White Man's Burden (film)
| White Man's Burden | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Desmond Nakano |
| Produced by | Lawrence Bender |
| Written by | Desmond Nakano |
| Starring |
John Travolta Harry Belafonte |
| Music by | Howard Shore |
| Cinematography | Willy Kurant |
| Edited by | Nancy Richardson |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Savoy Pictures |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 89 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $7 million |
| Box office | $3,760,525 (USA) |
White Man's Burden is a 1995 American drama film about racism in an alternative America where black and white Americans have reversed cultural roles.[1] The film was written and directed by Desmond Nakano.
The film revolves around Louis Pinnock, a white factory worker (John Travolta), who kidnaps Thaddeus Thomas, a black factory owner (Harry Belafonte) who fired him over a perceived slight.[2]
Plot
Louis Pinnock (John Travolta) is a struggling urban factory worker. In this alternative reality, it is a large underclass of white Americans who live in rundown, crime-infested ghettos and face prejudice from the broader society, while the comfortable middle and upper class is predominantly black.
In an effort to go above and beyond in his position (hoping to become a foreman soon), in the candy factory in which he works, Pinnock delivers a package for his boss to successful CEO Thaddeus Thomas (Harry Belafonte). After Pinnock accidentally sees Thomas's wife coming out of the shower, he is subsequently dismissed from his job, assaulted by the police and forced to watch his family evicted. In a radical quest for justice, Pinnock kidnaps Thomas, which forces the two men to bond, as well as argue over race relations and the roots of social inequality.
Cast
- John Travolta as Louis Pinnock
- Harry Belafonte as Thaddeus Thomas
- Kelly Lynch as Marsha Pinnock
- Margaret Avery as Megan Thomas
- Tom Bower as Stanley
- Andrew Lawrence as Donnie Pinnock
- Bumper Robinson as Martin
- Tom Wright as Lionel
- Sheryl Lee Ralph as Roberta
- Judith Drake as Dorothy
- Robert Gossett as John
- Wesley Thompson as Williams
- Tom Nolan as Johansson
- Willie C. Carpenter as Marcus
- Michael Beach as a policeman
Reception
The movie gained a negative reception from movie critics.[3][4][5][6] It holds a 24% rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 33 reviews.
The movie was not a box office success.[7]
See also
- The White Man's Burden
- Fable (TV play) (UK, 1965)
- Lion's Blood
References
- ↑ Weinraub, Bernard (1995-02-06). "Turning the Tables on Race Relations". The New York Times (NYTimes.com). Retrieved 2012-11-07.
- ↑ Willman, Chris (1995-03-19). "Turnabout of Foul Play : In 'White Man's Burden,' John Travolta and Harry Belafonte tilt racism on its head, in a universe where black culture dominates. Get ready to rock your world.". Los Angeles Times (LATimes.com). Retrieved 2012-11-07.
- ↑ Mathews, Jack (1995-12-01). "MOVIE REVIEW : Racial Role Reversal in 'White Man's Burden'". Los Angeles Times (LATimes.com). Retrieved 2012-11-07.
- ↑ Hicks, Chris (1995-12-05). "Film review: White Man's Burden". Deseret News. Retrieved 2012-11-07.
- ↑ LaSalle, Mick (1995-12-01). "FILM REVIEW - Blacks Have the Power In `White Man's Burden'". SFGate.com. Retrieved 2012-11-07.
- ↑ Ebert, Roger (1995-12-01). "White Man's Burden". SunTimes.com. Retrieved 2012-11-07.
- ↑ Welkos, Robert W. (1995-12-05). "Weekend Box Office : 'Toy Story' on a Roll". Los Angeles Times (LATimes.com). Retrieved 2012-11-07.
External links
- White Man's Burden at Rotten Tomatoes
- White Man's Burden at the Internet Movie Database
- White Man's Burden at AllMovie