- published: 30 Jun 2010
- views: 281284
Reuben James (c. 1776 – 3 December 1838) was a boatswain's mate of the United States Navy, famous for his heroism in the Barbary Wars.
Born in Delaware around 1776, James joined the United States Navy and served on several ships, including the frigate USS Constellation. During the Barbary Wars, the American frigate Philadelphia was captured by the Barbary pirates when it ran aground in the city of Tripoli, on the southern shores of the Mediterranean Sea. Lieutenant Stephen Decatur, along with a group of volunteers that included Reuben James, entered the harbor of Tripoli under the cover of darkness in an attempt to burn the Philadelphia so that the pirates could not use her.
The volunteers boarded the Philadelphia on 16 February 1804 and were met by Barbary pirates who were guarding their prize. In the ensuing hand-to-hand combat, Reuben James, with both of his hands already wounded, positioned himself between Lieutenant Decatur and a sword-wielding pirate. Willing to give his life for his captain, James took a blow from the sword but survived.
Actors: Craig Fairbrass (actor), Marc Wolff (miscellaneous crew), Richard Morrison (miscellaneous crew), Michael Kamen (composer), Quentin Pierre (miscellaneous crew), Sandy Powell (costume designer), Denzel Washington (actor), Graham McTavish (actor), Frank Harper (actor), Bruce Payne (actor), George Baker (actor), Tim Bevan (producer), Ken Stott (actor), Michael Bray (actor), Peter McNamara (actor),
Plot: Reuben, having been discharged from the British military, returns to London after a tour of duty in Northern Ireland and the Falklands, where he was decorated as a war Hero. However, given his vocation to his country, he finds interviews for jobs surprisingly difficult to arrange, even though they were sorted out by his careers officers in the army. Within time, he realises his illustrious army record holds no sway in everyday life.
Keywords: 1980s, classism, england, ex-soldier, falklands-war, independent-film, interracial-relationship, kicked-in-the-butt, poverty, prejudiceRuben James, in my song you live again
And the phrases that I rhyme
Are just the footsteps out of time
From the time when I knew you, Ruben James
Ruben James, all the folks around Madison County
Cussed your name just a no count share croppin' colored man
Who would steal anything he can
And they always laid the blame on Ruben James
Ruben James, you still walk the furrowed fields on my mind
The faded shirt, the weathered brow
The calloused hand up on the plow
I loved you then and I love you now, Ruben James
Flora Gray, a gossip of Madison County died with child
And although your skin was black
You were the one that didn't turn your back
On a hungry white child with no name, Ruben James
Ruben James, with your mind on my soul
And the bible in your right hand
You said turn the other cheek
A there's a better world is a waiting for the meek
In my head these words remain from a Ruben James
Ruben James, you still walk the furrowed fields on my mind
The faded shirt, the weathered brow
The calloused hand up on the plow
I loved you then and I love you now, Ruben James
Ruben James one dark cloudy day
That brought you from the fields
And to your lonely pine box came
Just a preacher, me and the rain
To sing one last refrain for Ruben James
Ruben James, you still walk the furrowed fields on my mind
The faded shirt, the weathered brow
The calloused hand up on the plow
I loved you then and I love you now, Ruben James
Ruben James, you still walk the furrowed fields on my mind
The faded shirt, the weathered brow
The calloused hand up on the plow