Watermelon Man (1970)

Director:

Melvin Van Peebles

Writer:

Herman Raucher (writer)

Release Date:

27 May 1970 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

The Uppity Movie.

Plot:

An extremely bigotted white man find out the hard (and somewhat humorous) way what it's like being a black man, firsthand!

Plot Keywords:

Blaxploitation | Sex | Role Reversal | Music Score Composed By Director | White Man As Black Man

Awards:

Nominated for BAFTA Film Award.

Cast

Godfrey Cambridge	...	Jeff Gerber
Estelle Parsons	...	Althea Gerber
Howard Caine	...	Mr. Townsend
D'Urville Martin	...	Bus Driver
Mantan Moreland	...	Counterman
Kay Kimberley	...	Erica
Kay E. Kuter	...	Dr. Wainwright
Scott Garrett	...	Burton Gerber
Erin Moran	...	Janice Gerber
Irving Selbst	...	Mr. Johnson
Emil Sitka	...	Delivery Man
Lawrence Parke	...	1st Passenger
Karl Lukas	...	Policeman #2
Ray Ballard	...	3rd Passenger
Robert Dagny	...	2nd Passenger

Also Known As:

The Night the Sun Came Out (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

100 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

USA:R

Filming Locations:

Toluca Lake, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

Director Cameo: [Melvin Van Peebles]The artist who letters Jeff Gerber's new office door.

Quotes:

Jeff Gerber: I am not colored.
Bus Driver: I know. I'm Spanish myself.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Lakeview Terrace (2008)

Really Smart Movie

I just rented this DVD and loved it. At first, Godfrey Cambridge was a bit shrill for my taste but I got over it. His comic timing and acting was awesome. The humor was as sharp and cutting as a blade. Like in Sweet Sweetback..., Melvin Van Peebles doesn't go for the obvious commentary on race relations; I loved the scene at the end when the wife admits that she's "liberal to a point." People of color have hit this invisible and unexpected brick wall at one point or another with some liberals. Some of the production value and jagged editing notwithstanding, I was riveted by this film. It's sad how, over 30 years later, how timely it still is in a lot of ways. While I would love us all to get along, I appreciate the honesty and realness the film depicts of what happens when getting along is made impossible when one group dehumanizes another. Melvin Van Peebles does not shy away from showing this, nor does he apologize for or explain it. The film made me re-appreciate him as a real auteur, an adroit storyteller. Damn Van Peebles is good!