RAGTIME WARRIOR
A FORGOTTEN MUSICAL GENIUS! James Reese Europe fights racism, Army prejudice and the Germans when he takes command of the “Harlem Hellfighters” band, introduces jazz and pop tunes; he revolutionizes military band music forever. A WW1 action musical biopic; all music public domain. Can be adapted to TV miniseries. Professional Coverage: “Recommend” Dave Trottier (Author “The Screenwriter’s Bible.”) Multiple contest wins and placements.
Europe ultimately becomes the exclusive band leader for Vernon and Irene Castle, the internationally famous dance team. The Clef Club eventually performs at Carnegie Hall, the first all-Negro orchestra to so. James Reese Europe is acknowledged to be the most well-known conductor/composer in America at that time.
With the outbreak of World War 1, Europe puts his career on hold to join the newly formed all-black 369th Infantry Division -- destined to become the famed New York “Harlem Hellfighters” -- and forms their military band. He intends to use the band as an instrument to improve the living conditions and future hopes of Harlem’s young men.
Under the command of white Colonel William Hayward, the 369th Infantry Division overcomes ridicule, racism and indifference from the U. S Army. Europe remakes the military band using modern music dynamics and popular songs and jazz
The band is honored to play at a benefit for President Woodrow Wilson where Europe cleverly rebuffs an attempt by an Army officer to replace his black soloist with a white one.
During Army training in South Carolina, black soldiers under Europe’s command refuse to be provoked by white red neck racists. White soldiers take up the defense of their black comrades in a rollicking, glorious fight against the red necks.
After disembarking in France, Europe’s clever musicianship and use of the band keeps the brigade from being assigned to stevedore duty. The band performs, and fights, bravely and heroically during the war to great acclaim. Throughout the war Europe stays in touch with Bessie Smith who has now born his son and is managing the Clef Club in New York.
While serving on the front lines, Europe is wounded in “The Battle of Henry Johnson,” a famous WW I Medal of Honor incident. Though confined to the hospital he writes his famous song “Out In No Man’s Land.” The war ends and Europe returns to Bessie and his son, and leads the Harlem Hellfighters in a triumphant parade up New York’s Fifth Avenue.
The fame of the band leads to a recording contract and Europe takes the band on a nation-wide tour. During the tour he is tragically murdered by one of his bandsmen. His funeral service is conducted at New York’s Cathedral of St. John the Divine, and he is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.
30's Female Africa-American
30s African-American
STARS AND STRIPES FOREVER
Screenplays
Jim specializes in screenplays based on historical true events (including musicals), bio/pics and/or disasters. In alphabetical order:
“BOJANGLES, EUBIE AND BERT!” Three Black musical legends of the past – Bert Williams, Eubie Blake and Bill “Bojangles” Robinson – relive their show business success in spite of racism and theatrical bigotry.
ScriptLinks
Post Your Script Here!Hope Away
A former U.S. Congressman from Compton, sent to a federal prison camp for bribery, encounters stiff opposition from the Camp Administrator, as he seeks to salvage his marriage and establish a prison ministry.
Hope Away
A young, charismatic, Christian congressman from Compton, sent to a federal prison camp for bribery, is determined to save his marriage and souls in prison, but first, he must overcome stiff opposition from the camp administrator.
BOOM!Town
After a bloody car bombing, a blown-off human foot lands on the roof of a retired, cash-poor mob cleaner who schemes to extort the Mafia Don that ordered the hit, unaware his wacky plan may help the FBI catch the cut-throat gangster.
WIZ KID
An 11 year old boy with a 180 IQ graduates from High School in Georgia, reluctantly leaves behind his wheelchair-bound mom, and heads off to a prominent university where he leaves his mark on the school, inside and outside the classroom.
A LITTLE FAVOR
A washed-out fighter pilot is asked/forced to work with long odds and a resentful younger, more experienced female co-pilot to save the earth by retrieving the doomsday bombs from the backside of the sun before next Wednesday when they’ll explode, nudging the sun, causing major global warming.
Xanadu Shores: (PoC) The Super Spy Series
Genre: Action, Adventure, Thriller.
All That Glitters (excerpt) From The Novel: Xanadu Shores
The Xanadu Team become deceptively embroiled in an island gem heist, hosted by a nefarious jeweler operating a criminal enterprise, lured by a beautiful woman escalating to international espionage.
Screenplay Pilot for Xanadu Shores: The Super Spy Series
Two ex-pilots become entangled in a kidnapping and gold heist, after an employer's scheme escalates from theft to kidnapping.
Lolita
A Puerto Rican seamstress becomes firebrand revolutionary Dolores ¨Lolita Lebrón¨, masterminds the 1954 U.
She Curses Like a Sailor
The perception of women and cursing is entertained at this art opening in New York.
