Cane River is a 1982 American romantic drama film that was lost until its rediscovery in 2013 and its subsequent re-release in 2018 and beyond. It was written, produced, and directed by Horace B. Jenkins. The film features the lives of African Americans in the US state of Louisiana. While the film premiered in New Orleans, Louisiana, in 1982, Horace Jenkins died before the film could be released in New York City and beyond. The film was considered lost until a negative was recovered in 2013.
The film was subsequently restored, and a digitally remastered version of the film screened at the 2018 New Orleans Film Festival on , 2018, after having been unseen for 36 years. Distributor Oscilloscope released it in select theaters in the United States in February 2020. During the COVID-19 pandemic, it was available via virtual cinema before premiering on The Criterion Collection's The Criterion Channel in May 2020. In the following August, Cane River was released on home video.
Following its re-release, Cane River received critical acclaim. Highly rated on Rotten Tomatoes and Metacritic, it was lauded for its exploration of racial history and blending romance with political undertones. Despite some noted technical limitations, critics highlighted its pioneering portrayal of black experiences and its significance in American cinema.
Synopsis
The New Orleans Film Society described the film, "Cane River is set near Natchitoches, in one of the first 'free communities of color.' Richard Romain plays Peter Metoyer, home to fight for his land, and Tommye Myrick plays the headstrong Maria Mathis, reluctant to succumb to his charms just because he's the scion of a famous family. Together they confront schisms of class and color that threaten to keep them apart and that still roil America today."
Themes
Cane River delves into the intricacies of independence and the burdens of personal and collective history. A significant focus is placed on racial identities, emphasizing the interplay between race, class, and societal structure. The economic disparities prevalent in society are not left unaddressed, along with the legacy of Black American history.
The story also touches upon the nuances of forbidden romance, and the web of relationships that individuals navigate through. History, both personal and cultural, especially as it pertains to Louisiana, is a recurring theme, The film sheds light on the importance of personal and collective identity, intellect, and the significance of one's roots.
Racial complexities and the trauma of slavery are meticulously explored, further delving into the caste systems that still have remnants in society. Themes of love are omnipresent, intertwined with land ownership and its implications. Lastly, the film brings to the fore conflicts revolving around class and skin color, emphasizing the significance of heritage.
Production
Horace B. Jenkins filmed Cane River in New Orleans and Natchitoches Parish in the US state of Louisiana; St Augustine Church in Isle Brevelle was used in some scenes. Plantation scenes were filmed on the Melrose Plantation. The production involved an all-black crew and featured an all-black cast. The film was financed by the prominent Rhodes family in New Orleans.
Sidney Poitier's daughter Pamela was originally cast as the female lead Martha Mathis, but she dropped out of the production and was replaced by Tommye Myrick. Richard Romain played the male lead. For swimming scenes, Romain taught Myrick how to swim.
The film's soundtrack includes music by New Orleans vocalist Phillip Manuel.
Release
Premiere in 1982
Cane River premiered in New Orleans, Louisiana in 1982. The New York Times said at the time, it was "already a rarity: a drama by an independent black filmmaker, financed by wealthy black patrons and dealing with race issues untouched by mainstream cinema". Jenkins sought to have a national distribution of the film and its soundtrack, but he died on , 1982, at age 42. Cane River was scheduled to screen in New York City in February 1983, but with his death, the film went unreleased. Richard Pryor, who saw a screening of Cane River before Jenkins's death, had offered to place the film with the studio Warner Bros., with whom he had an agreement to distribute films made by African-Americans, but its producers declined the offer.
