White Man's Burden (1995)

The story takes place in alternative America where the blacks are members of social elite, and whites are inhabitants of inner city ghettos. Louis Pinnock is a white worker in a chocolate ... See full summary »

Director:

Desmond Nakano

Writer:

Desmond Nakano

Stars:

John Travolta, Harry Belafonte, Kelly Lynch

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
John Travolta	...	Louis Pinnock
Harry Belafonte	...	Thaddeus Thomas
Kelly Lynch	...	Marsha Pinnock
Margaret Avery	...	Megan Thomas
Tom Bower	...	Stanley
Andrew Lawrence	...	Donnie Pinnock
Bumper Robinson	...	Martin
Tom Wright	...	Lionel
Sheryl Lee Ralph	...	Roberta
Judith Drake	...	Dorothy
Robert Gossett	...	John
Wesley Thompson	...	Williams
Tom Nolan	...	Johansson
Willie C. Carpenter	...	Marcus
Michael Beach	...	Policeman #1 Outside Bar

Storyline

The story takes place in alternative America where the blacks are members of social elite, and whites are inhabitants of inner city ghettos. Louis Pinnock is a white worker in a chocolate factory, loving husband and father of two children. While delivering a package for black CEO Thaddeus Thomas, he is mistaken for a voyeur and, as a result, loses his job, gets beaten by black cops and his family gets evicted from their home. Desperate Pinnock takes a gun and kidnaps Thomas, demanding justice.

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Plot Keywords:

title based on poem | alternative history | reverse discrimination | punk | kidnapping | 

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Taglines:

In a world of right and wrong, justice is seldom black or white.

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Genres:

Drama | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for strong language and some violence

Details

Country:

France USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

1 December 1995 (USA)

Also Known As:

White Man

Filming Locations:

420-422 Avalon Boulevard, Wilmington, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$7,000,000 (estimated)

Gross:

$3,760,515 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

A Band Apart, Chromatic, Home Box Office (HBO)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

89 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

John Travolta had filming stopped briefly so that Kelly Lynch could attend the funeral of her friend, Michael O'Donoghue.

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Quotes

[Last lines. Mrs. Pinnock has just refused to accept from Mr. Thomas the money he owed her husband]
Thaddeus Thomas: What, isn't it enough?
Marsha Pinnock: How much is enough, Mr. Thomas? How much will ever be enough?
[turns and walks away]

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Soundtracks

"Tripping Billies"
Written by Dave Matthews
Performed by Dave Matthews Band
Courtesy of Bama Rags Records

User Reviews

Eye opening, even to a black man

I think the ending was sad. I felt sorry for Travolta, even his son. But I disagree with the comment about "whats the point" because it shows what I go through weekly. I mean, some of it is extreme, but true. And when Belafonte remarked, "well, most of them don't have father's" in response to his wife's comment about the white kids discipline, it was... I'm at a lost for words. I'm watching it again tonight, and I think every white man needs to see the movie, and every black man. It was a trip seeing the roles flipped. But the movie is truly, "a trip". I mean, when Belafonte talks about the "socially crippled, genetically inferior" whites, its a trip, just hearing that. I study psychology, and all these theories are pervasive, and they relate to science by the genetic concepts of the 20th century, i mean, eugenics and it is really wild. Anyway, this is a must see movie. You must see it. I'm mad I didn't know it existed for the last ten years.