Quietly Confident Juano Hernandez

Juano Hernandez had such a powerful presence that I always forget that he was primarily a supporting player. Though he was capable of disappearing into a large cast, more often than not he made a leading man’s impact with just a few lines. He was a versatile actor, and a solid talent, but I sometimes think the bulk of his appeal really came down to his eyes: sad, wise and still.

Hernandez would have had a fascinating life without Hollywood. In fact, his movie days are just about the least interesting part of his story. Born in Puerto Rico in 1901, he was the self-educated son of a seaman. He spent a good piece of his childhood in Brazil, where he performed on the street for coins. As a teenager, he joined a Cuban circus, which somehow brought him to the American vaudeville circuit.

Vaudeville led to work at the Cotton Club, and eventually Broadway, were Hernandez performed in the chorus of the 1927 production of Show Boat. He also appeared in the popular African American stage extravaganza, Blackbirds. He was also one of few African Americans of the time to find steady work as a radio performer.

When Hernandez made his first big movie in Hollywood, he was nearing his fifties (though he had appeared in a handful of “race” films earlier in his career). Still, it did not take him much time to make an impression. Perhaps his proudest legacy is that his screen persona was a big step away from the submissive servant roles most African American men played at the time. He was not without humility, but more often than not, his characters were quietly confident and emotionally intelligent men who found their way in society without bending to the white man.

Hernandez did not make many movies, but he was fortunate enough to appear in several high quality productions. Here are a few of his most remarkable performances:

Intruder in the Dust (1949)

Hernandez made a memorable impression in his first major movie role, an adaptation of the William Faulkner novel about an African American man who is falsely accused of murder. His very entrance is impressive, a slow camera span from the tips of his boots to his silent, wise face. Hernandez’ character is a proud man, but even more importantly, he is aware of his self-worth. He does not pander to the white man, which enrages several of the townspeople. In fact, it is clear that while he may be in jail for suspected murder, these people would just as soon see him hang for his pride. I can think of hardly another leading man who moves with the confidence of Hernandez in this role. He looks as though he were incapable of flinching, let alone doubting himself.

Stars in My Crown (1950)

As a humble sharecropper in danger of losing his land to a greedy miner, Hernandez is less steely, but no less sure of his purpose in this small town drama. When faced with an angry mob determined to strip him of his property, he demonstrates the courage required to face your enemies and refuse to fight. However, this man would never claim to be heroic in any way; he makes it clear to his benefactors that he is simply set in his ways, and would rather die than change. Hernandez manages to make his character seem simultaneously frail and powerful.

Something of Value (1957)

As a participant in the violent Mau Mau uprising, Hernandez takes a passionate departure from his typical strong, silent characters. He has an otherworldly energy in his brief scenes, as if he is listening to the advice of spirits. Those soulful eyes compound mesmerizing effect of his presence.

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Something of Value (1957)

The plot of this movie is, in essence, The Fox and the Hound(1981) set against the Mau Mau uprising (an insurgency of Kenyans against English colonial rule in the 1950s). Rock Hudson and Sidney Poitier play childhood friends who grow apart when they find themselves at opposite ends of the conflict.

There is much to frustrate the modern viewer in this drama, which was very much of its time. While both the Kenyans and English are viewed with some sympathy, the plot, like the book, seems more concerned with the white point of view. These settlers, both those who are considered “good” and “evil” by the movie, are condescending and entitled. When a judge warns Hudson, “If we don’t make the African respect the law well, the next thing you know he’ll be wanting to rule this country.” He replies, “imagine that, now. Whatever could give him that idea?” But he seems more in love with the country than its people, and despite his obvious sense of fairness, you wonder if he really wants to change the status quo.

Poitier seems more committed to his cause. He is frustrated by the limitations and degradation his countrymen suffer under English rule, and he is willing to make great sacrifices to win back the land. When he is slapped by a white man for making a playful complaint while on the job, his humiliation is devastating. Tears stream freely down his face, until he finally explodes with raw anger. Hudson comforts him, but you sense that he can’t quite grasp his friend’s pain. I’m afraid this is partly due to Hudson’s performance; it wasn’t until later in his life that he was able to manage the gravity necessary for a role of this intensity.

However, Hudson does demonstrate a believable affection for his childhood friend. In fact, he seems more emotionally involved with Poitier than his fiancée (played by a stunned Dana Wynter). I saw this affection as an attachment to a way of life and Africa itself—two things which Wynter does not understand as well as these men.

On the other hand, Poitier handles his character's turmoil with stirring intensity. His is the most conflicted character, as he is grateful for the care he received from a family of English colonialists as a child, but also loves his people and wants to better their condition. Poitier seems near insanity as he struggles to find a peaceful solution to his dilemma. For most of the plot, he doesn’t seem to know what action to take next, and he is painfully stunned whenever he makes a bad choice.

Juano Hernandez is another stand-out, as an influential oath giver who will do anything, just short of condemning his soul, to win victory for his people. With his sad, soulful eyes and intense belief in tribal customs, he has a magical effect in his scenes—almost as if he is from another world.

On the whole, this is a brutal, flawed movie. There’s a lot of violence, set-off by several slow-moving scenes (the unconvincing romance between Wynter and Hudson could have been removed completely). The African storyline thrums with passion and anger, but the more conventional white settlers get the most screen time. Still, there are moments of intense suspense, heightened by a thrilling score (which is laced with the eerie swooons of either a Theremin or a musical saw; I couldn't tell for sure which one), and the script does successfully communicate how and why the parties on both sides of this conflict fervently believed in their own righteousness.


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