Heartbeats! Front and Center!

“Heartbeats! Front and center!”
If you yell this at any Coleman family event, you will not be left standing alone. You will be joined front and center and become a part of a reenactment of all the best scenes from the cult classic “The Five Heartbeats” starred in, written, and directed by Robert Townsend.
The film was released in 1991 to a dismal opening box office weekend despite a lively promotional tour and heart-wrenching performances by the movies’ stars that included Townsend, Michael Wright, Leon, Tico Wells, and Harry Lennix. But it was the subsequent VHS release that skyrocketed the film into a generational classic that families, particularly but not limited to, black families, continue to watch years later.
I’m pretty sure that I know every line to the movie and most of my family does too. So, when I saw the Facebook post that cited there would be a behind the scenes showing for one night only on August 27th, I immediately bought four tickets for myself, my husband, brother, and mother. Dad had to work. Townsend was now giving us the BTS of this film that meant so much to my family over the years. It played in 500 select theaters across the country.
The Making of The Five Heartbeats gave us documentary glory. Of course, there was great insight into the film. Learning that Wright and John Canada who played Flash actually were in a heated exchange in the scene where Wright’s character Eddie King Jr. infamously gives a soliloquy to the slammed door that ends with “You want my spot Flash? Huh? Well, you ain’t gon get it.” The audience also learned that Keenen Ivory Wayans was initially Townsend’s partner on the film from the beginning but bowed out for In Living Color when the film took longer than expected to be greenlighted. And most shockingly, that Townsend wrote the lead for Denzel Washington and Whitney Houston was supposed to play the character of Babydoll.
What I did not expect was the masterclass on storytelling and creativity that came through Townsend’s narration of the doc. We paid $12.50 for something that money cannot buy.
He didn’t hold back and that is what makes a great documentary in my eyes. Tell us the real stories. Tell us how the film almost wasn’t made and that you ran out of time and money so that we can sympathize and identify with the plight. That’s exactly what he gave us. As a creative, there were amazing takeaways from the piece.
Fight for Your Art
Townsend did not give up. He wrote a film that he believed in. One that would showcase black men in a different light. One that had five black actors as leads and he didn’t give up on it. Not when Fox passed after thinking it was guaranteed, not when Keenen exited the project and not when the bondsman was on set every day ensuring that they didn’t spend any more money. He also cited two scenes that he fought for throughout the process. One with his little sister, played by Tressa Thompson and the church scene when lead singer Eddie is saved.
Know How to Play Nice
He knew when to push, when to back off, and when to compromise. Ultimately, the people who were making the film didn’t look like the people in it. So, there was a lot of convincing that had to happen and he had to know when to bargain and when to stand up. This is a dance that we have to learn in all industries really, but especially as creatives when trying to gain the funds to produce our art. Sure, believe in the art, but we have to know and understand what makes dollars and cents as well.
Follow Your Curiosity
Townsend stated in the beginning of the film that he always wondered why The Temptations broke up. That curiosity led him to create The Five Heartbeats ultimately. The things that we wonder about, can be all wrapped up in our purpose.
Excellence
He wanted to make a classic. Period. So the bar was high from the very beginning. Although chasing excellence can also be maddening, the result of that hard work is often something to be proud of. The Five Heartbeats turned out to be something amazing, even when it didn’t seem like the numbers reflected it. But that was a result of putting heart and soul into what you create.
Pay Attention
The scenes where The Five Horsemen come into the label meeting re-singing The Heartbeats song and when the label exec shows up with an album with white people on the cover were inspired by the conversation that he had with singing group The Dells. In an interview with them, Townsend decided to write those parts in to highlight the discrimination that took place in the 60s when it came to black singing groups.
Your Art Can Save Lives
In the additional content that follows documentary, Townsend tells a story about a tough young man approaching him one day while having lunch and telling his story about getting off Heroin. What led him to the decision to stop? Seeing Eddie King Jr. at the end of the film when we all thought he was dead, standing up, singing after giving his life to Christ.
Not only did Townsend achieve producing a classic film, he solidified himself as a National treasure to be protected at all costs.
