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Overview
User Rating:
Director:
Writer:
Herman Raucher (writer)
Release Date:
27 May 1970 (USA) more
Tagline:
The Uppity Movie. more
Plot:
An extremely bigotted white man find out the hard (and somewhat humorous) way what it's like being a black man, firsthand! full summary | add synopsis
Awards:
Nominated for BAFTA Film Award. more
User Comments:
Essential movie. It's not perfect - but must be seen. more (15 total)
Cast
(Cast overview, first billed only) | 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 |
Additional Details
Also Known As:
The Night the Sun Came Out (USA) (working title)
more
Parents Guide:
Runtime:
100 min
Country:
Language:
Color:
Color (Technicolor)
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Certification:
Filming Locations:
Company:
Fun Stuff
Trivia:
D'Urville Martin not only plays the credited role of the Bus Driver, but also participant in the Yacht Club "riot" scene. more
Quotes:
Delivery man: That guy needs a sun lamp like Fred Astaire needs dancing lessons. more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in How to Get the Man's Foot Outta Your Ass (2003) more
FAQ
This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.more (15 total)
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Related Links
| Full cast and crew | Company credits | External reviews |
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Cambridge does an interesting lob playing a white man turned into a black man, but Van Peebles evidently wanted to make some pejorative assessments of both cultures. The negativity of the film is offset by slapstick and schtik - like the moment of awareness of the transition when Gerber goes to the bathroom in the middle of the night and when he gets off the toilet, a big black rear end fills the screen. The transition, itself, is never adequately explained: recessive gene gone berserk, sardonic God teaching a lesson, who knows?
The sad part of the film is the inability to ever find purchase in the community. Not everyone is bigoted but they are all portrayed as one big cliché. Any normal unbiased people are immediately put off by the reprehensible actions of Cambridge - so there are no friends or allies except of the same race - or more purely - of the same anger.
How nice this movie could have been if Van Peebles had allowed Gerber to rise to the top in spite of everything - to showcase hope instead of futility.