67. Mark of the Hawk: Hollywood, Propaganda, and the Battle for African Independence

Did you know that Sydney Poitier once starred as a Nigerian anti-colonial leftist? Can an obviously anti-communist film also be entertaining, commendable, and even (somewhat) accurate? In this episode we present our reactions to the 1957 film: The Mark of the Hawk, arguably the best reactionary film every made about Nigeria.

Starring Sidney Poitier and Eartha Kitt and shot in Enugu, this film explores the theme of violence and colonialism from different groups within the anti-colonial movement and the colonial government in the waning days of British rule in Nigeria. While giving us a window into what Hollywood thought of decolonization in Africa, the film also shows us different approaches that different parts of the Nigerian society took towards decolonization, revolution, and nation building.

We attempted to evaluate the picture both as a piece of art and as political propaganda. Using different characters to represent sections and sentiments of religious and business interests, the film acts as a message to societies that were seeking to throw off the cloak of colonial power in the late 50s and early 60s.

What was the goal of the filmmakers? Is the film a genius blend of liberal pacifism and anti-communist McCarthyism? Was the movie a cautionary tale about the Zikists?

If you are interested, have answers and also want to listen to Eartha Kitt speak Igbo, listen to the episode to know whether you should also check the movie out.

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