claude jarman jr

Breaking Barriers

Claude Jarman, Jr. speaks about the racial overtones of "Intruder in the Dust" at Arthur Lyons Film Noir Festival

Michelle Roe Arts & Entertainment

claude jarman jr

Claude Jarman, Jr. was only 16 years old when he co-starred in the film Intruder in the Dust.

Filmed on location in Oxford, Miss., and released in 1949, the film did not fit into the typical Hollywood entertainment flick so popular during this post World War II era.

“MGM in those days was into musicals and did not want to make this film… nothing controversial,” he says.

Intruder in the Dust was adapted from the 1948 book written by William Falkner and touches upon a dynamic racial situation. Juano Hernandez plays Lucas Beauchamp, an independent, strong black man, the son of a slave, that owns his own land and finds himself accused of murder.

Jarman’s character, a young white boy named Chick, comes to Beauchamp’s defense. The film reunited him with Clarence Brown, the same director who discovered Jarman as well as directed him in is his Oscar-winning performance in The Yearling.

Intruder in the Dust is widely considered “ahead of its time” in addressing race in relationships as well as shooting the film on location, a far cry from the studios of Hollywood.

“It was still a segregated community when we made the film,” Jarman recalls. “It was one of those things back in the 1950…no one cared about too much. They were much more interested in Judy Garland than in social issues.”

Jarman, who once had a home at PGA WEST, will talk about the film following a screening at 1 p.m. May 13 during the Arthur Lyons Film Noir Festival, May 12-15, at Camelot Theatres in Palm Springs.

After leaving Hollywood (at the ripe young age of 20), Jarman returned to his native Tennessee to study pre-law at Vanderbilt University. He headed west and went on to become the head of the San Francisco International Film Festival from 1967-1979, and also served as the city’s director of cultural affairs.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF ARTHUR LYONS FILM NOIR FESTIVAL

The film festval will feature Femme Fetales, like Sudden Fear with Joan Crawford.

In addition to Jarman’s appearance, this year’s Arthur Lyons Film Noir Festival program will feature a diverse lineup of classic, rare films, and “restoration” premiers  including:

• Movies highlighting Femme Fetales, Joan Crawford (Sudden Fear), Rita Hayworth (Gilda), and Marilyn Monroe (Niagara),

• A mix of eclectic noir films include Red Light, Reign of Terror, The Hunted, and The Accused.

Film Noir Festival host and producer Alan Rode says bringing the actors in to speak gives valuable insights into that era of movie making.

“This is not only an opportunity to bring unique film to Palm Springs but I wanted Claude here,” Rode says. “He is an Oscar winner and has a perspective as a young man in films with a second career leading the  San Francisco International Film Festival. Claude is someone who has an interesting perspective on Hollywood and the country, and how things have changed.”

Arthur Lyons Film Noir Festival, May 12-15, Camelot Theatres, 2300 E. Baristo Road, Palm Springs; www.arthurlyonsfilmnoir.ning.com

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