Watermelon Man (film)

Watermelon Man

U.S. theatrical release poster
Directed by Melvin Van Peebles
Produced by John B. Bennett
Written by Herman Raucher
Starring Godfrey Cambridge
Estelle Parsons
Howard Caine
D'Urville Martin
Kay Kimberley
Mantan Moreland
Erin Moran
Music by Melvin Van Peebles
Cinematography W. Wallace Kelley
Edited by Carl Kress
Distributed by Columbia Pictures
Release dates
  • May 27, 1970 (1970-05-27)
Running time
 98 minutes
Country United States
Language English
Box office $1.1 million (US/ Canada rentals)[1]

Watermelon Man is a 1970 American comedy-drama film, directed by Melvin Van Peebles and also stars Estelle Parsons, Howard Caine, D'Urville Martin, and Mantan Moreland. The story portrays Mr. Gerber as a white, middle class insurance salesman with an outwardly odd personality. As he wakes up the next morning, he finds that he has turned into a black man. The premise for the film was inspired by Franz Kafka's Metamorphosis, and by John Howard Griffin's autobiographical Black Like Me.[2]

Background

The film was directed by Melvin Van Peebles, and the screenplay was written by Herman Raucher. Peebles was also responsible for the music that played throughout the film. The film was at a variety of places: the Penthouse Theater, Broadway, 47th Street, and the murray Hill Theater by Columbia Pictures. John B. Bennett helped produce this film. The film runs 97 minutes long and is rated R which requires anyone under 17 to accompanied by an adult. The studio insisted on having the main character, Jeff Gerber, be played by a white man and have him act in black face. Peebles was able to persuade Columbia Pictures to cast a black actor that would act in white face instead.It would make more sense for a black actor to just act in white face for a small bit in the beginning of the film and just act without make up the rest of the film after the transformation since he was black then to have a white character be in black face for the majority of the film.

In the original ending, Gerber wakes up one day as a white man again realizing it was all a weird dream. With the feeling the ending was not very politically correct, Peebles shot a more revolutionary ending that promoted blackness. It is questionable to exactly what the ending means but it looks at if Mr. Gerber embraces his blackness and joins the black power movement.[3]

The film experienced mixed reviews. There were reviews that also found the fill dull, “This dreadfully unfunny joke of a movie falls crashingly flat on its black and white face,[4]”. However the audience took it, the film was men to get people talking and to promote blackness.[5]

The man behind Jeff Gerber, Godfrey Cambridge, was use to wearing whiteface as he work before in the Jean Genet’s play The Blacks. He was a stand-up comedy that was not use to being as political as Peebles wanted him to be for this film. Cambridge would get his inspiration for this Jeff Gerber character from a popular persona during that decade. He took a mixture of Dick Gregory’s strong criticisms towards of American society and Bill Cosby’s general observation of life. But Cambridge actually put a lot of his personal identity into this character that help make the character come alive.

Cambridge grew up being, on many occasions, the only black guy in his class living in both Canada and New York. This result in a lack of knowledge of his own racial identity in comparison to the world which is a battle that Mr. Gerber struggles with during the second part of the film. He was surrounded by white privilege that Mr. Gerber experienced in the beginning of the film but claimed to never experience true prejudices because he was the only black person. Growing up, Cambridge was completely isolated, ignorant to reality and believed everything he saw on television. What he knew of what privilege and whiteness was the norm and it allowed Cambridge to really connect with his character. Peebles took Cambridge on and allowed him to come into his black identity where Cambridge used this film as a creative outlet and exploration similar to his character. This interaction with Cambridge clearly continued to inspire Peebles as he played with the theme of “twoness”. He made sure the focus was on the individual identity being split into two or double consciousness as coined by W.E.B. Du Bois.[6]

Plot

Jeff Gerber (Godfrey Cambridge) lives in an average suburban neighborhood with his seemingly liberal housewife Althea (Estelle Parsons), who tolerates her husband's character flaws out of love. Mr. and Mrs. Gerber have two children, Burton and Janice Gerber. One day Jeff Gerber literally wakes up a whole new man, specifically a black man, which he hopes that is a nightmare but it sadly is not. This leads him down a frantic, yet silly, chase of regaining his white skin by taking longer showers, bleaching his skin with whitening creams, drinking gallons of milk, and even ridiculously using white plaster molder over his whole body. This transformation from white to black in the film was effortless but not behind the scenes. According to the review in Chicago Daily Defender, the transformation took time, “...it took a lot more than a ZAP to transform Cambridge..experimentation with various greases, oils, and paints…”.[7] When he finally gives up, he leaves for work and has a very unique black experience: experiences the same hostility he had toward the black community, friends, neighbors, and family turns against him, his boss exploits his new “black skin” to gain African American customers, and his white secretary finds him extremely attractive.[8]

Cast

Historical Theme: Race, Racism, and Blaxploitation

The theme of race is a hugely represented in this film. While the film uses a light-hearted comedy to poke fun at the fact that a white man is turning into a black man, the drama of the reality of that situation is definitely still felt. Van Peebles looks at race as a social construct as this film shows that no matter where you come from, who you are, if you possess the physical characteristics of black people, you are black. This also means you will be treated as a black person. Mr. Gerber transformed into a bigot white man to a proud black man that ends the film preparing for a violent revolution. This is not only the representation of the black race during that time period but also a support of the black aesthetic, blackness, and black power.[10]

Blaxploitation films aimed to promote the black aesthetic without any representation or critic to the white aesthetic and that is exactly what the film Watermelon Man did. The use of whiteface was Peebles’ idea to contradict the idea of whiteness being the norm. Whiteness in American holds this power as being the dominant race but by pointing a black man in whiteface, which make look undoubtedly strange, it changes the idea of what is norm. What was really striking is seeing the highlighted powerful white race in comparison to the black race. There is a scene where this American family watches the news at the breakfast table and observes the race riots that occur around the country. Peebles used actual footage of the riots which helps solidity how realness of the scene. This scene is an example of representation of the black aesthetic which could identify this film as a Blaxploitation film.

This film did nothing but appeal to the black aesthetic, black power, is the whole point of a Blaxploitation film. Peebles used this film as a way to help break the negative stereotypes and representation of African Americans. Peebles used stereotypes of the black man being the sexualized buck wanted by white woman and being attacked by police officers when Gerber made his transition to a black man. By putting this stereotypes in the film, was to reclaim them and spark conversation and Peebles made a good choice. The final scene shows a black man, Jeff Gerber, in support of the black power revolution. His normal everyday exercise he would do as a white man changed into Gerber holding a weapon in his hand, thrusting it forward with a group of his black brothers, and preparing for a fight.[11]

Historical Theme: Politics and Culture

This film demonstrated social and political inequalities in the U.S. The film contradict the notion of whiteness being the norm in American society. It stead of just focusing on the black experience being a nightmare where understanding the realities of racial oppression, the focus was more of a critic on whiteness and white privilege. The film was progressive for its time with focusing on the black perspective. Peebles used much of his influence from American sitcom to develop the storyline. While focusing on racism in society, Peebles simultaneously target Hollywood and their celebration of all things white American and American culture. These film critics of basic Hollywood representation of America when it is connected to black independent filmmaking. It turns a basic film about a white middle class family with two children to a huge discussion of race and the perspective of those who are living the “American Dream”.

Peebles, with connections in Hollywood and black independent film, understand fully the racial inequalities that occur in Hollywood. The independent cinema promotes change of the mainstream representation of African Americans and gives creative freedom in whatever the artist wants to create. But these studios lacked funding and chances of exposure of films that Hollywood studios has. That is why directors like Peebles would work in studios like Columbia to alter the representation of African Americans and getting more exposure on the messages he was trying to portray. This film was created during the decade of black sitcoms which had a huge influence on Peebles and the direction he wanted to take with this film. It had an influence of the all-white cast 50’s sitcoms with a blend of the 70’s popular black sitcoms.[12]

Production

Godfrey Cambridge plays the role of Jeff Gerber in whiteface for the first few minutes of the film, and then goes without the makeup when his character changes into a black man. Before director Melvin Van Peebles had come into the project, the studio had told him that they were planning to cast a white actor like Alan Arkin or Jack Lemmon to play the part, but that it didn't seem to work quite right. When Van Peebles read the screenplay, he had thought that the studio had sent him the wrong script. When he was told that they had planned to cast a white actor and have him play the part in black makeup for part of the film, Van Peebles suggested that they cast a black actor instead.[13]

On the film's DVD release, Van Peebles explains that he had hated the intended ending of the film, and convinced studio executives that it had to be changed,[13] but they said he had to film both versions of the ending - he says he only filmed the one, "by accident". The alternative ending was to be that Gerber wakes up as a white man again and learns his time as a black man was only a nightmare, but that he realizes he ought to be more sensitive towards others.

Columbia was happy with the finished product, and the film was a financial success, leading the studio to offer Van Peebles a three-picture contract. Instead of taking their offer, Van Peebles made the independent film Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song, which later turned out to not only be the highest grossing independent film of 1971, but also the highest grossing independent film up to that point. Following that film's success, Columbia tore up Van Peebles' contract.[13]

Soundtrack

Watermelon Man
Soundtrack album by Melvin Van Peebles
Released 1970
Genre Soundtrack
Melvin Van Peebles chronology
Watermelon Man
(1970)		 Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song
(1971)

Peebles wrote the entire soundtrack to this film. He inserted music, jazz, blues, and funk, another introduction of the black aesthetic, that brought the film to life and emphasized certain scenes. He actually thought the studio would object to this idea so he decided to not tell the studio.[14] A soundtrack album was released in 1970, and "Love, that's America", a song from the film and soundtrack, was released as a single in the same year.[15] The single was mentioned as a top pick in Billboard Magazine's Oct 31, 1970 issue.[16]

The song is narrated from the point of view of someone walking around America, and seeing "people run through the streets, blood streaming from where they been beat", and declaring "naw, this ain't America, you can't fool me".[17]

The soundtrack album was never released on compact disc, although it was released as a digital download through Amazon MP3 and iTunes.[18][19][20] In 2011, "Love, that's America" gained new notice as part of a video set to footage of Occupy Wall Street.[21]

Conclusion

Melvin Van Peebles still lives today and will forever be a huge leader in the film industry breaking the racial barriers up against black filmmakers in Hollywood trying to tell their stories. Cambridge’s break out role was Watermelon Man. He gave the audience an entertaining character that allowed people to see racism and how a person can completely deny racism and prejudice in the workplace, society, and even in the family.[22]

Track listing

All songs written and composed by Melvin Van Peebles. 

Side one
No. Title Length
1. "Love, that's America"   4:55
2. "Great Guy"   2:34
3. "Eviction Scene"   5:21
4. "Soul'd on You"   3:43
Side two
No. Title Length
1. "Where are the Children"   3:39
2. "Erica's Theme"   2:41
3. "Fugue 1"   2:09
4. "Fugue 2"   2:37
5. "Fugue 3"   4:36
Total length:
 31:51

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Big Rental Films of 1970", Variety, 6 January 1971 p 11
  2. ↑ . A Johnson Publication https://books.google.com/books?id=UTkDAAAAMBAJ&lpg=PA56&dq=watermelon%20man&pg=PA1#v=onepage&q=watermelon%20man&f=false. |first1= missing |last1= in Authors list (help); Missing or empty |title= (help)
  3. ↑ Huelsbeck, Mary. "Coming Attractions" (PDF). Indiana University Press 2 (1).
  4. ↑ "Godfrey Cambridge's Watermelon Man Arrives at 2 Houses". The New York Times.
  5. ↑ Gates, Racquel. "SUBVERTING HOLLYWOOD FROM THE INSIDE OUT MELVIN VAN PEEBLES'S WATERMELON MAN" (PDF). University of California Press.
  6. ↑ Gates, Racquel. "SUBVERTING HOLLYWOOD FROM THE INSIDE OUT MELVIN VAN PEEBLES'S WATERMELON MAN". University of California Press. https://classes.emory.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-2856431-dt-content-rid-4701178_2/courses/SP16_AMST_385_001/Watermelon%20Man%20Subverting%20Hollywood%20from%20Inside%20out.pdf.
  7. ↑ \, Chicago Daily Defender. "Cambridge Turns White In Columbia's Watermelon Man". Real Times, Inc.
  8. ↑ Huelsbeck, Mary (2010). "Coming Attractions" (PDF). Indiana University Press 2 (1): 145. More than one of |pages= and |page= specified (help)
  9. ↑ "Watermelon Man". ProQuest. American Film institute.
  10. ↑ Peebles, Melvin. "Making It" (PDF). University of Indiana Press.
  11. ↑ Gates, Racquel (SUBVERTING HOLLYWOOD FROM THE INSIDE OUT MELVIN VAN PEEBLES'S WATERMELON MAN). University of California Press (PDF) https://classes.emory.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-2856431-dt-content-rid-4701178_2/courses/SP16_AMST_385_001/Watermelon%20Man%20Subverting%20Hollywood%20from%20Inside%20out.pdf. Check date values in: |date= (help); Missing or empty |title= (help)
  12. ↑ Gates, Racquel. "SUBVERTING HOLLYWOOD FROM THE INSIDE OUT MELVIN VAN PEEBLES'S WATERMELON MAN" (PDF). University of California Press.
  13. 1 2 3 Van Peebles, Melvin. Watermelon Man DVD, Columbia Tristar Home Entertainment, 2004, DVD introduction. ASIN: B0002KPI1O
  14. ↑ Gates, Racquel. "SUBVERTING HOLLYWOOD FROM THE INSIDE OUT MELVIN VAN PEEBLES'S WATERMELON MAN" (PDF). University of California Press.
  15. ↑ Billboard - Google Books. Books.google.com. 1970-08-29. Retrieved 2013-10-04.
  16. ↑ Billboard - Google Books. Books.google.com. 1970-10-31. Retrieved 2013-10-04.
  17. ↑ Frank Beacham (2011-10-23). "Frank Beacham's Journal: Melvin Van Peebles' 41-Year-Old Protest Song". Beachamjournal.com. Retrieved 2013-10-04.
  18. ↑ "Watermelon Man soundtrack details". SoundtrackCollector. Retrieved 2007-07-07.
  19. ↑ "Watermelon Man: Melvin Van Peebles: MP3 Downloads". Amazon.com. Retrieved 2013-10-04.
  20. ↑ "iTunes - Music - Watermelon Man by Melvin Van Peebles". Itunes.apple.com. 2009-05-25. Retrieved 2013-10-04.
  21. ↑
  22. ↑ Gates, Racquel. "SUBVERTING HOLLYWOOD FROM THE INSIDE OUT MELVIN VAN PEEBLES'S WATERMELON MAN" (PDF). University of California Press.

External links

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