The Great White Hype (1996)

Director:

Reginald Hudlin

Writers (WGA):

Tony Hendra (screenplay) and
Ron Shelton (screenplay)

Release Date:

3 May 1996 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Sport

Tagline:

If you can't find the perfect contender....make one.

Plot:

When the champ's promoter, Rev. Sultan, decides something new is needed to boost the marketability of the boxing matches...

Plot Keywords:

Boxing | Boxer | Satire | Corruption | Woman As Object

Cast

Samuel L. Jackson	...	Rev. Fred Sultan
Jeff Goldblum	...	Mitchell Kane
Peter Berg	...	Terry Conklin
Corbin Bernsen	...	Peter Prince
Jon Lovitz	...	Sol
Cheech Marin	...	Julio Escobar
John Rhys-Davies	...	Johnny Windsor
Salli Richardson-Whitfield	...	Bambi (as Salli Richardson)
Jamie Foxx	...	Hassan El Ruk'n
Rocky Carroll	...	Artemus St. John Saint
Albert Hall	...	Roper's Manager
Susan Gibney	...	Vivian
Michael Jace	...	Marvin Shabazz
Duane Davis	...	Palace Guard #1
Lamont Johnson	...	Palace Guard #2

Runtime:

91 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Iceland:L | USA:R (certificate #34402) | South Korea:15 | New Zealand:R16 | Australia:MA | Denmark:16 | UK:15

Company:

Atman Entertainment

Trivia:

Jon Lovitz's character mentions, when watching film of Tommy Morrison being knocked out, that he is 'John Wayne's cousin'. Morrison is actually John Wayne's (real name Marion Michael Morrison) grand nephew.

Goofs:

Continuity: The length of Roper's cigarette just before the fight.

Quotes:

James Roper: I could beat Conklin and my meat at the same time!

Movie Connections:

Spoofs Roger & Me (1989)

Soundtrack:

We Got It

With this cast it should be ten times better!

A *major* disappointment, especially considering the great cast (Jeff Goldblum aside. I *hate* Goldblum - he's a one-dimensional actor who plays the same bloody character every film he makes and it's not even a good character!!) Samuel Jackson, Damon Wayans, Jamie Foxx, Jon Lovitz (okay, he's also one-dimensional, but *his* character's *funny*!!) and Corbin Bernson...this should be an ace in the hole! But a poor script and worse shooting makes this film hit ground zero pretty fast. It's sloppy, it's long-winded, it shouldn't be shorter, it just needs to be put together more strongly. For example: the Goldblum interview scenes are all horrific. They should be canned or completely redone (preferably with a better actor;).

And it's a comedy yet it's decidedly un-funny. Wayans elicits a laugh or two, and Foxx is amusing...but these two guys should be good for non-stop laughs! And Jackson is almost *too* smooth for this role. He's also much too brilliant an actor...he's poorly suited for a role that's not nearly as competent as he is.

All in all: I actually liked this better the second time I saw it (which isn't saying that much). It's more amusing than I remember it to be. But that's still not enough. It's hardly a keeper - with this kind of cast (oh, by the way - nice cameo by Method Man but someone shoot Brian Setzer PLEASE!!!) it could be SO SO SO much better! 5/10.