I never thought a movie like this could bring tears to my eyes.
The film is based on a true story that took place in the United States in the 1950s. Bernard, a black man born in Texas, was determined to learn from white people to make money and change his destiny since he was a child. He developed from a small shoe shiner to one of the richest black people in the United States, buying buildings and banks. Lending white money to black people to invest. Countless crazy ideas that seemed inconceivable and unreasonable at the time were realized in Bernard one by one.
I thought the film was to record the story of the black people at the bottom, in the 1950s when racial discrimination was so serious, using their own wisdom, diligence, and courage to make themselves successful step by step. If it really develops like this, it will be an inspirational story at most, but I didn’t expect that this is actually a revolutionary story.
From the initial investment in real estate, Bernard later bought the king of the most core commercial area in Los Angeles, and then later bought two banks in Texas, trying to use his own strength to help the living conditions of the entire black people in Texas, which has obviously surpassed Wealth level, touches on politics. Soon Bernard was charged and the bank was closed.
When he was in deep distress, he could choose to join the political circles, get out of his body, not be prosecuted, keep his property, and be a stable little businessman; he could also choose to stand up and tell the world why black people still cannot be treated fairly, Why white people can take out loans to start a business, and why black people can only curl up at the bottom. He also knows exactly what it means to him when he chooses to tell the truth. I believe that when everyone chooses between "taking care of the ego" and "pursuing the truth", they must be afraid of swinging, they must want to retreat, and they must also want to avoid giving in. What courage it takes to choose to pursue the truth!
Every time, I would ask, if it were me, would I have such courage and energy. Teacher Tang said that every soul who comes to the world has its own demands and established tasks. So no matter how scared you are or how much you want to escape and leave, it is your mission, you will still rise to the challenge after all.
Bernard, finally chose to tell the truth. What awaited him was three years in prison, the confiscation of all his assets, and a return to poverty. This is not a cool drama, so it is a pity that this is the reality. Bernard went from sitting on 177 buildings to only one dwelling in the end. Embark on a journey of purgatory from heaven to earth. However, their sacrifice was also exchanged for the promulgation of the abolition of the "Apartheid Act" by the United States three years later. Blacks were no longer segregated, and racial equality took another giant step forward. All the progress of mankind is obtained by the sacrifice of the ego by countless individuals. Without exception.
People are not born great. The little shoe shiner wants to leave the shack and live in a villa; he wants to sit on wealth and change his destiny. Even if you have wealth, you still can't change your skin color; even if you take the top spot, you still can't have real power. So, slowly, the test came, and the mission became clear. When the test comes, everyone will be afraid, all have been afraid. The same is true of Bernard. In order to completely take off the cleaner's uniform on his body, and to wipe off the dirty words on the black restaurant, Bernard chose to give up his wealth and his ego. This is how great human beings appeared.
Often, greatness is a moment, and this moment is achieved under the guidance of the soul. Doing something worthwhile and finding the ultimate guidance of my soul brought tears to my eyes.
November 27, 2021
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