''The Mark of the Hawk'' (also called ''Accused'') is a 1957 drama film, directed by Michael Audley with a screenplay by Lloyd Young (better known for his sound work on other films) and H. Kenn Carmichael. The film stars Eartha Kitt and Sidney Poitier.

Synopsis

Obam (Sidney Poitier), brother of an indigenous resistance leader (Clifton Macklin) in British colonial Africa, returns to his troubled homeland after some years abroad, seeking a political post. However, domestic tensions have divided the country into two hostile camps, with many natives demanding the return of their ancestral lands - now farmed by European settlers. Britain and the local white administration are determined not to release their stranglehold; rather than adopting violence Obam seeks racial equality through peaceful means. His motives are frequently questioned by his own people, but with the assistance of an insightful spouse (Eartha Kitt) and sympathetic missionary Bruce Craig (John McIntire), this unlikely newcomer to African nationalism fights to make a meaningful difference before the situation deteriorates further.

Cast

* Eartha Kitt as Renee; performs "This man is mine", Ken Darby composer, partially on screen, partially as backing soundtrack * Sidney Poitier as Obam (meaning 'hawk', per running theme of film; a symbol of the nationalist forces) *

Juano Hernandez Juano G. "Juano" Hernández (July 19, 1896 – July 17, 1970) was a Puerto Rican stage and film actor who was a pioneer in the African American film industry. He made his silent picture debut in ''The Life of General Villa'', and talking pi ...

as Amugu *

John McIntire John Herrick McIntire (June 27, 1907 – January 30, 1991) was an American character actor who appeared in 65 theatrical films and many television series. McIntire is well known for having replaced Ward Bond, upon Bond's sudden death in Novem ...

as Bruce Craig *

Helen Horton Helen Virginia Horton (November 21, 1923 – September 28, 2007) was an American actress. She was born in Chicago and had a brief career in New York. She married Hamish Thomson and lived near London. She worked extensively in British television, ...

as Barbara Craig *

Marne Maitland James Marne Kumar Maitland (18 December 1914 – March 1992) was an Anglo-Indian character actor in films and television programmes. Biography Maitland was born in Calcutta, and educated at Bedales School before going up to Magdalene College, ...

as Sandar Lai *

Gerard Heinz Gerard Heinz (born Gerhard Hinze; 2 January 1904 – 20 November 1972) was a German actor. Heinz was born in Hamburg, Germany and later moved to Britain, where he changed his name. He appeared in almost 60 films (including ''Caravan''), and a n ...

as Governor General *

Patrick Allen John Keith Patrick Allen (17 March 1927 – 28 July 2006) was a British actor. Life and career Allen was born in Nyasaland (now Malawi), where his father was a tobacco farmer. After his parents returned to Britain, he was evacuated to Canada ...

as Gregory *

Earl Cameron Earlston Jewitt Cameron, CBE (8 August 19173 July 2020), known as Earl Cameron, was a Bermudian actor who lived and worked in the United Kingdom. After appearing on London's West End stage, he became one of the first black stars in the Briti ...

as Prosecutor *

Ewen Solon Peter Ewen Solon (7 September 1917 – 7 July 1985) was a New Zealand-born actor, who worked extensively in both the United Kingdom and Australia. At the outbreak of World War II, Solon became a member of the First Echelon, 2nd NZEF that sa ...

as Inspector *

Lockwood West Harry Lockwood West (28 July 1905 – 28 March 1989) was a British actor. He was the father of actor Timothy West and the grandfather of actor Samuel West. Life and career West was born in Birkenhead, Cheshire, England in 1905, the son of Mildr ...

as Magistrate * Francis Matthews as Overholt * Bill Nagy as Fred * Harold Siddons as Ist Officer * Frederick Treves as 2nd Officer

Production notes

* Production Dates: 1957 at Associated British Picture Corp. Studios, Elstree, England * Although Sidney Poitier is listed fourth, below John McIntire, in the opening credits, he receives second billing in the closing credits. * The opening credits include the following written statement: "The producers wish to acknowledge the cooperation extended to them by the Cinema Corporation of Nigeria." The end credits note that the film was "made at Associated British Elstree Studios, England." * According to a December 1957 Film Daily item, The Mark of the Hawk was partially shot on location in Nigeria, after which Universal bought the distribution rights.

External links

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The Mark of the Hawk
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BFI The British Film Institute (BFI) is a film and television charitable organisation which promotes and preserves film-making and television in the United Kingdom. The BFI uses funds provided by the National Lottery (United Kingdom), National Lot ...

Database entry 1957 films American drama films British drama films Films about racism Films shot in Nigeria Films set in the British Empire Films about race and ethnicity 1957 drama films 1958 drama films 1958 films Universal Pictures films 1950s English-language films 1950s American films 1950s British films {{1950s-drama-film-stub