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!Apparently So
After being dumped by text, a woman in her fifties leans on her fiercely loyal (and hilariously unfiltered) friends to rebuild her life—transforming heartbreak into triumph with the release of her brutally honest debut book.
LIKE PULLING TEETH
In 1910 a New York City dentist accidently finds himself with a second job as a private investigator, and when, during a simple divorce case he eavesdrops on one of the biggest country-changing secret meetings, he becomes a dangerous loose end.
The Imbalance 2 (sequel)
Two women. One comeback .Confidence isn't lost, it's just misplaced.
Xanadu Shores II: All That Glitters
Four friends known as the "Xanadu Team get duped by a nefarious jeweler in a casino robbery which leads them to an international conspiracy disguised as an art heist.
Xanadu Shores - "The Pilot" - First 10 Pages -Screenplay
Four friends become enmeshed in a gold heist turned kidnapping chased by a capricious Federal agent and his comely accomplice by land, air and sea, culminating explosively on Xanadu Shores-"The Pilot".
My Greatest Enemy--Myself! Episode 3: THE BOY WHO EARNED HIS MAGIC
Howell's rising doubts about his friends have disastrous results.
The Imbalance
Two best friends in their fifties leap back into acting — and dating — only to find an industry obsessed with youth, a culture addicted to reinvention, and a brutal truth: starting over is harder when you actually know who you are.
Waiting for the Apocalyse
When a respected judge’s lover is kidnapped, he’s forced into a race against time that dismantles his faith in justice — and exposes how far a man will go when the system that empowered him turns against him.
Yrrem Samtsirhc from Mars
A gentle, highly intelligent alien crash-lands in a small town just before Christmas and forms an unlikely friendship with a girl with Down syndrome.
Twenty Last Summers
When a longtime group of friends in their fifties and sixties jokingly ask themselves, “What if we only had twenty summers left?”, the question unexpectedly detonates their comfortable routines, sending each of them into a spiral of hilarious missteps, overdue confrontations, and clumsy attempts at self-reinvention.
