''The Mark of the Hawk'' (also called ''Accused'') is a 1957 drama film, directed by
Michael Audley
Michael Audley (June 20, 1913 – October 3, 1995) was an American film and theatre director, actor, and dialogue advisor.
Life and career
Born in New Orleans, Louisiana, Audley began his career as a stage actor and director. In 1942, he dir ...
with a screenplay by Lloyd Young (better known for his sound work on other films) and H. Kenn Carmichael. The film stars
Eartha Kitt
Eartha Kitt (born Eartha Mae Keith; January 17, 1927 – December 25, 2008) was an American singer and actress known for her highly distinctive singing style and her 1953 recordings of "C'est si bon" and the Christmas novelty song "Santa Ba ...
and
Sidney Poitier
Sidney Poitier ( ; February 20, 1927 – January 6, 2022) was an American actor, film director, and diplomat. In 1964, he was the first black actor and first Bahamian to win the Academy Award for Best Actor. He received two competitive ...
.
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
Eartha Kitt (born Eartha Mae Keith; January 17, 1927 – December 25, 2008) was an American singer and actress known for her highly distinctive singing style and her 1953 recordings of "C'est si bon" and the Christmas novelty song "Santa Ba ...
as Renee; performs "This man is mine", Ken Darby composer, partially on screen, partially as backing soundtrack
*
Sidney Poitier
Sidney Poitier ( ; February 20, 1927 – January 6, 2022) was an American actor, film director, and diplomat. In 1964, he was the first black actor and first Bahamian to win the Academy Award for Best Actor. He received two competitive ...
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 p ...
Bill Nagy
Bill Nagy (born October 26, 1987) is a former American football center and guard who played in the National Football League (NFL) for the Dallas Cowboys. He played college football for the University of Wisconsin. He was also a member of the ...
* 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.