I have recently watched the Green Book. As a musician, I really liked the movie, found it film successful in reflecting the story of a gay black guy in America in the 1960s.
I am not a movie critic nor can I judge people’s acting, but I was mesmerized by Viggo Morstensen’s acting. I watched this talented actor as the King Aragorn in The Lord of the Rings years ago. Today, he was not a king from Middle Earth but an Italian-American, as the actors in the movie The GodFather.
Plot of the Movie
The movie is based on a true story. The name of the movie comes from ”the negro motorist green book” which was a safe travel guide for blacks in America. Black people travelling to the south of the country had that book as a guide to avoid racism. In the 1960s many hotels and restaurants in the south did not serve black people.
The movie features the famous musician Don Shirley. The supporting character in the movie is Tony Vallelonga. Tony is an Italian-American living. One night the famous club he worked for was closed and he started to work as a driver and bodyguard for Don Shirley who went on a concert tour in the south. While the two main characters of the movie are completely opposite to each other, they embark on a journey.
Who is Don Shirley?
Donald Walbridge Shirley is an American classical music and jazz pianist and composer who lived between 1927-2013. He was amazingly talented. He started playing piano at a young age, and became the first black to study in Leningrad. He was a Doctor in music. Don Shiley, studied classical music, but he was not allowed to play white music, his record company made him play black music. He has a trio where he played piano, and two other guys playing cello and bass accompanied him. The band went on many tours in the USA.
Don Shirley was a very lonely man, he had the culture, education and incredible talent, he did not feel he belonged to the black world, but he was not accepted by the whites either. Moreover he is gay, and in the 1960s, homosexuality was not acceptable. He was alone. He does not even travel with his band in the same car. He has his own car and chauffeur. He drinks a lot of booze because he is unhappy. A very sad life.
Tony is a country man. Rude but sincere and pretty racist. He did not have black people around, at the beginning of the film we see that he is despised of black people from afar. He is a devoted wife and father. He is a suburbanite, he old habşts such as shoplifting make Doctor angry at him. At first he started working for money and in time the Doc and Tonny got closer and Tony confronted his racism.
We watch how Tony and Don influenced each other throughout the movie. The film shows the deep racism in the society by conveying anecdotes from the friendship of two different people and the social reflections of their different cultures. The scenario is written so skillfully to reflect the tension and understanding between them.
The film warmed my heart. Mahershala Ali definitely deserved the Oscars he received; I wish Viggo Morstensen was awarded the Best Actori, too.
If you haven’t watched this movie yet, stream it now on Netflix!
Anıl Uzun