TCM is celebrating the life and work of Harry Belafonte this summer. The channel announced a couple of tributes to the actor and humanitarian. In a press release, they showcased a block of programming from his daughter Shari Belafonte on Monday July 10. The 1959 film Odds Against Tomorrow paired her father with Robert Ryan. For more with him, July 16 will see Bright Road air as a part of a “Disability in the Movies” spotlight. Then, on Saturday July 22, TCM is remembering Harry Belafonte with Carmen Jones starting at 8pm followed by The World, the Flesh and the Devil at 10pm. Both of these are great pictures that rarely get played on other networks, it’s worth the watch. Here’s the full schedule for the tributes down below!
Videos by ComicBook.com
TCM Guest Programmer Shari Belafonte – Monday, July 10
8:00 PM – Odds Against Tomorrow (1959) – Desperate losers plan a bank robbery with unexpected results.
TCM Remembers Harry Belafonte – Saturday, July 22
8:00 PM – Carmen Jones (1955) – A sultry factory worker seduces a young soldier then dumps him for another man.
10:00 PM – The World, the Flesh and the Devil (1959) – One woman and two men are the only people left alive after a nuclear disaster.
Harry Belafonte’s Historic and Social Impact
BET.com previously talked to the star last year. In their conversation, Belafonte touched on his career and the link between the 60s civil rights movement and today’s struggles for equality. “As a singer and an activist, I found this to be true: You can cage the singer, but you cannot cage the song. This is a very potent philosophy. The impact of art is irreversible, and I think it’s the same when young people learn their true history,” he said about young people using social media to teach Black history lessons. “You can ban the lesson plan — and across the country, we see that they are doing just that — but you can’t stop the impact of that knowledge from taking root in the minds of young people. Those who are teaching Black history in ways that reach our young people and the masses are doing critically important work.”
In another interview with NPR from 2011, he traced his activist legacy back to his mother. The actor was trying to make a difference, even as he turned 90 years old. Belafonte recalled, “She was tenacious about her dignity not being crushed. And one day, she said to me — she was talking about coming back from a day when she couldn’t find work. Fighting back tears, she said, ‘Don’t ever let injustice go by unchallenged.’”
Will you be watching any of these movies? Let us know down in the comments!
