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Watermelon Man (1970) 6.5
An extremely bigoted white man finds out the hard (and somewhat humorous) way what it's like being a black man, firsthand! Director:Melvin Van PeeblesWriter:Herman Raucher |
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Cast
| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
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Godfrey Cambridge | ... |
Jeff Gerber
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| Estelle Parsons | ... |
Althea Gerber
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| Howard Caine | ... |
Mr. Townsend
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D'Urville Martin | ... |
Bus Driver
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| Mantan Moreland | ... | ||
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Kay Kimberly | ... |
Erica
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Kay E. Kuter | ... |
Dr. Wainwright
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Scott Garrett | ... |
Burton Gerber
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| Erin Moran | ... |
Janice Gerber
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Irving Selbst | ... |
Mr. Johnson
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Emil Sitka | ... |
Delivery Man
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Lawrence Parke | ... |
1st Passenger
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Karl Lukas | ... |
Policeman #2
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Ray Ballard | ... |
3rd Passenger
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Robert Dagny | ... |
2nd Passenger
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Plot Summary
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Plot Synopsis
Storyline
Jeff Gerber, an insurance agent, lives in a typical suburban neighborhood. He is also both racist and a fitness freak. But Jeff's bigoted world of taunting and harassing black people on and off the job is turned upside down when his skin inexplicably turns dark overnight. As Jeff tries to come to terms with this unexplained phenomenon that has befallen him, he soon becomes the victim himself when all of his friends and neighbors suddenly shun and harass him. This puts a strain on his marriage and loyal wife Althea, who begins to crack under the pressure. When all medical attempts to change his skin back to his former color fail, Jeff accepts that Kharma has caught up with him. Jeff tries to see the light of being a persecuted black man in this cruel and segregated world with the help of some of some new black friends, some of whom were people he, as a white man, taunted and harassed. Written by matt-282
Taglines:
The Uppity Movie. See more »Certificate:
RParents Guide:
View content advisory »
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See full technical specs »
Details
Country:
USALanguage:
EnglishRelease Date:
27 May 1970 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
The Night the Sun Came Out See more »Filming Locations:
Toluca Lake, Los Angeles, California, USACompany Credits
Show detailed
company contact information
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IMDbPro »
I just rented this DVD and loved it. At first, Godfrey Cambridge was a bit shrill for my taste but I got over it. His comic timing and acting was awesome. The humor was as sharp and cutting as a blade. Like in Sweet Sweetback..., Melvin Van Peebles doesn't go for the obvious commentary on race relations; I loved the scene at the end when the wife admits that she's "liberal to a point." People of color have hit this invisible and unexpected brick wall at one point or another with some liberals. Some of the production value and jagged editing notwithstanding, I was riveted by this film. It's sad how, over 30 years later, how timely it still is in a lot of ways. While I would love us all to get along, I appreciate the honesty and realness the film depicts of what happens when getting along is made impossible when one group dehumanizes another. Melvin Van Peebles does not shy away from showing this, nor does he apologize for or explain it. The film made me re-appreciate him as a real auteur, an adroit storyteller. Damn Van Peebles is good!