Bojangles

Overview

Bojangles is an American biographical drama that chronicles the life of entertainer Bill "Bojangles" Robinson. This film boasts some incredible tap dance routines and a complicated, if not unique, interpretation of the main character by Gregory Hines, who also served as an executive producer. Starting with Robinson's funeral, including what looks like archival footage of the event, the film then plays out the biography in a straightforward manner as a flashback, both in color and black-and-white. In 1916, Robinson was a successful vaudeville performer and considered the finest tap dancer of his generation. At the peak of his career, he was the highest paid Black entertainer, but for all the joy he gave others, his life was anything but happy, there was a great deal of tragedy in himself. He died broke and penniless. When the American Civil War was still a living memory, segregation in public facilities was the rule, rather than the exception, and all sorts of strange and arbitrary regulations were aimed at keeping people of color in a separate and inferior position. On the vaudeville circuits there was what was known as the "two-colored rule"—no solo performances for black entertainers; at least two had to be on the stage. But Robinson started in the black-face productions and shocked people when he worked as a solo act. He also starred on Broadway and was a headliner in Canada, which did not have the same issues with racism as America, and while roles for black actors in Hollywood were severely limited at the time, Robinson managed to become a recognized screen star, headlining the musical Stormy Weather and appearing in a significant number of films with child star Shirley Temple.