Native Son (1951)

In the gritty heart of 1940s Chicago, Bigger Thomas, a twenty-five-year-old African-American, struggles against the shackles of racial injustice, poverty, and his own restless dreams. Bigger lives in a dilapidated tenement with his devoutly religious mother Hannah, and his two younger siblings, Vera and Buddy. His aspiration for the American dream is but a distant echo, muffled by the color of his skin and his desperate survival instincts that lead him to petty crime, an aspect of his life that Hannah chooses to overlook. An unexpected opportunity arrives when he secures a job as a chauffeur for the affluent Dalton family, a wealthy white household, through an employment agency on the promise of leaving his criminal past behind. Though not his ideal future, Bigger sees the job as a stepping stone towards a better life with his girlfriend, Bessie Mears, a nightclub waitress harboring dreams of becoming a singer. The Dalton family, much like Hannah, turns a blind eye to the truth, their daughter Mary's rebellious nature, and her close ties with Jan Herlone, a known socialist. Mary and Jan's wild exploits and socio-political beliefs expose them to a world beyond their affluent bubble. Amidst this social tumult, Bigger finds himself entangled in a tragic incident, where he accidentally kills Mary after a drunken escapade. This sparks a downward spiral for Bigger, who, driven by fear of racial prejudice in this privileged white world, tries to conceal his terrible mistake. As he navigates this treacherous terrain, Bigger's actions reveal a man trapped in a web of fear, where every move to assert his innocence only pulls him deeper into the pit of guilt. "Native Son" is a stark exploration of race, class, and the personal battles one must fight in a world that refuses to acknowledge their truth.

Native Son is a drama movie featuring Richard Wright.

Native Son is currently streaming for free (ad-supported) on Kanopy.

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