Get on the Bus (1996)

A disparate group of African-American men travel by bus to Washington, DC for the Million Man March.

Director:

Spike Lee

Writer:

Reggie Rock Bythewood

Stars:

Ossie Davis, Charles S. Dutton, Andre Braugher

2 wins & 5 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Richard Belzer	...	Rick
De'aundre Bonds	...	Junior, aka 'Smooth'
Andre Braugher	...	Flip
Thomas Jefferson Byrd	...	Evan Thomas Sr.
Gabriel Casseus	...	Jamal
Albert Hall	...	Craig
Hill Harper	...	Xavier
Harry Lennix	...	Randall
Bernie Mac	...	Jay
Wendell Pierce	...	Wendell
Roger Guenveur Smith	...	Gary
Isaiah Washington	...	Kyle
Steve White	...	Mike
Ossie Davis	...	Jeremiah
Charles S. Dutton	...	George

Storyline

Get on the Bus follows several Black men on a cross country bus trip to the Million Man March. On the bus are an eclectic set of characters including a laid off aircraft worker, a former Gang Banger, a Hollywood actor, a cop who is of mixed racial background, and a White bus driver, all make the trek discussing issues surrounding the march, manhood, religion, politics, and race.

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Plot Keywords:

road movie | bus | march | million man march | religion | 

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Taglines:

On October 16, 1996, the one year anniversary of the Million Man March, Spike Lee invites you to lift your head, raise your voice, and...get on the bus.

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Genres:

Drama | History

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

16 October 1996 (USA)

Also Known As:

Auf engstem Raum

Filming Locations:

USA

Box Office

Budget:

$2,400,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$2,837,711, 20 October 1996, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$5,731,103, 17 November 1996

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Pictures, 15 Black Men, 40 Acres & A Mule Filmworks

Technical Specs

Runtime:

120 min

Sound Mix:

SDDS Dolby SR

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Opened on 1,207 screens earning $2.2 million in its first weekend.

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Goofs

While driving from South Los Angeles to Washington DC, the bus takes the Pasadena Freeway north from downtown LA. This freeway ends in Pasadena and is not the way one would travel across the country. Furthermore, a bus of this size would not be permitted on this freeway.

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Quotes

George: Let's go get something to eat, Rick, then I'll drive the bus for awhile.
Rick: I need you to do me a favor, George.
George: Rick, you can't drive the Spotted Owl the whole way, now.
Rick: That's not it. If the base calls in, you tell them I got sick.
George: Why?
Rick: Because I'm not coming back.
George: Shit, what the hell do you mean you're not coming back?
Rick: I can't do it.
George: Oh come on, stop bullshitting, you're just trying to go to Graceland.
Rick: I'd be safer there.
[...]

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Crazy Credits

Recumbent riders: Carol and Ken Lyon, who just happened to ride through the set on their Cross-Country Ramble from Ventura, CA, to Galveston, TX.

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Connections

Referenced in The Holiday (2006)

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Soundtracks

Welcome
Written by Raymond Jones
Used by Permission of Unicity Music, Inc./ Zubaidam Music (ASCAP)
Administered by MCA Music Publishing, A Division of MCA, Inc.
Produced by Raymond Jones
Performed by Marc Dorsey
Courtesy of 40 Acres and a Mule Musicworks

User Reviews

Excellent, Highly Underrated Film

I always intended to watch this movie for a long time but I kept putting it off. I was really surprised at how excellent and well-written this movie actually was. If you enjoy films where a group of diverse people are put into a situation and then left to deal with each other (eg "Twelve Angry Men"), then you must see this movie.

This film was also very intelligent. I think too many people believe that if you get a group of black men together for anything, they'll soon be calling each other "nigga" and violence will erupt, not necessarily in that order. About halfway through the movie, I told my wife that the n-word had not been used at all, and no punches had been thrown.

But I was wrong.

What made it even more interesting was the way the men responded to the person who called everyone "nigga," and there was a fight, which occurred between a homosexual and an arrogant, big-mouthed guy who kept calling him "faggot." I don't condone violence, but the gay guy knocked him down a peg or two, and he certainly had it coming.

This film also solidifies Andre Braugher as an incredible actor. He has taken on such diverse roles and here, he was outstanding. So many of these actors were. Almost every scenario and discussion is covered in two hours well spent.