FRIDAY, OCTOBER 23, 1981
THE BENNETT BANNER
PAGE THREE
Mark your ballot Black
Because Greensboro Blacks have traditionally been meagerly
represented in municipal affairs and because of the solid creden
tials of the following people, we should like to recommend four
candidates for City Council in the Nov. 3 election—Prince E.
Graves, Alexander Parker, Katie G. Dorsett and Dorothy
Bardolph.
Graves, 58, is currently filling the council seat vacated by
Jimmie I. Barber. According to reporter Mehnda Lowery,
Graves, the pastor of St. James Baptist Church, cites the need
for more low-income housing as one of the city’s most pressing
problems. He advocates a coordinated effort by public agencies,
civic organizations and businesses to end an emergency situation
which is impeding municinal growth and contributing, in a
variety of ways, to social ills.
Recognizing the dilemmas of unemnloyment. Graves urges
the creation of imaginative programs to put citizens back to
work and the use of incentives for the private sector to give
voung people summer jobs. The revitalization of downtown
Greensboro would create more jobs and give the city an economic
boost.
The pastor maintains that “illiteracv is growing in Greens
boro.” It can be counteracted “through the development of more
adult basic education programs . . . Civic leaders, public and
nrivate industries can render assistance in developing these
programs bv providing facilities, establishing transportation
services and recruiting volunteer services.”
Parker, 48. owns Red Haneer Formal Wear and the College
Barber Shop. “I have been in business for 25 years,” he says.
“I started as a college student and grew from a small business
with ten tuxedos in a dormitory room on (the A&T) campus to
a large business with nearly 80 tuxedos. I am not bragging. In
stead, I want to stimulate other students coming from meager
societies (such as Mount Gilead) to believe that with hard work
and sacrifice you can reach your goals in life.”
In an interview with reporter Diane M. Ewings, Parker listed
affordable housing, job opportunities and water supplies for the
future as major concerns which the next administration must
solve. He favors the use of government subsidies to alleviate
the housing shortage. On the issue of unemployment, he points
out the “need to speak to the conscience of private sectors, to
upgrade those (who are) under-employed and to address pro
grams that will re-train (workers) to meet the needs of indus
try.” Worried about water, Parker sees the city supply as “okay
for now, but we need to start planning for 30 years down the
road.”
Bardolph and Dorsett are women of vision. The former is a
Bennett College professor emeritus of history and government,
who taught here for 21 years. Dorsett is an associate professor
of business at A&T. Completing her first term in the council,
Bardolph was the top vote-getter in the recent councilmanic
run-off, gaining surprising support in all areas of the city. She
and Dorsett are both well-versed in the problems troubling the
Black community.
In the mayoral race, we back the candidacy of Vic Nussbaum
over John Forbis. A long-time supporter of solving city housing
difficulties and of an equitable ward system, Nussbaum will be
a mayor that all segments of the Greensboro population can get
along with. Forbis, on the other hand, serves the interests of the
affluent northwest section of town—an area which has controlled
city government for far too long.
Duvall, De Niro explode
James Baldwin’s
A ■
James Baldwin’s visit will include
Bowling Green’s Champion, Perry
by Tamara
“True Confessions,” starring
Robert De Niro and Robert Duvall,
is a triumph, a film that delivers
on every promise made by its
advance publicity.
The movie, distinguished by
masterful characterizations, ex
amines the intricate relationship
between the two middle-aged
Spellacy brothers — Desmond, a
monsignor (De Niro), and Thomas,
a detective (Duvall). In the be
ginning, the former is pious and
the latter profane, but, as the story
progresses, the two seem to change
roles. Yet, in the conclusion, the
brothers, in separate ways, reach
a moral balance, and the movie
becomes a study of hard-won
virtue.
There is a great deal for the
Spellacys to fight — the demons
within themselves as well as the
corruption in their professional
spheres. The necessarily lurid plot,
a flashback framed by two
present-tense scenes, focuses on
depravity in Los Angeles in the
post-World War II forties. The
story opens with Duvall investi
gating the death of a priest in a
whorehouse and then is compli
cated by the “Virgin Tramp” mur
der—the case of a prostitute whose
corpse is discovered cut in half.
Duvall learns that powerful
members of his brother’s parish
are implicated in the crime. The
triumph of decency in “True
Confessions” is revealed in the
brothers’ resolution of the case.
The narration succeeds by cut
ting constantly from the grim,
mayhem-filled detective’s world
to the lavish, privileged princedom
of the monsignor. Gradually, the
borders of the two territories
touch, overlap and then merge.
The script, written by John
Gregory Dunne and Joan Didion
and based on Dunne’s novel, pre
sents two round, fully developed
characters—a rarity in contempo
rary Hollywood where razzle-
dazzle is far more important than
the illumination of the human
heart. Duvall, less celebrated than
De Niro despite his brilliant por
trayals in “The Great Santini,”
“Apocalypse Now,” and “The
Godfather,” receives the richer,
more complex role, and he takes
command of the entire enterprise.
Thomas Spellacy is half-weasel
and half-saint, and the greatest
pleasure in viewing, the film is for
the audience to follow his spiritual
progress, Thomas is an extraordi
nary figure because, as a previous
ly corrupt cop, he profits from and
overcomes his sin. Early in the
tale, his heart seems to be packed
in dry ice, but gradually an in
stinct for valor begins to scrape
away the ice as if the detective’s
soul has grown claws. If you listen
closely to Duvall’s taut, many
angled interpretation, you can al
most hear the chipping sounds,
De Niro, playing a prelate who
must renounce his love of power,
is exceptional as always. He is the
most versatile of American lead
ing men, moving effortlessly from
inarticulate characters like Jake
LaMotta in “Raging Bull” and
Travis Bickle in “Taxi Driver” to
an articulate figure in “True Con
fessions.” The only reason his
performance doesn’t match Du
vall’s is that Desmond Spellacy
doesn’t have as many edges as
his brother.
The supporting cast is outstand
ing. The film resembles a first-
rate novel that abounds in inter
esting characters. The famous
British actor Cyril Cusack is ex
cellent as a bishop who conducts
himself like the chairman of the
board of General Motors, B'urgess
Meredith is effective as a mon
signor who feels that he has lost
touch with his calling.
by Karen Heck
Connoiseurs of night life re
ceived exclusive tables at Harlem’s
legendary Savoy during the annual
Faculty-Staff Follies presented
Oct, 3 on behalf of the United
Negro College Fund.
Mrs, Blonnie Tipton imagi
natively produced the show, im
plementing an idea by public
relations officer Myra Davis, As
always, Dr. Charlotte Alston was
a prime mover at the piano. In
contrast to previous Follies, the
1981 revue reduced the cast and
showcased more genuine talent.
The show opened with an ex
cellent rendition of Duke Elling
ton’s “Take the ‘A’ Train” per
formed by a trio consisting of Carl
Foster, Paul Foster and Jimmy
Letters to tlie editor:
(Continued from Page 2)
of Greensboro, and one doesn’t
have to walk too far to classes.
The students seem to be friendly
and serious about their educations.
All of my teachers are helpful,
smart and seem to be dedicated
to their work, I am proud to be
a part of the Bennett body again
and plan to complete my under
graduate studies here.
Good luck to all the Bennett
sisters this year and always!
H, Stevenson-Smith
But it is Charles Durning who,
as the villain, dominates the sub
ordinate actors. Durning, serves as
a pompous, hypocritical, indescrib
ably obscene layman who makes
“contributions” to Desmond Spel-
lacy’s parish like a medieval orgi-
ast purchasing papal indulgences.
In a movie loaded with blazing
encounters, perhaps the most pow
erful scene involves the detective’s
discovery of the place where
the “Virgin Tramp” has been bi
sected, Entering a dark, narrow
warehouse used as a set for porno
graphic movies, Duvall strips the
curtains off the windows to admit
the light and find the evidence. In
one sense, he is solving a heinous
crime; in another sense, amidst the
seedy trappings and the trail of
blood, he is locating what is best
within himself, for thereafter he
turns his life around. Out of dev
astation, one man saves himself.
“True Confessions” is a modern
morality play featuring two of the
best actors ever to appear on the
American screen. You can’t afford
to miss it.
Williams, Ellington songs are re
gaining popularity as a result of
the Broadway smash-hit, “Sophis
ticated Ladies,” which highlights
the composer’s musical career,
Ouida Scarborough, residence
life director, gave an interpreta
tion of “Birth of the Blues” that
was both sweet and howling. The
crowd crowed for an encore, and
Scarborough gave the people more.
Another especially magnetic
number was “I’m Looking Over
a Four-Leaf Clover” rendered by
the high-pitched, harmonizing
Mills Brothers, played by Presi
dent Isaac H. Miller, Jr.; Dr. Chel
sea Tipton, dean of the college;
Dr. John T, McDonald; and learn
ing center specialist Reginald
Treadwell,
Subsequent songs featured the
crooning of heart-throb Miller
with “They Try to Tell Us We’re
Too Young” and the soft, tenor
voice of Treadwell’s “In My Sol
itude.” The young gentleman was
sure to clutch the mike with his
right hand, thus exposing his gold
pinkie ring.
The women in the audience
swooned repeatedly throughout
the deliveries of Miller and Tread
well, the former possessing the
style of a Joe Williams and the
latter resembling Johnny Mathis,
The ladies in the revue provided
equally winning vocalizations.
Wearing a sparkling silver gown
and long rhinestone earrings. Dean
(From Page 1)
spends a term each year at
Bowling Green as the distin
guished visiting professor of
ethnic studies, a department
which Champion chairs and
in which Perry serves as an
Fine novel fixes on
by Karen Heck and Evelyn Sims
James Baldwin’s “Just Above
My Head” (1979) is narrated by
Hall Montana who painfully and
lovingly reveals his deep love for
his younger brother Arthur, a
gospel singer whose death pro
vides the motivation for Hall’s
remembrances.
Shifting in locale from Harlem
to the Deep South to Paris and
containing several major charac
ters, Baldwin’s big novel has won
the admiration of readers and
reviewers across the country.
a bash
of student Affairs Phyllis Forte
Ethridge offered a saucy, shaking
version of Fats Waller’s “Ain’t
Misbehavin’,” Although Savoy
patrons McDonald and Ms, Motla-
lepula Chabaku, women’s studies
adviser in residence, tried to up
stage Ethridge by dancing wildly,
the new administrator kept com
mand of the spotlight.
Associate professor Mary Jane
Crawford, arrayed in a peacock-
blue evening gown, sang “Satin
Doll,” and her energy rivalled the
brilliance of her dress. She was a
big blue flame that couldn’t have
been any brighter.
The most polished and pro
fessional act of the night may have
been the dancing of physical edu
cation instructors Susan King and
Inez Rovegno and staff members
Carolyn Mark and Lisa Mitchell,
Perhaps the capstone of the eve
ning was associate media coordi
nator Pauline Wyrtch’s imitation
of Moms Mabley, Wyrtch has been
a stalwart trouper in past Follies,
but this year she rocketed far be
yond her previous stellar per
formances, Her raw humor
brought everyone to hysterical
laughter. She even sang and told
jokes at the same time.
The grand finale, a dance revue
including the whole cast, elicited
choruses of cheers. The faculty
and staff proved that the stage
and brigjit lights can make anyone
a star.
mm
Businessman Alexander Parker is
among the councilmanic candidates
that the "Banner” prefers. The
others are Prince T. Graves,
Katie Dorsett, and Dorothy Bardolph.
associate professor. Accord
ing to Lucier, “Champion
specializes in Afro-American
literature while Perry special
izes mostly in Black culture.”
The guest scholars plan to
visit classes.
family strength
In many ways, the success of
the book signals a comeback for
one of America’s most tenacious
writers, for B'aldwin’s last novel,
“If Beale Street Could Talk,” was
belittled and under-appreciated
by some critics.
Late in the novel. Hall says: “In
my experience . . . the strangest
people in one’s life are the people
one has known and loved, still
know and will always love.” The
attempt to define and understand
these figures serves as Hall’s
mission.
There are two forces at war in
the story. The first is violence,
represented by racial murder and
incestuous rape committed against
Julia Miller, who is rescued by
her relationship with the Montana
family. The second is overwhelm
ing love, which infuses the “blood”
members of the Montana family
and the victims who become their
extended family.
The Montanas are one of the
strongest, most devoted families in
contemporary literature. Florence,
the mother, constantly fights to
relieve the suffering of those
within her ken. Paul, the father,
a jazz pianist, passes on his pas
sion for music and his magisterial
decency to his sons, Arthur be
comes a singer; Hall becomes a
protector and gentle watchman.
Two of the main characters are
mightily talented—Arthur, who
finds fame just before his death,
and Julia, whose innocence is con
sumed by her precocity at
preaching.
Sex complicates both young
lives, Joel, Julia’s weak and frus
trated father, rapes Julia when she
quits preaching and serving as his
meal ticket. He then uses her often
for his bedroom pleasures. She
later becomes a model, and, in an
attempt to find herself, interrupts
a successful career for a stay in
Africa,
Arthur, on a tour through the
South with the Trumpets of Zion,
falls in love with his boyhood
friend Crunch. The portrait of the
creation, growth and destruction
of the Harlem quartet is one of
the most powerful sequences in
the novel. One beloved member,
(See Page 4)
Faculty Follies is