrors with Poitier in a lengthy flashback that is parallel to what is going on in Africa. Helen Horton is lovely as his loyal wife who suffered silently as McIntire was imprisoned in revolutionary China.

Made with a spiritual backdrop endorsing the importance of world freedom and the end of oppression everywhere, this is interesting and timely as more cultures seem to be regressing than progressing. It doesn't minimize the horrors of the world, and the message is loud and clear. One thing I saw on this that must continuously be promoted is the fact that even in the seemingly most evil of cultures are those who know what is going on is wrong and that the destruction of one race doesn't end hate, but increases it as trial destruction gets closer.

(There are Spoilers) Refreshingly honest, for it's time 1957, movie about the horrors that were facing the African countries who after the Second World War were emerging from the colonialism imposed on them by the European Colonialist Powers.

Obam,Sidney Poitier, has been doing his best for his people through the all black or African political labor party he's been leading and has now been accepted by the white colonial government as a member of it's legislator. Feeling that his brother has sold out to his country's colonial establishment the hot headed Kanda, Clifton Macklin, is now not only stirring up hatred against the government but implicating his brother Obam, who's name in African means hawk, by hanging dead hawks all over the countryside. To make things even worse Kanda has been hanging the dead hawks in front of white settlers homes.

Obam trying to get his brother to see that violence will only beget violence later ends up seeing things his brother way instead. This happens when the government refused to give his people the right to vote with the exception of land owners! Land which Obam's people by law are not allowed to own!

As Obam, seeing that there's no hope in negotiating with the white establishment, turns radical his good friend and mentor Christian Missionary Bruce Craig, John McIntire,tries to get him to see that he's, as well as his brother Kanda, being manipulated by the Communists in his labor party. The Communist who's aim is rule by violence not freedom only want power for themselves not freedom for Obam's people. At first Obam is anything but receptive to Craigs pleas for love and understanding and goes full tilt into revolutionary mode. Going along with the radical Kanda in stirring up trouble Obam's wife Renee, Eartha Kitt in her first major movie role, also tries to get him to to see that what he's doing will only lead to death and destruction for his people and nation!

With the dye now cast for an native uprising against the colonial powers in control of their country Craig in a last desperate effort to get Obam to see his way reveals what happened to him and his wife Barbara, Helen Horton, back in China before and after the Communist took over. Obam is shocked to hear what happened there, after the Communist takeover, and now knows what will happen now when the Communists, who have now taken over Obam's labor party movement, take control of his country!

Bittersweet ending with both Obam and Kanda getting caught up with the madness and violence that swept across their country. It was Craig and his fellow Christian Missionaries Amugu and Sandar Lei, Juano Hernandez & Marne Mathland, that in the end get Obam to see the light in that what he, and Kanda, were doing will only play into the hands of the terrorist-controlled Communist elements. With the Communists getting their way they in the end, like in Communist China, will destroy everything that both Obam & Kanda fought for all these years.

Obam now seeing what he's done in lending a hand in his brother ill conceived revolt tries to stop the uprising against the colonialist government before it's too late. Craig for his part put his life on the line running out into the line of fire, between the rampaging Africans and defending white settlers, to stop this madness from getting out of control!

Outstanding performance by the 30 year-old Sidney Poitier that was as good if not better as his Academy Award effort in "Lillies in the Field" or as a back Philadelphia detective in the deep south in the film "In the Heat of the Night". The fact that "The Mark of the Hawk" is almost unknown to the movie going public in not being shown on TV for at least 30 years or available, until recently, on DVD or video tape has people not realize what a great and timely movie it really is.

P.S The multi-talented Eartha Kitt in her first staring movie role as Obam's wife Renee also sings the movies team song "this Man is Mine" referring of course to her husband in the film Obam.