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Native Son (1986) More at IMDbPro »

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Overview

User Rating:
6.0/10   238 votes
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Director:
Jerrold Freedman
Writers:
Richard Wesley (writer)
Richard Wright (novel)
Contact:
View company contact information for Native Son on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
12 December 1986 (USA) more
Genre:
Drama more
Plot:
Bigger Thomas, an African American who lives in an impoverished neighborhood, is employed by a prosperous... more | add synopsis
Awards:
2 nominations more
NewsDesk:
American Century Revives Native Son 4/14 At Gunston Center
 (From BroadwayWorld.com. 25 March 2009, 10:28 AM, PDT)

User Comments:
Good job more

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Victor Love ... Bigger Thomas

Matt Dillon ... Jan

Elizabeth McGovern ... Mary Dalton

Geraldine Page ... Peggy

Oprah Winfrey ... Mrs. Thomas
Akosua Busia ... Bessie

Carroll Baker ... Mrs. Dalton
John McMartin ... Mr. Dalton
Art Evans ... Doc
John Karlen ... Max

Willard E. Pugh ... Gus

David Rasche ... Buckley

Ving Rhames ... Jack
Walter Rivers ... G.H.

Shavar Ross ... Buddy
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Additional Details

Runtime:
111 min
Country:
USA
Language:
English
Color:
Color
Sound Mix:
Mono
Certification:
Iceland:16 | Belgium:16 (video rating) | Australia:M | USA:PG
Filming Locations:
Chicago, Illinois, USA

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Ving Rhames feature film debut. more
Movie Connections:
Features My Man Godfrey (1936) more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
4 out of 4 people found the following comment useful:-
Good job, 18 April 2004
Author: vchimpanzee from North Carolina

Bigger is a teenager who is so poor he and his mother must share a bedroom in an apartment that appears to be falling apart, and they don't have enough money to eat well. When they get out of bed, two other hidden children pop up from under the covers--Bigger's sister sleeps with her mother, and his brother sleeps with him, and the males must turn around while the females get dressed. To improve their situation, Bigger's mother knows of a great opportunity for him and hopes he will finally get a job he can hold on to. If he doesn't, things could be even worse (at least they HAVE a home now).

Bigger goes to be with his friends when he should be interviewing for the job. He lets them know he will NOT work for the white man. Yet he does finally show up at the home of a rich family, and immediately turns into what his friends would likely call an Uncle Tom--not Stepin Fetchit, but respectful and polite.

Everything appears to be going well for a while, but then something quite terrible changes the situation drastically.

Oprah Winfrey came across quite convincingly as a poor black mother. This was in the days before she became a superstar talk show host. I won't say it's too bad she was successful in her best-known career, because she did so much good, but she could have been quite a fine actress. Victor Love was good as Bigger, primarily because Bigger had to be so convincing in order to keep his job. A great performance came from John Karlen as a defense lawyer (yes, someone needed a lawyer).

This was an African Heritage Network Monthly Movie Classic. It wasn't as good as some movies selected for this honor, but it was pretty good.

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