Strange Fruit

Dir. Joel Katz

The first half of an interesting documentary double-bill, both exploring the background behind an art work, in this case, the song “Strange Fruit”. I remember the first time I heard “Strange Fruit”. It was the Billie Holiday version - her voice on the tip of heartbreak; the stark, specific images; that beautiful, spare piano. I’ve since heard many of the other versions cited by this documentary, but it’s the Holiday version that’s seered into my mind. It wouldn’t be my song of the millennium (as Time magazine called it) but it’s close. Lynching - how could anyone be so inhumane? I remember seeing the photos from the “Without Sanctuary” exhibition - they just break your heart.

The revelation that Abel Meeropol adopted the Rosenberg children after their parents were executed really surprised me: showed the levels of connection within the Progressive movement, I think… Ratio of films with male-peeing scenes to total films seen: 5/10. Ah, the bawdiness is down.