Clint Vs. Spike: Eastwood Misses the Point of Lee's Criticism

By Trey Ellis, Huffington Post. Posted June 11, 2008.

As is typical in this kind of exchange, the white accused of racism fails to understand the subtlety of the black complaint.

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In this "post-racial" world this latest dust-up between Clint Eastwood and Spike Lee seems decidedly old-fashioned. I cringed when I read about it and sincerely hope that the next big fight between a legendary but crotchety old white guy and a brash younger black guy remains much more civil.

In the Eastwood-Lee feud Lee clearly has historical accuracy on his side. In establishing scenes on Iwo Jima with hundreds of extras Eastwood whitewashed the black soldiers unloading munitions on the beach. Along with telling Lee to "shut his face," Eastwood went on mischaracterize Lee's complaint. "The story is Flags of Our Fathers, the famous flag-raising picture, and they didn't do that. If I go ahead and put an African-American actor in there, people'd go: 'This guy's lost his mind.' I mean, it's not accurate."

Lee responded: "I never said he should show one of the other guys holding up the flag as black. I said that African-Americans played a significant part in Iwo Jima," he said. "For him to insinuate that I'm rewriting history and have one of the four guys with the flag be black ... no one said that. It's just that there's not one black in either film. And because I know my history, that's why I made that observation."

What is typical in this discourse is the white accused of racism not fully understanding the relative subtlety of the black complaint. Full understanding wasn't helped by the fact that the criticism came from Spike Lee, famous for his unvarnished talk. What Clint is missing here is that Spike has mellowed considerably as he's grown into one of the most interesting filmmakers working today (along with Mr. Eastwood). Yes, Spike was young and wrong when he complained about Eastwood tackling Charlie Parker in Bird, but that was back in 1988.

Eastwood needs to understand that Obama's breakthrough is about the future but there is still a lot of past out there where we have not yet gotten our due. It was not until a film I worked on, The Tuskegee Airmen, came out on HBO that these exceptional black pilots entered American popular culture.

See more stories tagged with: race, movies, spike lee, clint eastwood

Trey Ellis is the author of Bedtime Stories: Adventures in the Land of Single-Fatherhood.

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What?! [Report this comment] Posted by: common_sense on Jun 11, 2008 8:21 PM Current rating: 4 [1 = poor; 5 = excellent] The percentage of black soldiers at Iwo Jima was less than 1%. I bet the percentage of the cast was higher. Spike Lee should be called out for the racist that he is. Bringing up plantations in his rebuttal? Isn't that a little dramatic? What was the purpose of mentioning Obama? He has nothing to do with the story. That was a very weak tie-in. [« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5] middleman [Report this comment] Posted by: middleman on Jun 11, 2008 9:55 PM Current rating: 2 [1 = poor; 5 = excellent] It seems to me that Spike and Trey have missed the point of the movie Flags of Our Fathers. The issue of racism was presented quite succinctly by Eastwood. Ira Hays, a Pima Indian, was one of the flag raisers who was exploited by our government. His treatment by the American public was documented in that film. For Spike to have ignored that is to ignore the contributions to the war by Native Americans. Another issue that Spike ignores is that of PTSD, a condition that was not recognized in WWII but never the less very real. Clint was right when he said "... a guy like that should shut his mouth". Which is an inference that Spike knows not of what he is speaking. Oh! and what the heck does Obama have to do with this. Trey you and Spike do not hide your prejudices. [« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5] My Opinion Is [Report this comment] Posted by: desidid on Jun 12, 2008 6:38 AM Current rating: 3 [1 = poor; 5 = excellent] Lee was wrong, not because Blacks weren't represented, but because Clint Eastwood has been one of the few directors, who has consistantly employed Black actors in his films. I think he is well aware of the racism that exists in Hollywood, and he does what he can not to be a part of it. I wish this tiff would end because, I consider Clint Eastwood a friend not just to the Black community, but the community of humanity. [« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5] Lola [Report this comment] Posted by: lolawell on Jun 15, 2008 8:06 AM Current rating: Not yet rated [1 = poor; 5 = excellent] Clint Eastwood has made powerful films that have opened our minds including on the issue of prejudice. Lee is speaking out of obvious jelously that he has not dealt with as his latest comments echo those of Birdie. It would be great if Lee actually did a powerful movie that compared to the potential greatness he showed in Do the Right Thing. Clint gets better with age, but Lee has not. For Spike Lee reaching for racism as he is bound to do always is dishonest and unfair in this case. Has anybody analyzed the way Lee portrays other minorities (not to mention women)in his movies? I agree with the first comment what does Obama have to do with this? [« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5] Spike Lee is on a par with Clint Eastwood in every way. [Report this comment] Posted by: Longdream on Jun 15, 2008 3:09 PM Current rating: 4 [1 = poor; 5 = excellent] In terms of vision, directorial excellence, knowledge of how to fascinate, how to excite controversy and debate, and how to get a point across. They're equals, I think, in everything but mainstream backing. Eastwood gets money that Lee doesn't, and Eastwoods pictures are seen on more screens than Lee's ever would be. Lee doesn't want people messing with his message, and maybe turns down a lot of backing that would do that. I don't know. On the other hand, who tells Clint Eastwood what to do? To be fair, Spike Lee doesn't make commercial movies. He makes human movies, that enrage us, that make us fight, think and cry. His documentaries, 4 Little Girls and When the Levees Broke are heart and soul documentaries that stand up with the finest of the genre. I own both of them, and all of his other work. So, Spike wanted to see more black faces in Eastwood's movie? If Lee had said it to me, I'd have taken him seriously. [« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5] Spike Lee is devolving into self-parody [Report this comment] Posted by: fanny666 on Jun 17, 2008 4:03 PM Current rating: Not yet rated [1 = poor; 5 = excellent] Somebody says "shut up" and Spike can only hear "shut up, nigger." Clint Eastwood was not being racist when he told Spike to shut his face, so why did Spike respond by suggesting that Eastwood is not only a racist but a slave owner? Ridiculous. Spike had the high ground until he pulled that out. Eastwood might be accused of being inaccurate, or of being an idiot by saying "shut your face" but a racist is something entirely different. Calling racism when racism is not there does more harm than good. It makes people think that all accusations of racism might just be crying wolf. [« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5] » RE: Spike Lee's point. Posted by: Longdream Trey Ellis...Do Your Homework! [Report this comment] Posted by: HeadPhonesOn on Jun 22, 2008 4:55 AM Current rating: Not yet rated [1 = poor; 5 = excellent] Clint Eastwood "needs" to understand nothing. What an annoying and over-used phrase! Individuals are more than capable of determining their own need. Eastwood's film was based on historic fact related specifically to the Iwo Jima's flag raisers and devoted to that premise. The film DID incorporate the racial struggle of a Native American flag raiser. There were simply no African American Iwo Jima flag-raisers. Clint Eastwood directed Morgan Freeman to his ONLY academy award and is working with Freeman again in an upcoming film in which Freeman will portray South African president Nelson Mandela. Clint Eastwood has a wide-ranging history of work with African Americans and had every right to respond to the race card played by Lee. Lee's subsequent "we're not on the plantation" response was not only ridiculous but a big racial step backward. I hardly think that Obama would approve. [« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

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» RE: Spike Lee's point. Posted by: Longdream