The Courage to Love (2000)

Very very predictable, including the post credit scene !!!

Sadly Over-hyped

It's a movie as timely as it is provocative and amazingly, for much of its running time, it is weirdly funny.

Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

Heather, Why did you start producing? Nothing is going anywhere. You had great writing skills? What happen? Anyway, a lot of crazy rumors out there about you. I had a bad taste in my mouth from all the writing hassles. I'm taking legal action for material that was stolen. GOOD LUCK. I feel bad for you and how things panned out for us. At least, I stayed in a steady profession. Ziggy

I have to say, I really enjoyed this film! I'm so impressed that they got Vanessa Williams to star in this, she's just so beautiful and a talented actress! I really liked how she wears fashionable clothes like the green dress she wore at the beginning, it does really match her eye color!This film really does tell of the time when blacks and whites are separated from each other. It really does give a lump in your throat on how the whites were cruel to the black people and made them slaves. I hated the scene where the church of Henriette Delille had built for the poor slaves, was on fire. It makes you extremely angry, why were people that cruel? What was even more shocking, the 'master' raped his 12 year old slave. In my opinion on the scene he died, I wouldn't even bless the pervert, I wouldn't even touch him for what he did! I nearly cried in that scene, it makes me sick. Unfortunately there's more rapists out there today in this godforsaken world, I wish we lived a better world than this!Anyways let's move onto something positive, I loved how Vanessa Williams and Gil Bellows' characters relationship blossomed. I honestly wished in the end that Henriette went to France with her lover Dr. Gerard Gaultier. They were so made for each other, I don't understand why she didn't choose him. You can see that they loved each other 110%! I hate how movies don't show happy endings but anyways, at least she is helping the poor people to live and get them out of slavery. I loved this movie, I give this 8/10 because of seeing Vanessa Williams on this!

As I watch this film, it is interesting to see how much it marginalizes Black men. The film spends its time showing how powerless the most visible Black man in it is (save for an heroic moment). For much of the film, the other Black men (and dark-skinned Black women) in the film are way in the background, barely visible.Vanessa Williams' character was strong and sympathetic. The viewer can easily identify and sympathize with her. There are also some fairly visible and three-dimensional support characters who are light-skinned, and some White characters of some warmth and dignity. But 99% of the Black males in this film are nothing but invisible men. Voiceless shadows in the background, of no consequence. Such a horrible flaw, but anything but unusual in the mainstream media.

Henriette, the mixed-race daughter of Jean Baptiste and Pouponne, teaches in a parish school in New Orleans. Some of her students are children of slaves, and it is not clear whether the masters have given permission.When Dr. Gerard Gaultier comes to take care of the poor of New Orleans, it's not hard to see what will happen. Even though he is white, he seems to like Henriette right from the start, though the question is how far a romance between them can actually go.Among the problems in Henriette's life: Her father abandoned her mother long ago and is getting married. Her mother is sick. Her sister Cecilia is pregnant by a white man who seems to want to marry her but can't in this environment. Henriette tries to fit into upper-class white society but is never really accepted.Frank Morgan is a cruel slave owner who treats girls as young as 12 as mistresses, and dislikes having to share his church with blacks.Henriette wants to become part of a convent, which most people believe is a ridiculous idea. She is chastized, along with others who work with her, for wearing what looks like a habit. But she is very determined to start a church of her own.Vanessa Williams did a good job here. I wouldn't say spectacular, but she effectively showed the drive and devotion of Henriette. Stacy Keach and Diahann Carroll were very good as her parents, and Carroll had a real challenge as her character's health went downhill.Eddie Bo Smith Jr. had the standout performance here as Jacques, one of Frank's slaves, a nice man who eventually becomes bitter, wondering if things will ever get any better.I personally found this movie kind of boring at first, too much of a 'chick flick', but the inspirational story makes it work.