Go, Man, Go! (1954)

Go, Man, Go! (1954)

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“We’re a team that’s going places — and in no time, we’ll be the greatest in the world!”

Synopsis:
Promoter Abe Saperstein (Dane Clark) and his assistant Inman Jackson (Sidney Poitier) bring the Harlem Globetrotters basketball team to fame.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

  • African-Americans
  • Basketball
  • Ruby Dee Films
  • Sidney Poitier Films

Review:
Never released on video or DVD, this underground cult favorite — directed by cinematographer James Wong Howe, and starring real-life Harlem Globetrotters Reece ‘Goose’ Tatum, ‘Sweetwater’ Clifton, and Marques Haynes — tells the inspirational story of the Trotters’ rise to fame during the first half of the 20th century. The story arc itself — small-time players make it big through talent, hard work, and the dogged perseverance of their committed leader — is rather conventional, as is the gratuitous subplot in which Saperstein meets and quickly weds his beauty-queen wife (Patricia Breslin). What’s much more interesting are the implicit racial dynamics at play, as the Trotters (considered merely clownish amateurs) repeatedly compete against “legitimate” all-white teams; one wishes this theme could be handled at least somewhat more overtly, though the film remains daring simply in its easy acceptance of (Jewish) Saperstein’s friendship with Poitier and the other team members.

It’s great fun to see the Trotters performing some of their classic routines — and even for non-sports fans, the final climactic game (against the Chicago Majors) is genuinely thrilling! Sidney Poitier (just 27 years old) is fine if a tad underused in one of his earliest roles, while “everyman” actor Dane Clark projects just the right level of enthusiasm and energy required of iconoclast Saperstein. It’s interesting to note that, with the exception of a few unusual camera angles, there isn’t really much evidence here of Howe’s masterful camerawork (though to be fair, it’s hard to accurately assess this, given the damaged quality of the bootleg I secured). Film fanatics will be curious to learn that the movie’s producer and screenwriter, Alfred Palca, was blacklisted and had his name taken off the film (the pseudonym Arnold Becker was used instead); click here to read more.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

  • Dane Clark as Abe Saperstein
  • Enjoyable footage of the Trotters’ comedic moves
  • The incredibly exciting final game of the film
  • Slim Galliard’s jazzy score

Must See?
Yes, as an underground cult favorite.

Categories

  • Cult Movie

Links:

One thought on “Go, Man, Go! (1954)”

  1. Agreed; a must as “an underground cult favorite”.

    A film for both lovers and haters of basketball. I do not like basketball. But, apparently, I like the Globetrotters.

    But, more than that, I like DP Wong Howe – as should most ffs – and it’s good news to report that one of his few forays into the director’s chair is a triumph. FFs who respect Wong Howe’s incredible body of work behind the camera owe it to themselves (and to him) to see this hard-to-find film. (And why is it so hard to find?)

    Wong Howe elicits fine performances from his cast (esp. Clark, Poitier and Breslin). And, more importantly, he takes on a subject that speaks to his own heart: the goal of perfection, of being among the best at what you do (a goal he obviously had set for himself in his chosen profession). Along the way, Wong Howe’s film also takes on the race issue, the open camaraderie of minorities, and the corruption of those behind-the-scenes calling the shots for highlight in sports. Mainly, this is a film about determination – but not handled in a manipulative way. This is a gutsy, realistic film – tempered with sincerity, humor and love.

    It’s a simple story well told. A fine find.

    [Side note: As it happens, Clark’s character has the name of the guy who delivers the baby in ‘Rosemary’s Baby’. Not that I’d read into any meaning there, but…hmm…]

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