Once Upon a Time... When We Were Colored (1995)

A narrator tells the story of his childhood years in a tightly knit Afro-American community in the deep south under racial segregation.

Director:

Tim Reid

Writers:

Clifton L. Taulbert (book), Paul W. Cooper (screenplay)

Stars:

Al Freeman Jr., Phylicia Rashad, Leon

3 wins & 2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Al Freeman Jr.	...	Poppa
Phylicia Rashad	...	Ma Ponk
Leon	...	Uncle Melvin
Paula Kelly	...	Ma Pearl
Salli Richardson-Whitfield	...	Miss Alice (as Salli Richardson)
Anna Maria Horsford	...	Miss Annie
Bernie Casey	...	Mr. Walter
Isaac Hayes	...	Preacher Hurn
Ray J	...	Cliff (12 Yrs.) (as Willis Norwood Jr.)
Karen Malina White	...	Mary
Damon Hines	...	Cliff at 16
Iona Morris	...	Nila Fontaine
Phill Lewis	...	Sammy (19 Yrs.) / Narrator
Taj Mahal	...	Mr. Will
Polly Bergen	...	Miss Maybry

Storyline

This film relates the story of a tightly connected Afro-American community informally called Colored Town where the inhabitants live and depend on each other in a world where racist oppression is everywhere, as told by a boy called Cliff who spent his childhood there. Despite this, we see the life of the community in all its joys and sorrows, of those that live there while others decide to leave for a better life north. For those remaining, things come to a serious situation when one prominent businessman is being muscled out by a white competitor using racist intimidation. In response, the community must make the decision of whether to submit meekly like they always have, or finally fight for their rights.

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Plot Keywords:

segregation | rural setting | race relations | prejudice | mississippi | 

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG for thematic elements including mild violence, language, and sensuality

Did You Know?

Trivia

Bernie Casey and Isaac Hayes both appeared in I'm Gonna Git You Sucka (1988).

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Quotes

Preacher Hurn: If you call Jesus, his line is never busy.

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Connections

Featured in At the Movies: Screamers/Richard III/Bed of Roses/Once Upon a Time When We Were Colored/Angels and Insects (1996)

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Soundtracks

Maybe Tomorrow
Written and Performed by Lionel Cole

User Reviews

The film is fine the way it is.

The author's stated intention was to show the family that nourished him and protected him from the world of hatred and segregation. The film showed just enough of the segregated life to let the viewer know that Cliff needed to be protected from that world and nurtured to overcome the scars that outside world could inflict. I think Taulbert and the movie did a good job of showing how the love of his immediate and extended family could compensate in some way for the hatred and oppression of the outside world. I hate to see the movie berated for not being a documentary of all the hateful excesses of the segregated South when that was not the movie's intent. We have films that are considered classics that are about different parts of World War II, and they don't document all the atrocities of the Holocaust. Not focusing on parts of an era that are not the main point of the film is not "sugarcoating." It's an excellent film about growing up in a loving family and overcoming challenges through the love and support of others. It's fine the way it is.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

26 January 1996 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Wilmington, North Carolina, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$75,675, 28 January 1996

Gross USA:

$2,291,255

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$2,291,255

Company Credits

Production Co:

BET Pictures, United Image Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

115 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1