THE SIMPLE LIFE OF NOAH DEARBORN
US, 1999, 95 minutes, Colour.
Sidney Poitier, Diane Wiest, Mary- Louise Parker, George Newbern, Bernie Casey.
Directed by Gregg Champion.
When Sidney Poitier was 71 he made this pleasing film for television, The Simple Life of Noah Dearborn. It is a film about a good man, and making a film about goodness is a very difficult task. Drama is the conflict between good and evil, and evil is generally fascinating for us all. There is conflict in this film so it works well as a drama. It is just that the figure of goodness, Noah himself, played with great dignity by Sidney Poitier, is such a strong and admirable character.
This performance from 1999 reminds us of the role that Poitier himself played in bringing African American characters to the screen when this was something the Hollywood studios were not so ready to do unless the performers played maids or were comedians. It was in 1950 that Poitier starred in a serious drama, No Way Out. He was one of the students in the controversial Blackboard Jungle in 1954. If you wanted to see a fine early Poitier character, A Man is Ten Feet Tall (1957) is very impressive.
But it was his Oscar-winning role in the 1963 Lilies of the Field, a builder putting up a church for some nuns who had escaped from East Germany, that brought him to greater attention, winning the Academy Award for the year of Civil Rights demonstrations, the march on Washington and Martin Luther King’s ‘I have a dream’ speech.
Most will remember his peak in the mid-1960s with the genial teacher of To Sir, with Love, the unexpected guest in Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner and the strong detective of In the Heat of the Night. These were roles that consolidated the screen presence of African Americans. The Academy honoured his life and career in a special Oscar in 2001.
A lot of the qualities of his popular films can be found in The Simple Life of Noah Dearborn.
Noah is aged 91. He certainly does not look it and his vigour in his carpentry work and his generous labour for townspeople belies his age. But, it is the end of the 20th century and the key word is ‘development’. Noah is about to become the victim of corporate greed, younger lawyers working for investors who want to buy his land, inherited from his father, and set up a shopping centre. This has been a favourite theme for many films, the ‘little person’, the underdog who holds out against the business giants and their pressure.
When Christian Nelson (George Newbern) wants to oust Noah from his land because of mental incompetence, he sends his psychiatrist girlfriend, Valerie (Mary-Louise Parker) to visit him and make an assessment. Noah sees right though her. But, she is charmed and returns again and again to ask him questions. We, the audience, discover more about Noah and his simple life along with her.
Born in 1908, Noah loses his parents during his teen years but is mentored as a carpenter by his uncle and friend, Silas. The film provides a number of flashbacks so that we see and understand Noah better, especially in his talent as a carpenter and Silas’s advice to focus and concentrate on his talent.
The consequence is that he has lived alone, working hard during the day, sleeping at night (he has no electricity), never relating deeply to anyone. Through this simple life he has survived. He is a man of respect, responsibility, generosity, all trustworthy qualities. The townspeople have trusted him with their buildings and their repairs.
Ultimately, he is touched by Valerie’s concern and help. While he has experienced friendship, especially with the café owner, Sarah (Diane Wiest). It is through his time with and his concern about Valerie that he learns a little about love.
There are many warm moments in the film but the cast avoids sentimentality. In fact, Valerie tells Noah it is all right to be angry and, to our amazement, he does burst out unexpectedly. The evil is represented by contemporary greed and a belief in progress at any cost. The simple life gives the lie to this way of business and exploitation, especially of people’s lives and values.
Noah is a good man. Sarah says that the townspeople’s opinion is that, if God were to go on holidays, he would stay with Noah.
1.The appeal of the film? A film about goodness? Goodness versus evil?
2.The Georgia settings, Noah’s property, house, the interiors made by himself, the streets and the countryside, the town, the diner? The contrast with the law offices, psychiatrists’ rooms? The musical score?
3.The title, Sidney Poitier as Noah Dearborn? Aged ninety-one, people not believing this, looking up the records, seeing the photos, his contribution to building the town? The repairs?
4.The flashbacks, Noah as a boy, with his parents, his mother’s care for him, his father’s illness and death? Silas as his uncle and friend, training him in carpentry, his continued focus, Silas’s advice about his talents, shutting out everything else? The fire, Noah finding his mother, carrying her out, her death?
5.The influence of Silas, Noah going to his grave? His keeping to himself, his keeping busy, not having time for relationships, some friends in the town, Sarah and her crush on him? The time that he had the dog, but not touching it? His regime, continued work, not having electricity, working during the day, sleeping during the night?
6.Christian Nelson, his board, wanting the land, their discussions, George and his money offers, Noah rejecting them? Robert Murphy going down, helping chop the wood, his change of life and pace, resignation, going to California to make wine? Noah and his asking him why he didn’t do what he wanted to do? Christian and his relying on Valerie, getting her to go to see Noah? Her reaction, his being hurt, in a huff? His bringing in the bulldozers, his being confronted by Valerie? Ultimately having to give in and move his project elsewhere?
7.Noah, the encounter with Christian, with Robert Murphy, seeing through Valerie? His response to her visits, answering the questions, the flashbacks, his simple explanation of his way of life?
8.Valerie, her clients, her love for Christian, going to see Noah, her lies, Noah’s reaction, her change of heart? Going to see him, travelling with him, visiting the people to whom he gave food and repaired the door, meeting Sarah? Sarah’s hostility towards her? Her being upset when Noah was taken away, getting the information, going to the hospital, taking charge of him, returning him to his home?
9.Noah, the authorities coming to take him, Christian’s machinations? In the institution, locked in, the interrogation, his answers, telling the inquiry that they were not polite? His wanting to leave? Valerie taking him away? The effect on him? The noise of the bulldozers bewildering him?
10.Sarah, reconciliation with Valerie? The pie, their talking together? The bond between Sarah and Valerie and Noah?
11.The changes, Noah being left on his own?
12.The battle between the corporate giant and the individual? The strong stand of the individual? Noah as a good man, a righteous man?
13.Valerie, her accident, George and the reaction, Noah and his anger, justified, punching Christian? His talk to Christian in the hospital? Visiting Valerie, the tenderness, hoping she would be well? Sarah present, Noah and his being touched by love?
14.The future, friendships, the gift of the dog, reading the books? A dignified old man, full of respect?
