GREEN BOOK
Film Review by Marlene Ardoin
I suppose we should thank the makers of “Green Book” for bringing the life of a brave, civil rights era, Black classical pianist, Dr. Don Shirley, to the Academy Awards.
But, did you know that Shirley’s father was a friend of Martin Luther King, Jr? Dr. Shirley was active in the civil rights movement, friends with Dr. King, present for the march in Selma, and close friends with Black musicians—from Nina Simone to Duke Ellington and Sarah Vaughn—Dr. Shirley was also very much a part of his family’s lives.
Did you know that Shirley’s main motivation for doing a musical tour in the deep south was to raise the consciousness in that area? When he was studying psychology, he came up with the idea of doing his tour, to show that Blacks were capable of much more, if given the chance.
Did you know that his father was an Episcopal priest at St Cyprian’s church in Pensacola, Florida?
Did you know that Shirley was a piano prodogy at age 2?
Did you know that Shirley earned doctorates in Music, Psychology, and Liturgical Arts? In the times when his career was stunted, he would retreat into academia. He earned three doctorate degrees, spoke eight languages and was an accomplished painter.
Did you know that he considered becoming a psychologist and a professor, when he found it hard to make a living as a pianist?
Did you know that his other three brothers also had doctorate degrees?
And, did you know that his mother was a teacher, who died when Shirley was 9 years old?
If you did know these facts, you did not get it from the film, because “Green Book” was all about the driver, when it rightfully should have been all about the pianist.
And for the record, Dr. Don Shirley did not come out as gay during his lifetime. Other than in this film, there is no proof that he was gay.
Don Shirley did marry when he was 25 years old, but was forced to let go of the relationship, because he could not finance both an uphill career and a family.
When Shirley was 83 years old, in 2010, he was evicted from his beloved artist’s apartment above Carnegie Hall, where he lived for 50 years.
Dr. Don Shirley died at age 86 in 2013.
I suppose Dr. Don Shirley’s memorial is this film, “Green Book,” but just not like his family may have imagined it.
Pianist Don Shirley: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don_Shirley
Real Vs Reel:
https://shadowandact.com/the-real-donald-shirley-green-book-hollywood-swallowed-whole https://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/28/nyregion/28carnegie.html http://www.historyvshollywood.com/reelfaces/green-book/
Actor Viggo Mortensen: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viggo_Mortensen
Actor Mahershala Ali: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahershala_Ali
Director Peter Farrelly: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Farrelly
Writer Nick Vallelonga: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0885014/bio
1/24/2019 # Green Book