Soul Man (1986)

To achieve his dream of attending Harvard, a pampered teen poses as a young black man to receive a full scholarship.

Director:

Steve Miner

Writer:

Carol Black

Stars:

C. Thomas Howell, Rae Dawn Chong, Arye Gross

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
C. Thomas Howell	...	Mark Watson
Rae Dawn Chong	...	Sarah Walker
Arye Gross	...	Gordon Bloomfeld
James Earl Jones	...	Professor Banks
Melora Hardin	...	Whitney Dunbar
Leslie Nielsen	...	Mr. Dunbar
Ann Walker	...	Mrs. Dunbar
James Sikking	...	Bill Watson (as James B. Sikking)
Max Wright	...	Dr. Aronson
Jeff Altman	...	Ray McGrady
Julia Louis-Dreyfus	...	Lisa Stimson
Maree Cheatham	...	Mrs. Dorothy Watson (as Marie Cheatham)
Wallace Langham	...	Barky Brewer (as Wally Ward)
Eric Schiff	...	Booey Fraser
Ron Reagan	...	Frank

Storyline

Mark doesn't expect any problems in going to college: he and his friend have reserved places in Harvard and his parents have the money to pay for his education there. But suddenly his father's neurotic psychiatrist advises him to go on vacation in Hawaii instead of spending more money on his son. Since Mark wants to keep his lifestyle, including a fancy car and a flat shared with his friend, he seeks financial support. The only foundation which still accepts applications is for blacks only -- no problem, with lots of bronzing pills and "soul in his voice" he sets out to Harvard. Soon he has to realize that being black will cause some people to handle him differently.

---

Plot Keywords:

white man as black man | racial stereotype | passing for black | white pretending to be black | white male pretending to be black | 

---

Taglines:

He didn't give up. He got down.

---

Genres:

Comedy | Romance

---

Certificate:

PG-13

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

24 October 1986 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Imposter

Filming Locations:

Harvard Square, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA

Box Office

Gross USA:

$27,820,000

Company Credits

Production Co:

Balcor Film Investors,The Steve Tisch Company

Technical Specs

Runtime:

104 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Ralph Macchio turned down the lead role.

---

Goofs

About fifteen minutes into the picture, Mark and Gordon are seen traveling up Mass. Ave. in Cambridge, adjacent to the Harvard campus, and suddenly, they're not on Mass. Ave. anymore, they're on Quincy St., a couple blocks away. Then, just as suddenly, they're right back on Mass Ave., again proceeding through Harvard Square, just as they were before.

---

Quotes

Professor Banks: You've learned something I can't teach them. You've learned what it feels like to be black.
Mark: No sir.
Professor Banks: Beg your pardon?
Mark: I don't really know what it feels like sir. If I didn't like it, I could always get out. It's not the same sir.
Professor Banks: You've learned a great deal more than I thought.

---

Connections

References The Price Is Right (1972)

---

Soundtracks

Suddenly It's Magic
By Amy Sue Reichardt (as Amy La Television) & Willie Wilcox
Performed by Vesta Williams
Courtesy of A&M Records, Inc.

User Reviews

Taking serious, turning it funny

This movie gets a bad rap but it's actually quite interesting in its portrayal stereotypes and racism. It's sad that it was made because there shouldn't be such stereotypes and racism in society. But the movie goes about having a laugh with it all while still showing the ignorance in people. C. Thomas Howell used to be able to act back then and he does a great job. There is fine acting all around particularly from James Earl Jones and Rae Dawn Chong. On the unfortunate side, Leslie Nielson was terribly underused and so out of character as a racist piece of crap. In the end, right prevails over wrong, we have a few laughs, and ponder the idiocy of racism.

6.1 / 10 stars

--Zoooma, a Kat Pirate Screener