Lost Son of Havana – New Documentary on Red Sox Great Luis Tiant
When I was a young kid, I used to love watching Luis Tiant pitch. While my team back in the 1970's was the Pittsburgh Pirates (due to Roberto Clemente, my 1st baseball hero, Willie Stargell), my other team was the Red Sox, because of this one guy, Luis Tiant. I used to love this guy - no pitching style comes close to him.
Apparently they have a new film out on him and his career and his return to his birthplace, Havana. Interesting review in the Globe:
The film follows the aging Tiant on his 2007 trip to his native Cuba. It’s no weekend jaunt. In 1961, the Castro government had delivered an ultimatum to the phenom: If you go to the States to play baseball, you can’t come back home. Tiant, encouraged by his parents, chose the major leagues. He tried several times to return for visits, but it took 46 years to finally get permission.
The tale of Tiant’s exile starts with his father, Luis Sr., a Negro League pitcher from the 1920s to ’40s who returns to Cuba to a decidedly inglorious life. He pumps gas and starts drinking too much. Is it any wonder he urges his son to sign with the Cleveland Indians?
By the time the younger Tiant finally returns to Havana, his parents are long gone, the streets look unfamiliar, and the people live in abject poverty. Tiant is known for hamming it up in interviews, for playing the jester with his thick accent. Here, Hock wisely trains his lens on Tiant’s eyes. You can feel the melancholy as he trudges from door to door, desperately trying to find his relatives. When he finally locates his aunts, who are failing physically, Tiant embraces them and doesn’t seem to want to let go.
And talk eventually turns to the reality. In a back room, after being told of how miserable everyone is, Tiant starts peeling bills off his bankroll. It’s a bittersweet homecoming.
I have no clue when this will be shown here, but I'd like to see it.
Read the review here.
I found a trailer for the film on You Tube
UPDATE: I looked further and Cardinal is right that ESPN bought the broadcast rights to this film. In this article, there's an interesting take on the film not mentioned in the Globe article:
The film was directed by award-winning director Jonathan Hock, who told New York's Daily News that Tiant seemed particularly struck by the country's poverty.
"[Luis] kept saying, ‘It used to be so beautiful, it used to be so beautiful,’" says Hock of Tiant’s reaction, "and the other thing he kept saying was, ‘I don’t know how to feel, whether I should laugh or cry.’"
So much for your egalitarian paradise.
Sad confession ... I've always been a "Reds" fan.
You can't imagine how much it sucks to be Cubano and have your favorite team called the "Reds".
ah well ... we can't let commies ruin one of the greatest colors for the rest of us
If only all Cubans who wish, could truly go home. I've read that it is true, that all sweet things are sweeter in Cuba. You can't help but wonder when God will notice the all the shattered broken Cuban hearts and the nightmare will finally end. I pray we will live to see it.
"Get permission". Yes, get permission from the "castro government" to visit the land you were born in! What the hell is that? And why does the Globe writer (or any other member of the MSM) just glaze over that fact? Must be that Cubans are not considered human beings. That's the only plausible explanation. Human rights don't apply to us. We have to ask for "permission".
That is what does it for me!
The US can lift whatever bans it has on Cuba, but as long as I HAVE TO ASK FOR PERMISSION TO ENTER MY HOME, IT IS NOT HAPPENING FOR ME!
NO PIDO PERMISO PARA ENTRAR EN MI CASA!!!
It's going to be shown on ESPN. I believe this fall but I could be mistaken. My brother saw it in New York and said it was awesome.
Obviously, I can't be the one to decide what Tiant should or should not do; it's his personal business. However, I can have an opinion. I think he should have kept his memories and not gone back, not like this, under these circumstances, as if the plantation owners were doing him a favor by letting him set foot in the place, on their terms. It's demeaning, especially given his accomplishments. Furthermore, as I expect he realized afterwards, it was not really worth it. It was not what he expected or wanted to get out it, but at best a bittersweet experience, with more bitter than sweet. It changed nothing and solved nothing, except briefly and transiently. I cannot fault what I assume prompted him to go, as there's no fault in such entirely natural human feelings, but I think he was mistaken.
My own father returned to visit Cuba after being away for years, strictly for family reasons and, yes, nostalgia (my mother refused to go, and wouldn't even hear of her children doing so, since she had only left to get them out of that hellhole). Ultimately, it was a mistake for him also. It only made things worse, not better. Sometimes, it's best to let sleeping dogs lie.
The only real possible benefit I see here is that this film or documentary may do some good, however little. Unfortunately, absolutely nothing will open or change the minds of those who simply refuse to see or acknowledge the truth for what it is.
Personally I won't go. I've been tempted but I won't. Nor has anyone from my direct family gone. I hate it that people go so often now but what are you going to do? I don't think we can speculate on whether Tiant regretted his decision or not. I suppose we will have to see the movie.
At the end of the day, however, who are you to tell someone not to go cuz they will regret it? Let them figure it out on their own.
From what I read, the experience was an eye opener about the misery that Cuba became in his absence. I'm hoping (at least it seems from what I see) that this movie shows the true Cuba and not the BS the lexus driving liberals want to believe exists there.
Louis was the sole reason I liked the Sox in the 1970's. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think he and Perez were the last Cuban MLB players who were born before castro. Tony Perez was the other one.
Production info from internet movie database:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1362435/fullcredits#cast
I tend to agree with Asombra. I've seen far too many documentaries on TV that only show someone going back to Cuba and then avoid all talk of human rights. As if Cuba's most salient tragedy--it's 50 year long tyranny---could be brushed under the bed. I mean, it's like an enormous white elephant in a tiny room that takes over the entire space! How can one go back to Cuba and not talk about the tyranny? How could one go to Nazi Germany and not talk about Nazism, or Apartheid South Africa and not mention apartheid?
I haven't seen the film, but if all that they do is go there and show the misery, that could have a double edge sword, unless it's stressed that the misery is because of Castro's economic policy.
I mean, I can see millions of confused Americans watching the documentary on TV and concluding that the misery is because of the US embargo!!!!
Most Cuban travel documentaries do 1 of 2 things
1. Only show you the wonderful beaches of Veradero, the 1 nice block in Old Havana, The Marti monument, Plaza de Revolucion, and the Che monument in Santa Clara - and then go home.
2. Will show some poverty, but then talk about how the "evil U.S. blockade" prevents basic medicine and food from reaching the poor Cuban people.
Cardinal, it would appear that either you ignored the first two sentences of my comment, or you don't think I'm entitled to express my opinion. Either way, you're out of line.
I misspoke I had meant to say..."Who are we to tell someone..." I did read the comment.
Rayanera - while I agree that we don't get the truth out enough, we don't need to beat people over the head with it either. As important as human rights issue is you can't ram that into every single documentary or movie out there. If in the Tiant story there was someone who chose to speak up about the issue or has suffered because of his or her beliefs then fine...let it be part of the film. The same goes with educating on the embargo - we all know that the misery in Cuba is Castro-made but there is no need to go into an Econ 101 lesson in the middle of the documentary - that isn't the point of this story. You make it sound no different than Castro's dictum to the intellectuals after the PM controversy. Except in your version if the art doesn't damn the revolution then it is not worthy of being watched...only if it damns Castro can art be acceptable. The Tiant documentary seems to speak for itself, let people draw their own conclusions. We can use this as an opportunity to educate folks from our end - that isn't Tiant or the director's job.
Cardinal,
I beg to differ. I do demand that the truth be part of every documentary about Cuba. For you to say that we don't need to "beat people over the head [with the truth]" implies that you are okay with a documentary that chooses not to tell the truth about Cuba.
Also, regarding your choice of words, they're a bit out of line. Nobody is asking anyone to beat anyone else over the head. Any good documentarian can make a point without being pedantic and turning a film into an Econ 101 class as you suggest that I'm demanding [you really lay on the hyperbole, don't you?].
By the way, without resorting to outright lies, a filmmaker can lie by simply withholding the truth, that is to say by omission. Unfortunately, there is simply no balance out there. Most Cuba documentaries that I have seen, in the best of cases, lie by omission and, in the worst of cases, lie by outright in-your-face lying.
Therefore, your analogy suggesting that my concerns about this film [based on the plethora of whitewashed onrmisleading Cuba documentaries that I have seen in the past] makes me like Castro vis-a-vis his dictum to the intellectuals is again out of line and really quite lame.
To conclude, unfortunately, the American public is very misinformed based on years of Castro propaganda on PBS, CNN, the New York Times, etc... you cannot expect someone with preconceived notions about a certain subject to draw the correct conclusions if the film in question does nothing to clarify the notion.
Methinks Rayarena doth protest too much...you do realize you proved my point, don't you? You "demand the truth be part of every documentary about Cuba." so who defines "the truth?" Uh, you? Granted you can't force anyone to do that and you don't have a beard but I'm sorry there is no difference in your view towards the arts than Fidel's. You want every piece of art to tell your "truth" as opposed to his. So how is that different from what he wants? Is it because history will prove you right...or even absolve you?
theCardinal:
"You "demand the truth be part of every documentary about Cuba." so who defines "the truth?" Uh, you?"
Oh I see, so its all a matter of opinion. Why didn't I figure that one out? So, it's debatable that Cuba is a 50 year long ossified tyranny and that Castro has destroyed the Cuban economy. Little does it matter that organizations like Pax Christi, Of Human Rights, Amnesty International, Reporters without Borders, etc.. have all documented gross human rights violations, and long lists of political prisoners. Little does it matter that the entire world witnessed Raul's monarchical succession to power after his brother bequeathed him the throne in a manner that would make a medieval potentate proud. Little does it matter that Castro took a country that prior to 1959 had no deficit and has turned it into the world's most indebted country per capita. And this is all on record.
"I'm sorry there is no difference in your view towards the arts than Fidel's."
Very clever the way that you blur the lines. "Arts"? I'm talking about a documentary as opposed to a film where a director has artistic license to depict history has he sees fit.
A documentarian may have his right to his opinion [and I'll be the first to die defending it], but he doesn't have a right to the truth.
I am so tired of this idea floating about that everyone is entitled to his opinion and all opinions are of equal merit, absent any moral stance or facts.
Such an attitude makes Holocaust deniers entitled to their opinions.
Sorry there are some things that are not debatable. And just because people feel proud when they go against the grain to debate them only makes those people wrong. It is a very bad thing when others defend those people as "entitled to their opinion."
One of my four non debatable items is that communism never works. By default Che us evil and that cannot be debated. By default Cuba today can only be looked at as a sad failure caused by a tyranny that destroys everything except the tyrants and its useful idiots and enforcers.
And, especially on this blog, where most agree with what I assert, it is impolite at least to suggest that anyone who asserts what I have asserted above is being closed minded.
And what the hell does it mean to say that there is no difference in Rayarena's view towards the arts than Fidel's?
There are certain "truths" we can agree on:
- the regime is oppressive
- Cuba is not a democracy
- Cuban economy was wrecked by Castro
Fine but there are a whole bunch of things that people DON'T agree on -
- What caused the Cuban Devolution (yes I meant that)
- What has kept Castro Inc. in power?
- (while I don't agree) the gov't literacy campaign
Now you and I probably agree 99.9% on what "the truth" is about Cuba but others may not and still agree with the most important issue - that the Castroist system needs to go.
As for Honey - I do believe that everyone is entitled to their own opinion. Sorry but the one thing I took from the whole Castro experiment down under is that limiting choices and voices is not a good thing.
My comment was a test, Cardinal. I knew you would bite.
You left out the end of my sentence as I knew you would. If people have no moral center, anything goes. If people choose to ignore facts, ditto.
A debate with a person who makes morals and facts irrelevant, cannot happen.
I saw the movie in it's Miami debut at the Miami Art Central. Here's an article I wrote on it for the Palm Beach Post:
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/marlins/content/sports/epaper/2009/08/01/0802_tiant.html
ESPN will rebroadcast it tonight, Tuesday, August 11, 4:00 AM on ESPN Deportes. And Sunday, October 11, 8:00 PM on ESPN Classic.
Great article Carlos. I taped in on my DVR. Gonna watch it this week.