One of the most profound and deeply moving scenes in movie history, as far as I'm concerned, is in The Cradle Will Rock, written and directed by Tim Robbins. The movie makes no apologies for being unabashadly left-wing, and the writing occasionally swings close to being sentimental and even maudlin. But it never makes the mistake of being either. Robbins is just carefully (and masterfully) pressing the right buttons, like he does along with Morgan Freeman as an actor in The Shawshank Redemption. And Cradle has a real sharp edge, which Robbins uses to slash playfully at "wealthy Communists" and "Jewish Fascists," and more seriously to stab at capitalism and the ruling class. The funeral at the end, featuring Murray's damaged dummy (symbolizing Crickshaw's dead youthful idealism, as he was a Communist in his youth) is a perfect end to the film. As the procession of clowns, actors, and entertainers of all sorts carry the "corpse" into modern day Times Square. Just in case you were deluded into thinking that things are fundamentally any different today.The scene I'm writing about has washed-up ventriliquist Crickshaw (Bill Murray) essentially confronting his younger self on stage. The "young Crickshaw" sarcastically calls himself "comrade" and ends up singing The Internationale. The emotional power of this scene is even stronger for those of us who actually do believe, or did, in the dream of class-consciousness and a united human race. One Big Union and all that (any Wobblies' out there?).It's too bad that the Soviet Union officially embraced The Internationale as an anthem. It doesn't belong to any state. But that's another story. I've sung The Internationale countless times over the years, at conferences, meeting and conventions among socialists, communists, and fellow-travelers. In Milwaukee, I think it was, I heard a Cuban opera singer lead in the singing of it. In Chicago, I heard it sung for the first time by more than a handful of people. Apparently, I'm a very emotional person, and almost every time I've sang it with a group I've gotten teary-eyed, or wept outright. Pathetic or not, good or bad, it's the truth.
Here are the words to The Internationale. Bob Seeger has a good version, but ironically I'd have to pay to download it. There's also a fantastic documentary about the song, which I highly recommend, for what that's worth.
The Internationale (Translated into English)
Arise ye workers from your slumbers
Arise ye criminals of want
For reason in revolt now thunders
and at last ends the age of cant.
Now away with all your superstitions
Servile masses arise, arise!
We'll change forthwith the old conditions
And spurn the dust to win the prize.
CHORUS
Then come comrades rally
And the last fight let us face
The Internationale
Unites the human race.
We peasants, artisans and others,
Enrolled amongst the sons of toil
Let's claim the earth henceforth for brothers
Drive the indolent from the soil.
On our flesh for too long has fed the raven
We've too long been the vultures prey.
But now farewell to spirit craven
The dawn brings in a brighter day.
CHORUS
No saviour from on high delivers
No trust we have in prince or peer
Our own right hand the chains must shiver
Chains of hatred, greed and fear.
Ere the thieves will out with their booty
And to all give a happier lot.
Each at his forge must do his duty
And strike the iron while its hot.
1 comment:
While the whole idea of class equality and the brotherhood of man and a united human race is great in theory, it will remain that, theory. I realize this could be sparking a big debate with you, but true equality is never going to be achieved because there will always be someone out there that sees the opportunity to take advantage of another, and by doing so, ruin the system for those two people, who will in turn be taken advantage of or take advantage of others, to "make things even". Even if that was not the case, and no one was taking advantage always be the perception by one person or another that they are getting the short end of the stick, and will do something, or have someone do something to rectify that. Equilibrium would just be too unstable. We've been trained by evolution that survival of the fittest is the only way to survive, and we can not fight that any more than we can fight the urge to procreate.
All that said, I think that social, economic, and racial equality is a good thing, and a great idea, and if it gets more people trying to be good to their fellow human, then I'm all for it.
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