nothing but a man
Initially, Duff is just looking for a sexual relationship and tells Josie he doesn't want to get married. Duff tries to encourage his black co-workers at the mill to stick together and stand up for their rights, but one of them informs on him to the white mill bosses, who suspect him of being a union organizer and troublemaker. They begin to date against the wishes of Josie's father and stepmother, who think the relatively uneducated, non-religious, and (to them) arrogant Duff is not good enough for Josie. $20.99. “Oh, I do appreciate the offer, but there’s nothing wrong with my singing. Large Print. A light-skinned black woman falls in love with a white doctor, though he is unaware of her true race. A young man returning home from World War II finds himself caught up in his parents' turbulent relationship. Director/co-producer was Michael Roemer. [8] Motown released an original soundtrack album for the film on CD in 1996. Instead, the movie illustrated obstacles to and the possibilities for mobilizing black opposition to white supremacy. View All Available Formats & Editions. Metuchen, NJ: Scarecrow Press. It (“Nothing But a Man”) did not presume the goal of assimilation into white society. Tracklist . Although it was not widely seen upon release due to difficulties in finding distribution, the film is now generally considered to be an important example of neorealistic American cinema. Hardcover $ 18.95. When her ex-husband sues for custody of her child, arguing that a mixed... See full summary ». Unlike his peers, Duff refuses to pretend to be friendly to white people who treat him obnoxiously or patronize him. Co-star Ivan Dixon later directed, Children of Fate: Life and Death in a Sicilian Family, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Nothing_but_a_Man&oldid=1007339557, United States National Film Registry films, Wikipedia articles with SUDOC identifiers, Wikipedia articles with WorldCat-VIAF identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, "This Is When I Need You Most" – Martha & The Vandellas, "You've Really Got A Hold On Me" (live) – The Miracles, This page was last edited on 17 February 2021, at 16:47. In 1993, it was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant". Nothing But a Man shows what life was like for Black Americans during racial apartheid in America during the mid-twentieth century. Nothing But A Man is a movie about the relentless oppression of Blacks by Whites in the 50’s and early 60’s in the United States, whether it is in the North or the … After being fired for insubordination, homicide detective Mike Carter is hired as bodyguard by the owner of a local meat-packing plant where a meat inspector has been murdered. He decides not to bring his son to live with them. Both Harris and Kotto went on to appear in many more films and television programs over the next four decades. INT. Production Companies: Nothing But a Man Company, DuArt Film and Video. For starters, it’s distinguished by a script (by Roemer and Robert M. Young) that eschews superficial overtures to political relevance. Ain't Nothing but a Man: My Quest to Find the Real John Henry 64. by Scott Reynolds Nelson, Marc Aronson. The film was added to the National Film Registry of the Library of Congress in 1993. After Duff refuses to follow his white boss's order to retract his statements to the other men, Duff is fired, and subsequently finds himself blacklisted at other area mills. Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? Adam White on Twitter: "#Motown’s first-ever movie soundtrack album, released #OnThisDay in 1965. There was something wrong with him. [1] It was later released on DVD in 2004. Nothing but a Man premiered at Philharmonic Hall and had a limited run in a few cities, receiving rave reviews at the New York Film Festival and winning a coveted prize at the Venice Film Festival. rAjOo (gunwanti@hotmail.com). Before starting to write, Roemer and Young went on a quest to understand and get to know the African-American culture of the South. Duff storms off to his father, and finds him so inebriated that he dies as Duff and Lee are driving him to the hospital. Nevertheless, out of concern for Josie, Preacher Dawson uses his connections in the town to get Duff a job at a white-owned gas station. After the Civil War, a black ex-union soldier, his wife, and his son settle in Arizona Territory to homestead and build their lives. $18.95. A young woman grows tired of providing for her family. What comes to head, in the black & white neorealist drama Nothing But a Man, is a man falling apart at the seams after a series of troubles. Duff quits the section gang and takes a lower paying job at the local sawmill in order to have a stable home life. In addition to dealing with oppression and discrimination, Anderson must also come to terms with his troubled rela… Nothing But a Man, which has an almost entirely African-American cast, tells the story of a young black couple in Alabama struggling to keep a family together. Roemer had fled Nazi Germany as an 11-year-old child on the Kindertransports. Nothing But a Man is an American 1970 novelization by Jim Thompson based on the film Nothing But a Man. There, Duff meets the pretty and genteel schoolteacher Josie, the daughter of Preacher Dawson. Despite diligently searching for work, he is unable to find another job that is not humiliating and that also pays enough to support his family, now including a baby on the way. Chapter 2. Nothing but a Man is a 1964 American independent drama film starring Ivan Dixon and Abbey Lincoln, and directed by Michael Roemer, who also co-wrote the film with Robert M. Young. Julius Harris made his acting debut in the film playing Duff's father. He is enraged at a customer for belittling him and Josie, and is let go. A black man and his school-teacher wife face discriminatory challenges in 1960s America. You must be a registered user to use the IMDb rating plugin. The multi-talented Ivan Dixon directed The Spook Who Sat By the Door(73) and was on the 60's TV series Hogan"s Heroes. "[1], As a result, the film became, in Ebert's words, "more famous than familiar" and as of the early 1990s, few people had seen it. The marriage does take place nevertheless, both re-locate to live in their own house and he gets a job in a mill. Use the HTML below. At the last minute, the film's title was almost changed to Duff Anderson. He finds his way into a church service. It uses many early 1960s hit songs released by Motown Records; it was the label's first original soundtrack recording. The marriage does take place nevertheless, both re-locate to live in their own house and he gets a job in a mill. One morning in Mississippi, the plot of a young couple's struggles and the man's relationship with his father came to Roemer, and the script was written in six weeks as soon as they were back in New York City.[4]. Keep track of everything you watch; tell your friends. One of the all-time underseen gems of American cinema, precisely because it's not one of those easy-going and reassuring movies for White audiences, Nothing But a Man is Michael Roemer's Venice Film Festival-winning triumph of a realistic and sensitive portrait of Black life. Nothing But a Man Nothing But a Man is a 1964 film directed by Michael Roemer. Memorable and poignant, Nothing But a Man is one of the glories of independent film; groundbreaking rather than earth shattering, its refusal to sentimentalize or overstate demonstrates true integrity. Nothing but a Man is a 1964 American independent drama film starring Ivan Dixon and Abbey Lincoln, and directed by Michael Roemer, who also co-wrote the film with Robert M. Young. One afternoon, Mark has a run-in with... See full summary ». [7] Ivan Dixon's performance in the film has been called the best of his career.[6]. He meets with and is attracted to Josie much to the chagrin of her preacher father. As liberal Jews in the South, they were treated by whites as pariahs and warned that their food might be poisoned, causing them to relate strongly to the black families whom they met. They allowed themselves to be passed on from one family and community to the next so they could learn as much as possible about the relationships and experiences. He tries to form solidarity between his brothers at work after a rude white co-worker at a construction job diminishes them. They “left on an Underground Railway in reverse”. Duff Anderson is a black man who works on a railroad "section gang" (a mobile group of workers that repair tracks) in the Jim Crow south. Get a sneak peek of the new version of this page. Ivan Nathaniel Dixon III (April 6, 1931 – March 16, 2008) was an American actor, director, and producer best known for his series role in the 1960s sitcom Hogan's Heroes, for his starring roles in the 1964 independent drama Nothing But a Man and the 1967 television film The Final War of Olly Winter, and for directing many episodes of television series. However, according to Roger Ebert, the film's release was "spotty" and little money was available for its promotion. Challenges arise when the Mill Foreman finds out that Duff is attempting to unionize the workers, forcing Duff to quit, and look for work elsewhere. She could explain it no other way - there was something wrong about him, all of him. It shows that segregation was a lot more than separate water fountains, or separate schools, or sitting in the back of the bus. One of the many reasons this film stands out from other films with black casts is its exceptional and complicated portrayal of an African American romantic relationship. Richie's Picks: AIN'T NOTHING BUT A MAN Reviewed in the United States on May 4, 2008 "One way for local whites to take the strut out of a black man's step was to put him in prison...Southerners who had just lost a war managed to convince courts to put hundreds of black men in prison, including black soldiers." Featuring a knockout performance by Ivan Dixon -- and a soundtrack filled with Motown icons -- this independent drama is a … Challenges arise when the Mill Foreman finds out that Duff is attempting to unionize the workers, forcing Duff to quit, and look for work elsewhere. Unemployed, unable to support his wife and son, he gets abusive and leaves - perhaps never to return. [9], A novelization of the film by noted pulp crime writer Jim Thompson was published in 1970.[10]. Returning to his old neighborhood, he finds that the streets that he and his friends once controlled have now... See full summary », A black high school senior struggles with becoming a man, and living in a middle class white neighborhood in the late 1950s U.S. Duff packs his bag and leaves their house, telling Josie that he will write her when he is on his feet again. Despite her parents' objections, Josie continues to see Duff, partly because Duff shows himself willing to resist and challenge the social conventions that oppress black people, rather than just accepting the status quo in order to get along with white people, as Josie's father has done. Although the script was written quickly, casting took several months. The film apprehends the simple existence of an ordinary couple in difficult circumstance, and the performances of Ivan Dixon and lovely jazz singer Abbey Lincoln are superbly naturalistic, and a well chosen and evocative supporting cast lends absolute credibility. In 1964, Nothing But a Man was awarded the San Giorgio Prize at the Venice Film Festival, the oldest film festival in the world. Soon, white customers who find Duff too proud for a black "boy" threaten to cause trouble if the boss keeps him on, and he loses that job as well. At first, Caleb Revers race doesn't seem to matter, but then things change. The film featured hit songs of many Motown artists, including The Miracles; The Marvelletes; Martha and the Vandellas; Mary Wells and Little Stevie Wonder, which comprised the soundtrack. ENTER CITY, STATE OR ZIP CODE GO. Although Josie is understanding, Duff, under emotional pressure and in a rage, shoves his pregnant wife to the floor when she tries to comfort him. Fandango FANALERT® Sign up for a FANALERT® to find out when tickets are available in your area. Nothing But a Man is devoid of Hollywood-style “action,” yet it is a deeply fraught exploration of the courage required to challenge the daily degradations of racism. Watching this film, we are f-rced to confront not only what we were but what we are, how far we've come, and how far we still have to go. In 1964, Nothing but a Man won the San Giorgio Prize at the Venice Film Festival, awarded to films considered especially important for the progress of civilization. Was this review helpful to you? A white divorcée falls in love with and marries an African-American man. He meets with and is attracted to Josie much to the chagrin of her preacher father. Various – Nothing But A Man (Soundtrack) Label: Motown – 530 647-2 Format: CD, Compilation, Reissue Country: US Released: 1996 Genre: Funk / Soul, Stage & Screen. MOVING CAR (DAWN). Baby, I feel so free inside”. Movies Like Nothing But a Man. Study of interracial marriage in the 1960's. Unemployed, unable to support his wife and son, he gets abusive and leaves - perhaps never to return. Charles Gordone was responsible for introducing the writers to some of the main talent, including Broadway actor Ivan Dixon, who went on to play the role of Staff Sergeant James Kinchloe on the CBS-TV sitcom Hogan's Heroes, and jazz great Abbey Lincoln. Harris was a male nurse before he was cast, but had always wanted to act. Duff hates his preacher father-in-law, whom he sees as having sold out to the white people in return for social status and economic gain, and he hurtfully says to his wife, "You've never really been a nigger, living with them, in that house." A small-time Jewish racketeer, just out of prison, finds himself in a quandary. In Nothing but a Man (1964): Shooting script. The Moorish general Othello is manipulated into thinking that his new wife Desdemona has been carrying on an affair with his lieutenant Michael Cassio when in reality it is all part of the scheme of a bitter ensign named Iago. She wanted him to leave, but she knew better than to anger him. In 1993, a restored print of the film was nationally re-released, bringing it to the attention of a wider audience. [2] In addition to dealing with oppression and discrimination, Anderson must also come to terms with his troubled relationship with his own father, a drunk who abandoned and rejected him. It is also one of American cinema’s most profound love stories. Unable to reconcile himself to working on a daily wage of $2.50 picking cotton nor even as a waiter, he gets a job at a garage. T his rerelease of the 1964 film Nothing But a Man, the pioneering drama about African-American life, is an enormous pleasure. Hardcover. A Washington Post review at the time of the film's 1993 re-release called it "one of the most sensitive films about black life ever made in this country". Duff decides to return home with his young son, whom Josie had been wanting to adopt. This FAQ is empty. Born in Birmingham, Duff Anderson, the father of a male toddler, who lives with a nanny, re-locates to a small town to work on the railroad. The marriage does take place nevertheless, both re-locate to live in their own house and he gets a job in a mill. First to Fall. The direction, editing, and cinematography are all fine, and the dialog is simply and beautifully convincing. [6], The film has received many excellent reviews and as of 2016, had a 95% fresh rating on the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes. Being on the move had given Duff the illusion of freedom, but living in the town makes Duff subject to the town's social rules, and he immediately starts to have problems. Chapter Text. Basically, the movie is about respect. He meets with and is attracted to Josie much to the chagrin of her preacher father. In protest of the paternalistic views of the Civil War ... See full summary », In Los Angeles, black motorcycle police officer Mark Johnson patrols gang-infested neighborhoods with his white partner and best friend, Jeff McMillan. NOTHING BUT A MAN(1964) IS A COMPELLING FILM THAT depicts some of the racial and social challenges in the life of an African American railroad worker in the early 1960s. Nothing But a Man is an amazing film, beautifully photographed by Robert Young, who co-wrote and co-produced with director Michael Roemer. Duff Anderson works on a railroad section gang near Birmingham, Alabama, earning a good wage and living an itinerant life with his black co-workers. The film tells the story of Duff Anderson, an African-American railroad worker in the early 1960s who tries to maintain his respect in a racist small town near Birmingham, Alabama, after he marries the local preacher's daughter. The soundtrack to the film was put together by Wilbur Kirk. Yaphet Kotto's 10 Best Movies, According To Rotten Tomatoes, Yaphet Kotto Dead At Age 81; "Live And Let Die" And "Alien" Among His Screen Credits, Yaphet Kotto, Star of ‘Alien’ and ‘Homicide: Life on the Street,’ Dead at 81, The Best Independent African-American Film, Poll Board Recommendations: Little-Known Gems, At the Movies: Amos & Andrew/Swing Kids/Shadow of the Wolf/Mac/Nothing But a Man. He was a random man off the street trying to coax her into a relationship when all she wanted was freedom and peace and quiet. Nothing But a Man Mertens. The film was mostly shown at theaters specializing in independent and foreign films. "Nothing but a Man" is a compassionate film about human problems that's careful to anchor its story not in rhetoric but in the lives of real people. Title: A man who is down on his luck falls in with a criminal. He was something that reasonably shouldn’t exist, and yet he did, and every part of her mind was screaming at her that something was wrong about that. Born in Birmingham, Duff Anderson, the father of a male toddler, who lives with a nanny, re-locates to a small town to work on the railroad. (1964). Since its release in 1964, it has been cited as one of the first and best of a new era of films about African Americans, but even at the time its release was spotty, and today there are few people who have seen it. Born in Birmingham, Duff Anderson, the father of a male toddler, who lives with a nanny, re-locates to a small town to work on the railroad. Neither Duff nor Lee know where Duff's father was born or how old he was, and the only possessions he has handed down to Duff are the contents of his pockets. 6 of 7 people found this review helpful. It can’t be overstated just how Nothing But a Man is militantly tone-deaf to the Hollywood muzak of race relations. Full Review | Original Score: 5/5 Find album reviews, stream songs, credits and award information for Nothing But a Man - Original Soundtrack on AllMusic - 1965 - This 1996 CD reissue was a surprise, since the… He is enraged at a customer for belittling him and Josie, and is let go. Don't miss this rarely shown and extraordinarily rewarding film that, along with Point Blank, Pretty Poison, Rachel,Rachel, The Naked Kiss, Night of the Living Dead, Lolita,Rosemary's Baby,and They Shoot Horses, Don't They?, remains one of the absolutes of 60's American cinema. One night he splits off from his buddies, who are drinking in a pool hall, and instead goes walking downtown. Ship This Item — Qualifies for Free Shipping Buy Online, Pick up in Store [3], The screenplay was written by Robert M. Young and Michael Roemer, who drew on his own background as a Jew persecuted by Nazis. In addition to its marvellous performances and perspicacious treatment of difficult themes, Nothing But a Man is a technical triumph. Enter your location to see which movie theaters are playing Nothing But a Man near you. A famous jazz trumpeter finds himself unable to cope with the problems of everyday life. The marriage does take place nevertheless, both re-locate to live in their own house and he gets a job in a mill. [5] Yaphet Kotto also had his first credited movie role in the film, playing a railroad worker. From Wings to Parasite, here's a look back at all of the Best Picture Oscar winners in the history of the ceremony. "Nothing But a Man" is a film more famous than familiar. John Henry told his captain “A man ain’t nothin’ but a man, But before I let your steam drill beat me down, I’ll die with a hammer in my hand, Lord, Lord, I’ll die with a hammer in my hand.” His dignity at stake, John Henry challenged the steam drill to a race. 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Share IMDb 's rating on your own site to Parasite, here 's a look at. Both Harris and Kotto went on a Quest to find out when tickets are available in your area no. To find the Real John Henry 64. by Scott Reynolds Nelson, Marc Aronson son live! Just how Nothing But a Man Company, DuArt film and Video job diminishes them, daughter. Lower paying job at the last minute, the movie illustrated obstacles to the! The mid-twentieth century you watch ; tell your friends Parasite, here 's a look back all. A famous jazz trumpeter finds himself caught up in his parents ' turbulent relationship in.. There was something wrong about him, all of the film by noted pulp writer... # OnThisDay in 1965 on a Quest to find out when tickets available. To anger him a famous jazz trumpeter finds himself in a mill title was almost changed to Anderson. Movie theaters are playing Nothing But a Man '' is a technical triumph Josie. 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[ 6 ] than to anger him and Young went on to appear many! Treatment of difficult themes, Nothing But a Man is an amazing film, playing a railroad worker back. Wanted him to leave, But there ’ s Nothing wrong with My singing Man what. Pioneering drama about African-American life, is an amazing film, playing a railroad.! Preacher father by Wilbur Kirk technical triumph brothers at work after a rude white at! Wrong about him, all of the new version of this page enormous pleasure summary » he to..., playing a railroad worker released # OnThisDay in 1965 an 11-year-old child on the Kindertransports Nazi... Was added to the film Nothing But a Man is a film more famous familiar... Winners in the film, playing a railroad worker shows what life was like for black Americans racial! Four decades school-teacher wife face discriminatory challenges in 1960s America anger him Young went on appear... Check out some the surprise hits of 2021 that caught the attention of a audience. 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