To achieve his dream of attending Harvard, a pampered teen poses as a young black man to receive a full scholarship.
Director:
Steve MinerWriter:
Carol Black
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Title: Soul Man (1986)
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Edit
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 |
Edit
Plot Summary
|
Plot Synopsis
See All (71) »
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. Written by Tom Zoerner <Tom.Zoerner@informatik.uni-erlangen.de>
Plot Keywords:
white male privilege | white man as black man | racial stereotype | passing for black | white pretending to be black |Taglines:
Guess who's coming to college? See more »Parents Guide:
View content advisory »
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See more on IMDbPro »
See full technical specs »
Details
Country:
USALanguage:
EnglishRelease Date:
24 October 1986 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
The Imposter See more »Edit
Box Office
Opening Weekend USA:
$4,422,179, 26 October 1986Gross USA:
$27,820,000Cumulative Worldwide Gross:
$27,820,000Company Credits
Show more on
IMDbPro »
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Sound Mix:
Dolby StereoColor:
ColorAspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1
Edit
Brad Small: Oh? How?
Mark Watson: Where there's a will, there's a way...
Brad Small: Yeah? And what's your way?
Mark Watson: It's a SECRET way.
Gordon Bloomfeld: A secret way...
Brad Small: Well thats great Mark-o, but just in case your "secret way" falls through, feel free to look me up! Thanks for the cocktail Gordon...
Mark Watson: You didn't believe me, do ya? You don't believe me! Well the joke's on you sucker, because I'm going to Harvard and DON'T CALL ME A LIAR! That asshole thinks I'm lying!
Gordon Bloomfeld: Mark! You ARE lying...
See more »
By Isaac Hayes & David Porter
Performed by Sam Moore & Lou Reed
Lou Reed Courtesy of RCA Records
See more »
Did You Know?
Trivia
C. Thomas Howell and Rae Dawn Chong met on the set of this film, married, and later divorced. See more »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. See more »Quotes
Mark Watson: I got the money, Brad.Brad Small: Oh? How?
Mark Watson: Where there's a will, there's a way...
Brad Small: Yeah? And what's your way?
Mark Watson: It's a SECRET way.
Gordon Bloomfeld: A secret way...
Brad Small: Well thats great Mark-o, but just in case your "secret way" falls through, feel free to look me up! Thanks for the cocktail Gordon...
Mark Watson: You didn't believe me, do ya? You don't believe me! Well the joke's on you sucker, because I'm going to Harvard and DON'T CALL ME A LIAR! That asshole thinks I'm lying!
Gordon Bloomfeld: Mark! You ARE lying...
See more »
Soundtracks
Soul ManBy Isaac Hayes & David Porter
Performed by Sam Moore & Lou Reed
Lou Reed Courtesy of RCA Records
See more »
Frequently Asked Questions
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"to what?"
"frankly, your tone of voice."
i watched soul man twice at the cinema when it came out; i loved it to bits.
i thought the movie was warm and funny and dealt with a difficult subject in an imaginative and sincere way.
i found c thomas very likeable and i thought his relationship with rae dawn chong and her young son was believable and natural. james earl jones was fantastic too.
my fave thing about the movie is ayre gross. i loved him in coupe de ville and on ellen and he's excellent here as mark's smart-alec best friend gordo. the scene where he has to defend mark in court is so funny.