Gary Langfield 
In a time where audiences have had their fill of seeing black trauma movies, Netflix’s The Piano Lesson is teaching us the importance of history and its relationship with upward mobility. WARNING, there are spoilers ahead.
Malcolm Washington, son of Denzel Washington, executive producer of the movie, has made his directorial debut adapting August Wilson’s play, The Piano Lesson, onto the television screen. Wilson, a beloved legendary playwright, is known for artistically expressing the mindset of Black people during the 20th century.
The Piano Lesson follows a 1930’s family in Pittsburgh with the main character being Boy Willie played by John David Washington. Boy Willie comes from the south to visit his sister Berniece and uncle Doaker, played by Danielle Deadwyler and Samuel L. Jackson. The main story revolves around a deep disagreement between Berniece and Boy Willie over what to do with a piano that’s deeply rooted in family history, symbolized by having the likeness of their family members literally engraved on it. The story of the piano holds significant weight creating very different perspectives for the two siblings, perspectives that are relatable to this very day.
According to Doaker, the family was owned by a slave owner named Sutter, who traded Doaker’s grandma and father, leaving his grandfather behind, in order to get the piano for his wife. His wife ended up missing the slaves that were traded, so Sutter had the grandfather, a skilled carpenter, use his talents to beautify the piano with an image of the mother and child slaves. What he got instead was a piano with carvings of a deep family lineage.
The years go by and Willie’s father steals the piano back with the help of Doaker and their other brother, costing him his life. The Piano now belonged to the family, resting in Pittsburg with Doaker and Berniece.
The story begins with the death of Sutter being mysteriously pushed down his own well. Boy Willie now has an opportunity to buy Sutter’s land and is bent on selling the piano to get the money he needs. He views the piano as a means to get ahead and feels like his dad left it to him to take advantage of it, disregarding the history.
Berniece firmly stands against selling the piano because of the family history it holds. It’s so fascinating how these two siblings have such different outlooks on the story they both share. She views the piano as special because her father died for it and her mother cared for it, valuing the sacrifices her ancestors made for it.
Throughout the family debacle around the piano, there’s a ghost plot to digest as well. Sutter’s ghost lingers in the house for the movie both Berniece and Doaker seeing it at different times. This leads to a dramatic climax that brings everything together and drives my point home.
When a heated argument gets interrupted by Sutter’s presence, a priest (Corey Hawkins) that’s close to the family starts blessing the house, leading to a confrontation never seen in the movie. Boy Willie starts calling out to Sutter himself leading to the two having a paranormal fight while the blessing fails to work.
Berniece plays the piano, singing a song that calls on her ancestors to help her with the external threat of the ghost. The ghosts of her family gather around her and exercise the ghost, saving Boy Willie’s life.
The piano was representing the family history so having Berniece play the piano to save Boy Willie means that we should value our history. Many people, including Black Americans, have had a negative look on Black historical fiction, but let The Piano Lesson teach you that our history is vital and we should cherish it.
The Piano Lesson is now streaming on Netflix.
By Gary Langfield Jr.
Instagram: @ima_menace19
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