She's Gotta Have It (1986)

Story of a woman and her three lovers.

Director:

Spike Lee

Writer:

Spike Lee

Stars:

Tracy Camilla Johns, Tommy Redmond Hicks, John Canada Terrell

3 wins & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Tracy Camilla Johns	...	Nola Darling
Tommy Redmond Hicks	...	Jamie Overstreet
John Canada Terrell	...	Greer Childs
Spike Lee	...	Mars Blackmon
Raye Dowell	...	Opal Gilstrap
Joie Lee	...	Clorinda Bradford
S. Epatha Merkerson	...	Doctor Jamison (as Epatha Merkinson)
Bill Lee	...	Sonny Darling
Cheryl Burr	...	Ava
Aaron Dugger	...	Noble
Stephanie Covington	...	Keva
Renata Cobbs	...	Shawn
Cheryl Singleton	...	Toby
Monty Ross	...	Dog 1
Tiziano Cortini	...	Dog 2 (as Lewis Jordan)

Storyline

The story of Nola Darling's simultaneous sexual relationships with three different men is told by her and by her partners and other friends. All three men wanted her to commit solely to them; Nola resists being "owned" by a single partner.

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Plot Keywords:

human relationship | black independent film | lesbian | infidelity | black & white to color | 

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Taglines:

A Seriously Sexy Comedy

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Genres:

Comedy | Romance

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

8 August 1986 (USA)

Also Known As:

Nola Darling

Filming Locations:

Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$20,000 (estimated)

Gross:

$7,137,502 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

40 Acres & A Mule Filmworks

Technical Specs

Runtime:

84 min 88 min (director's cut)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Because the film's budget was so tight, there were no retakes of any scenes.

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Quotes

Mars Blackmon (to Jamie): Nola's about as dependable as a ripped diaphragm.

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Crazy Credits

"There are no jericurls and no drugs in this movie!"

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Connections

Referenced in Drop Squad (1994)

User Reviews

A funny, feminist view of sex from Spike Lee

This is a completely unique, humorous, sexy film from Spike Lee -- his first cinematic effort, using his friends from NYU film school as actors. He himself plays the role of eccentric Mars, one of heroine Nola darling's three lovers. Though I'm sure Lee wouldn't describe himself as a feminist, this film looks at so-called "promiscuity" from a distinctly liberated point of view. Perhaps women need more than one man, he wonders, because it takes several men to make up a complete person! The film is set in a rarely seen milieu, that of artistic, well-educated, middle-class, quirky urban African-Americans (like the view of black Chicago in "Love Jones"). It would be fascinating from that standpoint, even it if didn't display such ruefully witty characterizations of egotistical, clueless men.

You could spend an afternoon in far worse fashion than to rent this film, and view Lee's naked talent shining through in a film whose cost probably wouldn't pay the catering bill for one of his film projects these days. The fact that it is filmed almost entirely in black and white adds to its authenticity and charm.