Best Actor 2020: Chadwick Boseman in Ma Rainey's Black Bottom

Chadwick Boseman received his only Oscar nomination for portraying Levee Green in Ma Rainey's Black Bottom.

Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, which depicts a tumultuous recording session in 1927, feels like a bit of a missed opportunity. The play feels like a good starting point for a great screenwriter to expand it to something truly cinematic and special, akin to something like Amadeus. The material itself feels quite stagey with the little adapting done to the material. It doesn't help having George C. Wolfe as the director, who is better known as a stage director and it shows. There's just so many little moments that have a certain awkwardness to them, and there isn't any choices that really invigorate the film on a visual level. Additionally the more I spend time with the film, the more I feel that Viola Davis was wildly miscast, both due to lacking the vocal ability, and also perhaps is too aggressively serious as an actress for a role like Ma Rainey, which I think deserved a bit more vivaciousness. 

 

This film is notable for marking the final film of Chadwick Boseman. An actor who left us far too soon, and unlike many, it wasn't due to any tragic vice, just simple tragedy. An actor who managed to make a substantial cultural impact in such a short time in the spotlight from his progression of portrayals of various notable African Americans, and of course his role as T'Challa in Black Panther/MCU, which has already become a kind of cultural touchstone. I will admit for most of his career I saw Boseman as a rock solid leading man/movie star style performer. Someone you could always depend on even if you more or less get what you would expect. This by the way is not at all a slight, this as his presence alone was something remarkable in itself. And as limited as the roles were in some respects, you could see a talented actor there. This kind of expected Chadwick Boseman role was even found in his other 2020 film Da Five Bloods, which relied on that presence as a confident man of action. Boseman just was able to carry that quiet stoicism in a way that still was magnetic even if it often presented a degree of limitation in terms of the roles he was tasked to play. Of course all of that was not taking into account his final performance here as Levee Green in Ma Rainey. This being a performance that is entirely unlike anything else Boseman had done, and suggests perhaps there was an even greater actor beyond that of the one we had become familiar with.

Now forget Ma Rainey, because there is Levee Green here as the hot shot trumpet player and song writer determined to make a name for himself. I mean I already mentioned Boseman being magnetic, but actually his other performances honestly seem like warm ups compared to this one. Boseman's charisma here is at an all time high here, as he just seems to pierce through the screen here. This even in his first scene where he tries to steal the spotlight from Davis's Rainey during a musical performance through his Trumpet solo. Boseman successfully doing so, in part because his also dubbed trumpet playing is far more convincing than Davis's atrocious lip syncing, but also because this is just Boseman in this part, where he is the star of this show. Boseman storms into his first scene, into the major portion of the film which is the recording session, with the other band mates and eventually Ma Rainey. Levee walks in to show off his brand new shoes. He storms in with his considerable presence, and I think there is so much in just how Boseman approaches this first moment. This as he is brimming with energy and confidence. He's ready to make stamp on things and Boseman is fantastic in just exuding this glow of ambition. There's more to this then that though. This as Boseman from the outset is showing this man who is a whole lot more than you think. This just though in any situation he shows a man who charms first, and reveals himself later. The smile of his almost seemingly glued to his face, to create a kind of weaponized affability from the outset. 

Although the film is stagey, it is remarkable how well Boseman handles the dialogue, which can be a mouth fill in occasionally at times. It never seems as such though as Boseman delivers it with such ease and never does it interfere with his potent sense of character. Boseman seems born to play Levee here as he has so much comfort in this role, which is truly special when this is quite the complex man. This even in his initial discussion with the band-mates who each serve their kind of philosophies. Boseman measures his work so brilliantly in the way he makes his smile a weapon in a way. This as when they initially discuss about Levee's ambitions, which includes using his own arrangements for the recording session, Boseman wields his intensity so effectively. He becomes more upfront about it, albeit briefly, when anyone seems to relent in his favor, Boseman switches back to that smile and that charisma. He seems to encourage once again and becomes just the most agreeable sort again. Boseman is brilliant as just from the cursory look Levee makes you think he's just an affable young man who is eager to please. There is so much going on beneath the surface. An amazing moment early on is when Levee speaks to being all set to deal with the devil, much to the religious band mate Cutler(Colman Domingo)'s dismay. As Cutler questions this, there's a moment where Boseman loses his smile as he insists on his unpleasant background, it is honestly downright chilling as Boseman suggests something terrible that is bubbling just beneath the surface. 

There is a darkness within Boseman's work that is fascinating with the way he plays with it here. Boseman frankly makes the film for me, because when it does work, it's because he is being onscreen and is just so captivating to watch here. He is like a mater of ceremonies quite frankly for the film. This even in the way he handles the scene he has that potent energy in every motion he takes. Boseman doesn't waste his space and he never wastes an opportunity. When Ma Rainey doesn't use Levee's choice, Boseman again puts forth the frustrations again a real anger at seeing an authority oppress him. When it seems though he can't really bluff his way out, Boseman's smile returns and Levee attempts to reclaim the scene by mocking Ma Rainey's nephew who is given a small part in the recording due to nepotism. Suddenly Boseman shows Levee back on top of the world. He is loving the take down of the man and you see the man in power of the situation again. Boseman fashions this incredible duality that he never makes simplistic, though and so powerfully makes it this fluid aspect of his performance. There is a brief moment later where one of the recording execs suggests an opportunity for Levee to sell his songs. Boseman again charisma full blast a man as he is just so eager to please seemingly in selling himself to his way to a presumed top. When the man leaves though, Boseman's face hardens suddenly yet so naturally in showing the strict serious ambition within the man. The hardening though suggesting as much fear connected within the ambition as there is drive.

As the story progresses the first real indicator to the nature of Levee comes as he delivers a monologue to the other band-mates about his mother and father. I think there is a danger in delivering a dramatic monologue such as this, if the actor is not good enough it come off as very stiff very fast, well thankfully, Boseman's not just good he's great. This as he recalls it all with such an immaculate delivery. Boseman's performance has a certain almost nostalgia quality at first in telling of his father's early success, until beginning to speak of when white men came to rape his mother. Boseman naturally seguing to the memory of this on his face, as his eyes slowly develop tears in his eyes. You can feel the pain within Boseman's delivery. As he explains his attempt to save his mother, Boseman speaks with a real vulnerability of a very real wound that is felt within every word of his pained delivery. As he continues, he speaks to the story of his father, as a man who smiled towards his wife's attackers and simply left. Boseman is stellar as he continues to speak of his father going back to get revenge. He speaks with this understated joy and pride in the story just as there also is such a deep pain in speaking to his father's death. Boseman in this single monologue goes through every emotion of it with such ease. Making it such a  vivid and powerful story, but going even further. This even in his delivery as he explains the weapon of the smile, Boseman shows the thought within Levee's methods, and how the man has come to approach the world.

I think the only flaw here might be that Boseman is too good (not an actual flaw by the way), this as Levee's ambition is basically trying to steal Ma Rainey's thunder, Davis just is not on Boseman's level here. As he comes at here with that incisive intent Davis doesn't deliver the same, to the point I kind of wish the film just had been about Levee. This is even to the point, there is a moment where I frankly thought Boseman steals a scene just in maintaining his satisfied smile while Ma Rainey complains about not getting a coke. Boseman is THE star of the film, and honestly takes no prisoners here, as anyone playing Levee should as it would be against the very nature of the character to share the spotlight. And I have to admit, I love it, particularly since it is perfect for who Levee is as a character. This as Levee is trying to get everything Ma Rainey has, even her seeming mistress. In this moment of seduction Boseman is just exuding all the charm here, he just owns the moment like he owns every moment. He has not only the charm though, but this kind of drive in his eyes as the intention seems to be an accomplishment that is even beyond seducing a beautiful woman. The aggression within the smoothness that is so notable in Boseman's work. His confidence both fueled by his ambition and fueling his ambition. Boseman though effectively shows the progression within this is where an instability comes as the particular nature of Levee's ambition leads to his downfall.

 

As the other men press Levee on his beliefs, he pushes back particularly against Cutler's belief in God. This as he is initially mocking with little dismissive asides though with a bit affability, the surface of Levee that Boseman is projecting. As Cutler continues though the darkness of the man reveals itself all the more. As he listens to the story of a African American preacher who danced among a group of racists to survive. Boseman's face takes in the story even is incredible in showing the man both angry at the story, but also attached to his own plight. This as he further attacks Boseman brings forth such an intensity in his hatred towards God. Boseman though even in this shows this vulnerability within the attack, a man so wounded by his past experience that he has almost a personal vendetta against everyone who isn't him, which especially includes God. Boseman in the moment of calling out God, is filled with such a potent mix in his face of absolute rage and anguish. Boseman finds naturally the self-destructive tendency of the man who as much as he tries can't quite control himself. This leading to his firing by Ma Rainey and something far more extreme. This as the studio exec rejects Levee's songs. A great scene for Boseman again this as the smile is fading and his facade is becoming ever more desperate. His delivery becoming strained and falser by the second. The hostile man behind it all within the smile now out and ready to be seen. This leading Levee to stab band-mate Toledo for stepping on his shoe, a scene I think a bit bungled by Wolfe who doesn't know how to shoot it or pace it, yet it still works due to Boseman. This as Boseman shows all the hate in the man's heart no longer hidden by anything. Tears in his eyes, just such anxiety and pain in his voice. Levee a man with nothing but all his pains out in the open. Boseman showing the ambitious man now with out ambition as nothing but a broken man. Boseman finding the right heartbreak within the moment, by showing as much hate as there is in Levee, you sense it came from the abuse the world has given him over the years. This is an amazing performance by Chadwick Boseman. This as he realizes every potential, every bit of complexity and every bit of power within this tragedy of a man whose  distaste for the world finally overwhelms him. Even as much as I don't love the film as a whole, greatness is found by Boseman. This is outstanding work, that proved that in the end we didn't lose a good actor when Boseman passed, we lost a great one.