By Francis Quamina Farrier

AFTER almost a century of cinema and cinema-going in Guyana, that aspect of the Guyanese culture, has taken on the title of the best-selling American novel of 1936, “Gone With the Wind”.

That novel was made into an equally successful movie in 1939, in which the very first Black performer, Hettie McDaniel, won an Oscar (Best Supporting Actress) at the Academy Awards. Last year, with the demolition of the ASTOR Cinema which was located at the corner of Church and Waterloo Streets in Georgetown, the curtain finally came down and an aspect of Guyanese culture; cinema-going as we knew it, was “Gone with the Wind”.

The very first cinema to have been built in British Guiana, was the posh GAIETY, which was constructed on the western side of Camp Street between Croal Street and Brickdam in the early 1920s. Unfortunately, like the burning down of Atlanta, in that movie “Gone with the Wind”, the GAIETY was burnt down in 1926. Amazingly, another cinema with the name GAIETY and which was in New Amsterdam, also ended by fire. The METROPOLE at the corner of Robb and Wellington Streets in Georgetown had a similar end.

Another Georgetown cinema which was burnt down was the DOREEN, located at the corner of Vlissengen Road and Garnett Street, Newtown. Replacing it was the LIBERTY, which was demolished some years ago – the plot is now empty. The DeLUXE at Diamond on the East Bank Demerara, also ended its existence because of a fire.

During that 20th Century Golden era of cinema in Guyana, there were cinemas at Line Path, Albion, New Amsterdam, Rosignol, De Edward, Bath, Beterverwagting, Plaisance, Kitty, Diamond, Vreed-en-Hoop, Anna Catherina, Suddie, Anna Regina, Bartica, Linden and a few others. Charity on the Pomeroon should have been included in this list of cinemas since a cute little structure for a cinema was constructed there many years ago, but it was never used as a cinema.

The majority of the movies screened at our cinemas came primarily from the United States. But there were those that came from England, India and China. Fans turned out in their numbers to enjoy their favourite stars in a wide variety of movie genres, including the action-packed Westerns and the mesmerising Musicals.

There were also the many movies which were stories from the Bible such as THE TEN COMMANDMENTS and the century-old history stories such as The Tale of Robin Hood. Then there were the Tarzan movies in which a white male character, was able to swing effortlessly from tree to tree in the African jungle, and even talk to and be in full control of the wild animals. Indian movies were also very popular, and some cinemas, such as the EMPIRE on Middle Street and the LIBERTY on Vlissengen Road in Georgetown, screened Indian movies exclusively. Going to the movies was as important as going to church, mandir and masjid for a high percentage of the populace. There were those who went to the movies now-and-then, those who went every week, and those who went almost every day.

While these cinemas were built to screen movies, many of them also hosted live stage performances, since the majority had a stage in front of the screen. Some of these live stage shows were performed by local artistes and some with foreign performers.

In the 1940s and 1950s, there were some very popular Vaudeville shows at the OLYMPIC cinema which was located on Lombard Street in Georgetown. Artistes included, comedians Sam Chase and Jack Mellow, singer and dancer Madam O’Lindy and the formative Muttoo Brothers Band whose musical style was the forerunner of the now very popular Soca. The Vaudeville shows also included singers Doreen Gravesande and Monica Chopperfield (Lady Guymine), Midget Sam Dopie, Calypsonian Lord Cobra and many others. On a personal level, I can say that as a youngster participating in the British Guiana National Drama Festivals of the early 1960s, I performed in a play which was staged at the DeLUXE Cinema at Diamond on the East Bank Demerara.

Foreign artistes such as American Brook Benton performed at the Strand De Luxe Cinema on Charlotte and Wellington Streets in Georgetown and Mahalia Jackson and Percy Sledge at the GLOBE. For a period of time, there used to be a live show at the GLOBE Cinema at Church and Waterloo Streets opposite the ASTOR. That live show was broadcast on the Radio every Thursday night, just before the 8.30 movie was screened. The ASTOR and EMPIRE in Georgetown also hosted live shows over the years.

Part of cinemas and cinema-going in Guyana, was the production of movies by Guyanese; “OPERATION MAKONAIMA”, “AGGRO SEIZEMAN”, “ANMOL BANDHAN” and “IF WISHES WERE HORSES” among others. The production of feature films was intended to be a much bigger enterprise in Guyana. The plan by then-President Forbes Burnham, was to establish Guyana as the Hollywood of the Caribbean – ‘Gullywood’, if you will. The construction of the complex now known as NCN on Homestretch Avenue in Georgetown, was intended for the editing of locally shot films and those from the Caribbean. No need to mention that Burnham’s vision, like the prize-winning American play and later movie, “A RAISIN IN THE SUN”, simply dried up after his passing.

There were, however, occasions when movies involving Guyanese, were like Hollywood on Oscar night. All the stars were there; an example being the screening of the movie from the best-selling book, “TO SIR, WITH LOVE” by E.R Bratihwaite starring Sidney Poitier. It was held at the METROPOLE at Robb and Wellington Streets in Georgetown. In attendance were President Forbes Burnham and everyone who was anyone in the society. Another gala-type screening was that of “THE RIGHT AND THE WRONG” at the GLOBE cinema starring the glorious Guyanese, Gloria David. President Arthur Chung was among those who attended.

There are too, Guyanese-born actors who were in international movies which were seen in our Guyanese cinemas. Georgetown-born Robert Adams was the very first; he appeared in such movies as “Song of Freedom”, “Men of Two Worlds” and “King Solomon’s Mines”. Beterverwagting-born Cy Grant appeared in movies such as “Sea Wife”, “At the World’s Core” and “Shaft in Africa”. All of these movies which were produced in the 1940s and 1950s were well attended because of the Guyanese involvement.

It is apt to note that of all the cinemas of the 20th-century Guyana which have maintained their original structure, two of them are now used as houses of worship – they are the STRAND De LUXE and the HOLLYWOOD in Georgetown. Unlike the movie “LILIES OF THE FIELDS” which Sidney Poitier, the first black Hollywood actor to win Best Actor at the Hollywood Academy Awards, and which did not conclude with the graphic “The End”, but instead “AMEN”, there is really no “Amen” to cinema-going in Guyana, since a new high-tech type of cinema is now emerging. For while 20th Century cinema in Guyana has “Gone WithThe Wind”, in this the 21st Century, our cinema is now on a “Star Trek (to the) Planet of the Titans”.