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Guess Who's Coming to Dinner

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For other uses, see Guess Who's Coming to Dinner (disambiguation).

Guess Who's Coming to Dinner
Guess Who's Coming to Dinner poster.jpg
Original movie poster

Directed by
Stanley Kramer
Produced by
Stanley Kramer
Written by
William Rose
Starring
Spencer Tracy
Sidney Poitier
Katharine Hepburn
Katharine Houghton
Beah Richards
Roy E. Glenn
Music by
Frank DeVol
Cinematography
Sam Leavitt
Editing by
Robert C. Jones
Distributed by
Columbia Pictures
Release date(s)
December 12, 1967 (United States)

Running time
108 minutes[1]
Country
United States
Language
English
Budget
$4 million
Box office
$56,666,667 (Domestic)[2]
 $70,000,000 (Worldwide)[3]
Guess Who's Coming to Dinner is a 1967 American comedy-drama film starring Spencer Tracy, Sidney Poitier and Katharine Hepburn, and featuring Hepburn's niece Katharine Houghton. The film contains a (then rare) positive representation of the controversial subject of interracial marriage, which historically had been illegal in most states of the United States, and was still illegal in 17 states—mostly Southern states—up until 12 June 1967, two days after Tracy died, when anti-miscegenation laws were struck down by the Supreme Court in Loving v. Virginia. The film was produced and directed by Stanley Kramer and written by William Rose. The movie's Oscar-nominated score was composed by Frank DeVol.[4]
The film is notable for being the ninth and final on-screen pairing of Tracy and Hepburn (filming ended just 17 days before Tracy's death). Hepburn never saw the completed film;[5] she said the memories of Tracy were too painful. The film was released in December 1967, six months after his death.[6]

Contents
  [hide] 1 Plot
2 Cast
3 Production
4 Release
5 Reviews and reception
6 Variant versions
7 Awards and honors 7.1 Wins
7.2 Nominations
7.3 American Film Institute recognition
8 Remakes
9 Further reading
10 References
11 External links
Plot[edit]



 Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy as Christina and Matt Drayton.The film tells the story of Joanna "Joey" Drayton (Katharine Houghton), a young white woman who has had a whirlwind romance with Dr. John Prentice (Sidney Poitier), a young, idealistic black physician she met while in Hawaii.
The plot centers on Joanna’s return to her liberal upper-class American home in San Francisco, bringing her new fiancé, a young, idealistic black physician, to dinner to meet her parents, newspaper publisher Matt Drayton (Spencer Tracy) and his wife, small art gallery owner Christina Drayton (Katharine Hepburn).[7]
Brought up by her parents as a liberal, Joanna finds it difficult to comprehend the behavior of her parents on meeting John. While they taught her to treat black people and members of other racial groups as equals, they cannot accept their daughter's actions, for they did not expect her to introduce to them a black man as their future son-in-law. Without Joanna's knowledge, John tells the Draytons that he will not marry their daughter if they object to the marriage. But, he adds their decision must come before he leaves for Switzerland that evening for three months during which time the couple plan to marry. Added to the pressure of this time constraint, John's parents (Roy E. Glenn, Beah Richards) fly up from Los Angeles to the Draytons' dinner that evening, but don't know that Joanna is white until they meet her at the airport. Monsignor Ryan (Cecil Kellaway), a senior Catholic priest friend of Matt, is also present at dinner and is a voice for tolerance.
The film depicts the reaction of family and friends, and the discomfort of their parents, as all try to accept the couple's choice. The main characters begin to pair off in various private conversations with each other about the situation. Finally, Matt Drayton makes his decision and in a dramatic monologue approves the marriage. The film also touches on black-on-black racism when John is taken to task by his father and the household maid Tillie (Isabel Sanford) for his perceived presumption.
Cast[edit]
Spencer Tracy as Matt Drayton
Sidney Poitier as Dr. John Wayde Prentice Jr.
Katharine Hepburn as Christina Drayton
Katharine Houghton as Joanna "Joey" Drayton
Cecil Kellaway as Monsignor Mike Ryan
Beah Richards as Mary Prentice
Roy E. Glenn as John Prentice Sr.
Virginia Christine as Hilary St. George
Alexandra Hay as Carhop
Isabel Sanford as Matilda "Tillie" Binks
Barbara Randolph as Dorothy
D'Urville Martin as Frankie
Tom Heaton as Peter
Grace Gaynor as Judith
Skip Martin as Delivery Boy
John Hudkins as Cab Driver
Jacqueline Fontaine as Singer (uncredited)
Production[edit]
Production list[8]
Produced by: Stanley Kramer
Associate Producer: George Glass
Directed by: Stanley Kramer
Assistant Director: Ray Gosnell
Original Screenplay by: William Rose
Photography by: Sam Leavitt
Special Effects by: Geza Gaspar
Process Photography by: Larry Butler
Production Designer: Robert Clatworthy
Set Decorator: Frank Tuttle
Music by: Frank de Vol
Sound Recorders: Charles J. Rice, Robert Martin
Film Editor: Robert C. Jones
Costumes by: Joe King
Wardrobe Supervisor: Jean Louis
Song "Glory of Love" by: Billy Hill, sung by Jacqueline Fontaine
According to Kramer, he and Rose intentionally structured the film to debunk ethnic stereotypes; the young doctor, a typical role for the young Sidney Poitier, was purposely created idealistically perfect, so that the only possible objection to his marrying Joanna would be his race, or the fact she had only known him for ten days: the character has thus graduated from a top school, begun innovative medical initiatives in Africa, refused to have premarital sex with his fiancée despite her willingness, and leaves money in an open container on his future father-in-law's desk in payment for a long distance phone call he has made.
Kramer and Rose composed the film script in five weeks.[9]
Kramer stated later that the principal actors believed so strongly in the premise that they agreed to act in the project even before seeing the script. Production had been set for January 1967 and ended on May 26, 1967.[10] Spencer Tracy was dying and insurance companies refused to cover him; Kramer and Hepburn put their salaries in escrow so that if he died, filming could be completed with another actor. According to Kramer, "'You're never examined for insurance until a few weeks before a picture starts. [Even] with all his drinking and ailments, Tracy always qualified for insurance before, so nobody thought it would be a problem in this case. But it was. We couldn't get insurance for Spence. The situation looked desperate. So then we figured out a way of handling it. Kate and I put up our own salaries to compensate for the lack of an insurance company for Spence. And we were allowed to proceed.'"[11]
The filming schedule was altered to accommodate Tracy's failing health.[12] All of Tracy's scenes and shots were filmed between 9:00AM and noon of each day in order to give him adequate time to rest.[9] For example, most of Tracy's dialogue scenes were filmed in a such a way that during close-ups on other characters, a stand-in was substituted for him.[13]
Tracy's failing health was more serious than most people are aware of. According to Sidney Poitier: "The illness of Spencer dominated everything. I knew his health was very poor and many of the people who knew what the situation was didn't believe we'd finish the film, that is, that Tracy would be able to finish the film. Those of us who were close knew it was worse than they thought. Kate brought him to and from the set. She worked with him on his lines. She made sure with [Stanley] Kramer that his hours were right for what he could do, and what he couldn't do was different each day. There were days when he couldn't do anything. There were days when he was great, and I got the chance to know what it was like working with Tracy."[14]
A bust of Spencer Tracy sculpted by Hepburn herself was used as a prop, on the bookshelf behind the desk where Sidney Poitier makes his phone call. Tracy died two weeks after he completed his work on the film.[15]
Katharine Hepburn significantly helped cast her niece, Katharine Houghton, for the role of Joey Drayton. Concerning the matter, Hepburn stated: "There was a lovely part for Kathy [Houghton], my niece [...] She would play Spencer's and my daughter. I loved that. She's beautiful and she definitely had a family resemblance. It was my idea."[16]
According to Hepburn, the role of Joey Drayton would be one of Houghton's first major roles as a young actress. "The part of my daughter," Kate said, "was a difficult one. A young unknown actress needs more opportunity to win the sympathy of the audience. Otherwise, too much has to depend on her youth, innocence, and beauty. She had one good speech to win the audience, but it was cut. Instead she only talks with her father about the differences between the principles he taught her and the way he's behaving."[17]
Sidney Poitier frequently found himself star-struck and as a result, a bit tongue-tied, in the presence of Hepburn and Tracy, whom he considered to be "giants" as far as acting is concerned.[18] However, Poitier reportedly found a way to overcome his nerves. "When I went to play a scene with Tracy and Hepburn, I couldn't remember a word. Finally Stanley Kramer said to me, 'What are we going to do?' I said, 'Stanley, send those two people home. I will play the scene against two empty chairs. I don't want them here because I can't handle that kind of company.' He sent them home. I played the scene in close-up against two empty chairs as the dialogue coach read Mr. Tracy's and Miss Hepburn's lines from off camera."[18]
Given the tense nature of racial tension in America during the time of the film's production, Poitier felt he was "under close observation by both" Tracy and Hepburn during their first dinner meetings prior to production.[19] But he swiftly won them over. Due to Tracy and Hepburn's close history with Kramer, Poitier cited that Hepburn and Tracy came to bear on him "the kind of respect they had for Kramer, and they had to say to themselves (and I'm sure they did), This kid has to be pretty okay, because Stanley is nuts about working with him".[20]
Release[edit]
The film premiered in theaters on January 1, 1968. The film falls into the genre of comedy drama.[21] The film was released on VHS on December 12, 1987,[22] on the twentieth anniversary of the original release. The film was released on DVD on May 22, 2001.[23]
Reviews and reception[edit]
Guess Who's Coming to Dinner was a box-office hit in 1968 throughout the United States, including in the southern states where it was traditionally assumed that few white filmgoers would want to see any film with black leads. As a result, the success of this film meant that particular consideration in film marketing would never be considered a problem again.[24] Despite this success, which included numerous film award nominations, Frank Rich of the New York Times wrote in November 2008 that the film was frequently labeled as dated among liberals. Another main point of contention was the fact that Poitier's character, the golden future son-in-law, had no flaws and a resume of good deeds that could fill an entire volume. Many people felt that the dynamic between the Draytons and Dr. John Wade Prentice (Poitier's character) would have inevitably resulted in a happily-ever-after film ending because Poitier's character was so perfect, respectable, likable, and proper. Some people went as far as saying Prentice was 'too white' to not be accepted by the Draytons.[25]
The release of the film in the U.S. gave Poitier his third box-office success in six months in 1967,[23] all of which placed the race of Poitier's character at issue.
In a review of the film by New York Times, Lawrence Van Gelder wrote: "the suspicion arises that were the film made today its makers would come to grips a good deal more bluntly with the problems of intermarriage. Still, this remains a deft comedy and - most of all - a paean to the power of love."[26]
Variant versions[edit]
The original version of the film that played in theaters in 1968 contained a moment in which Tillie responds to the question "Guess who's coming to dinner now?" with the sarcastic one-liner: "The Reverend Martin Luther King?" After King's assassination on April 4, 1968, this line was removed from the film, so by August 1968, almost all theaters' showings of this film had this line omitted. As early as 1969, the line was restored to many but not all prints, and the line was preserved in the VHS and DVD versions of the film as well.
Awards and honors[edit]
Wins[edit]
The film won two Academy Awards and two BAFTAs:[27]
1967: Academy Award for Best Actress (Katharine Hepburn)
1967: Academy Award for Writing Original Screenplay
1968: BAFTA Film Award for Best Actor (Spencer Tracy)
1968: BAFTA Film Award for Best Actress (Katharine Hepburn)
1968: David di Donatello for Best Foreign Producer (Stanley Kramer)
1968: David di Donatello for Best Foreign Actor (Spencer Tracy)
1968: David di Donatello for Best Foreign Actress (Katharine Hepburn)
Nominations[edit]
1967: Academy Award for Best Picture
1967: Academy Award for Best Director
1967: Academy Award for Best Actor (Spencer Tracy)
1967: Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor (Cecil Kellaway)
1967: Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress (Beah Richards)
1967: Academy Award for Best Art Direction (Robert Clatworthy, Frank Tuttle)
1967: Academy Award for Film Editing
1967: Academy Award for Best Original Score (Frank DeVol)
American Film Institute recognition[edit]
AFI's 100 Years...100 Movies - #99
AFI's 100 Years...100 Passions - #58
AFI's 100 Years...100 Movie Quotes: "You think of yourself as a colored man. I think of myself as a man." - Nominated[28]
AFI's 100 Years...100 Cheers - #35
AFI's 100 Years...100 Movies (10th Anniversary Edition) - Nominated[29]
Remakes[edit]
Stanley Kramer directed a remake for television in 1975.[30]
In 2003, comedian Daniele Luttazzi published the screenplay Tabù, an almost verbatim parody of the film. In the variation, the engaged lovers are aged 40 (him) and 12 (her), and are brother and sister.[31]
The 2005 film Guess Who starring Ashton Kutcher and Bernie Mac is a loose remake styled as a comedy rather than a drama, with the racial roles reversed; black parents are caught off-guard when their daughter brings home the young white man she has chosen to marry. Of the film, Bernie Mac told USA Today in 2003, "Interracial dating is not that significant anymore." In the article, the writer cites that during the time at which the original movie was filmed, "interracial marriage was considered risky." Casting for Mac's remake of the film began in November 2003. Mac said of the script, "They want to make it a comedy, but I won't disrespect Spencer, Katharine or Sidney (Poitier)."[32]
Irish writer Roddy Doyle wrote a short story by the same title about an Irish girl who brings home an immigrant from Nigeria, published in 2008 in the collection The Deportees.[33]
The plot is very similar to another film, Crossroads, made by Canadian director Don Haldane a decade earlier in 1957. In this film, a young white woman in Toronto surprises her mother with her black fiancé.[34]
Further reading[edit]
Andersen, Christopher (1997). An Affair to Remember: The Remarkable Love Story of Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy. William Morrow and Company, Inc. pp. 294–298. ISBN 0-688-15311-9.
Chandler, Charlotte (2010). I Know Where I'm Going: Katharine Hepburn - A Personal Biography. Simon & Schuster. pp. 229–237. ISBN 978-1-4391-4928-7.
Davidson, Bill (1987). Spencer Tracy, Tragic Idol. E. P. Dutton. pp. 206–211. ISBN 0-525-24631-2.
Edwards, Anne (1985). A Remarkable Woman: A Biography of Katharine Hepburn. William Morrow and Company, Inc. pp. 336–343, 355 & 439. ISBN 0-688-04528-6.
Poitier, Sidney (2000). The Measure of a Man: A Spiritual Autobiography. HarperSanFrancisco Publishers, Inc. pp. 117–124. ISBN 0-06-251607-8.
Poitier, Sidney (1980). This Life. Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. pp. 285–287. ISBN 0-394-50549-2.
Schirmer Encyclopedia of Film - Volume 1: Crime Film. Gale. 2007. pp. 6,63,351. ISBN 0-02-865792-6.
Schirmer Encyclopedia of Film - Volume 3: Independent Film - Road Movies. Gale. 2007. pp. 371–372. ISBN 0-02-865794-2.
References[edit]
1.Jump up ^ Video Hound's Golden Movie Retriever: The Complete Guide to Movies on Videocassette and DVD. Gale. 2004. p. 355. ISBN 0-7876-7470-2.
2.Jump up ^ "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, Box Office Information". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved March 8, 2012.
3.Jump up ^ "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, Box Office Information". IMDb. Retrieved March 8, 2012.
4.Jump up ^ Joel Whitburn, Top Pop Albums 1955-2001 (Menomonee Falls, WI: Record Research, 2001), 1018.
5.Jump up ^ Andersen, p. 306
6.Jump up ^ imdb releaseinfo
7.Jump up ^ "notes on Guess Who's Coming to Dinner". Retrieved 2011-11-07.
8.Jump up ^ Edwards, p. 439.
9.^ Jump up to: a b Andersen, p. 295.
10.Jump up ^ Davidson, pp. 207, 211
11.Jump up ^ Davidson, pp. 207-208
12.Jump up ^ Davidson, pp. 206-209
13.Jump up ^ Edwards, p. 337.
14.Jump up ^ Chandler, pp. 231-232.
15.Jump up ^ Andersen, p. 298.
16.Jump up ^ Chandler, pp. 229-237.
17.Jump up ^ Chandler, p. 231.
18.^ Jump up to: a b Poitier, p. 286.
19.Jump up ^ Poitier, Measure of a Man, p. 121.
20.Jump up ^ Poitier, Measure of a Man, p. 121-124.
21.Jump up ^ "amc filmcritic.com". Retrieved 17 April 2011.
22.Jump up ^ "Parent Previews". One Voice Communications Ltd. Retrieved 17 April 2011.
23.^ Jump up to: a b "Rotten Tomatoes". Flixster. Retrieved 17 April 2011.
24.Jump up ^ Harris, Mark. Pictures at a Revolution: Five Films and the Birth of a New Hollywood. Penguin Press, 2008, p. 374.
25.Jump up ^ Rich, Frank (2008). "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner". New York Times: 10.
26.Jump up ^ Van Gelder, Lawrence (1986). "HOME VIDEO; New Cassettes: Big Stars and Big Bands". New York Times: 28.
27.Jump up ^ "NY Times: Guess Who's Coming to Dinner". NY Times. Retrieved 2008-12-27.
28.Jump up ^ AFI's 100 Years...100 Movie Quotes Nominees
29.Jump up ^ AFI's 100 Years...100 Movies (10th Anniversary Edition) Ballot
30.Jump up ^ Debolt, Abbe A.; Baugess, James S., ed. (2011). Encyclopedia of the Sixties: A Decade of Culture and Counterculture: A Decade of Culture and Counterculture. ABC-CLIO. p. 274. ISBN 1-440-80102-9.
31.Jump up ^ Daniele Luttazzi (2003) La castrazione e altri metodi infallibili per prevenire l'acne, Feltrinelli, pp. 155-233.
32.Jump up ^ Thomas, Karen (2003). "Bernie will be Spencer in new 'Coming to Dinner'". USA Today.
33.Jump up ^ Wagner, Erica (2008-01-20). "White Irish Need Not Apply". The New York Times. Retrieved 1 March 2013.
34.Jump up ^ What’s Black and White and Shocking All Over? Carolyne Weldon, National Film Board of Canada Blog, June 18, 2012.
External links[edit]
 Wikimedia Commons has media related to Guess Who's Coming to Dinner.
Guess Who's Coming to Dinner at the Internet Movie Database
Guess Who's Coming to Dinner at Rotten Tomatoes
Guess Who's Coming to Dinner at the TCM Movie Database
Guess Who's Coming to Dinner at AllRovi
Sidney Poitier about his children becoming president



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Monster's Ball

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jump to: navigation, search

For the professional wrestling match type, see Monster's Ball match. For Lady Gaga's concert tour, see Monster Ball Tour.
Not to be confused with Poké Ball, which is called "Monster Ball" in Japanese versions of Pokémon.

Monsters Ball
Monsterspub1.jpg
Theatrical release poster

Directed by
Marc Forster
Produced by
Lee Daniels
Written by
Milo Addica
 Will Rokos
Starring
Billy Bob Thornton
Halle Berry
Heath Ledger
Peter Boyle
Sean Combs
Music by
Asche and Spencer
Cinematography
Roberto Schaefer
Editing by
Matt Chesse
Studio
Lee Daniels Entertainment
Distributed by
Lionsgate
Release date(s)
November 11, 2001 (AFI Fest)
February 8, 2002

Running time
111 minutes
 112 minutes (Unrated)
Country
United States
Language
English
Budget
$4 million
Box office
$44,909,486
Monster's Ball is a 2001 American romantic drama film directed by German-Swiss director Marc Forster and written by Milo Addica and Will Rokos. The film stars Billy Bob Thornton as a widowed prison-guard, Halle Berry as a woman whose husband is on death row, and Heath Ledger as Thornton's son. Berry won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance.

Contents
  [hide] 1 Plot
2 Cast
3 Development
4 Reception
5 Accolades
6 References
7 External links
Plot[edit]
Hank Grotowski (Billy Bob Thornton), a widower, and his son, Sonny (Heath Ledger), are corrections officers in the Jackson, Georgia state prison. They reside nearby with Hank's ailing father, Buck (Peter Boyle), a racist whose wife committed suicide. Hank is nearly as angry and hateful as his father, and even dislikes his own son.
As Hank and Sonny assist in the execution of convicted murderer Lawrence Musgrove (Sean Combs), the proceedings prove too intense for Sonny, who collapses and then begins to vomit as he is leading Lawrence to the electric chair. Hank beats up Sonny in the jail's bathroom afterwards for being so "soft". Some time later, Hank drags Sonny out of bed and tells him to get out of the house. Unable to cope with the estrangement, Sonny grabs a gun. The confrontation ends in their living room with Hank at gunpoint, lying on the carpet, and Sonny in Buck's customary chair. Sonny asks his father if he hates him. After his father calmly confirms that he does and always has, Sonny responds, "Well, I always loved you," and then shoots himself in the heart. Hank subsequently buries Sonny in the back garden, quits his job at the prison, burns his uniform in the backyard, and locks the door of Sonny's room.
During the years of Lawrence's imprisonment, his wife, Leticia (Halle Berry), has been struggling while raising their son, Tyrell (Coronji Calhoun), who has inherited his father's artistic talent. She goads the boy to the point of abuse over his obesity. Along with her domestic problems, Leticia struggles financially, leading to the loss of the family car and, worse, an eviction notice on her house. In desperate need of money, Leticia takes a job at a diner frequented by Hank. One rainy night, Leticia and Tyrell are walking down a soaked highway when Tyrell is struck by a car. Hank happens to be driving along and sees Leticia and Tyrell. After some hesitation, he picks Leticia and Tyrell up, and takes them to a hospital, but Tyrell dies upon arrival. At the suggestion of the authorities at the hospital, he drives her home. A few days later, Hank gives Leticia a ride home from the diner. They begin talking in the car about their common losses, and she invites him in. They drown their grief with alcohol and have sex, and soon begin a relationship. Hank finds out that Leticia is Lawrence's widow, but he does not tell her that he participated in her husband's execution.
Leticia stops by Hank's home with a present for him, but finds that he is out. She meets Buck, who insults her and implies that Hank is only involved with her because he wants to have sex with a black woman. This incident proves to be the last straw for Hank and he decides to send his father to a nursing home. Leticia is evicted from her home for non-payment of rent and Hank invites her to move in with him. She later discovers Hank's involvement in her husband's death while he is gone, but is there waiting for him when he returns from town with ice cream. The film ends with them eating ice cream together on the back porch.
Cast[edit]
Billy Bob Thornton as Hank Grotowski
Heath Ledger as Sonny Grotowski
Halle Berry as Leticia Musgrove
Peter Boyle as Buck Grotowski
Sean Combs as Lawrence Musgrove
Mos Def as Ryrus Cooper
Coronji Calhoun as Tyrell Musgrove
Charles Cowan, Jr. as Willie Cooper
Development[edit]
The film was produced by Lionsgate and Lee Daniels Entertainment.



Louisiana State Penitentiary served as a filming location.
The prison scenes in Monster's Ball were filmed in Louisiana State Penitentiary in West Feliciana Parish, Louisiana to represent the state execution facility in Jackson, Georgia.
Angela Bassett was originally offered the role of Leticia but turned it down the because of the script's sexual content.
Reception[edit]
The film received mostly positive reviews. Review website Rotten Tomatoes reported that 120 of the 141 reviews they tallied were positive. This resulted in a score of 85% and a certification of "Fresh".[1]
Roger Ebert gave the film four stars and stated that, "The movie has the complexity of great fiction"[2] listing it as the best film of 2001.
Reviewers also lauded the performance of Coronji Calhoun, who was chosen from an open casting call for the role of Tyrell Musgrove, the ill-fated son of Lawrence and Leticia. "Perhaps one of the most affecting performances of the year was given by a 10-year-old Louisiana fourth-grader who has never acted before or studied the craft," commented Variety reporter Christopher Grove.
Despite the critical acclaim, some activists urged a boycott because of extreme racist ideologies that portray African-American males as criminal or inept and black women as needing a white savior. This was highlighted by the fact that other actresses refused the role based on its plot and sexually explicit scenes. Halle Berry's Oscar win, the first for a black actress in a leading role, angered many African Americans who thought she should have received the prestigious award instead for her performance in Losing Isaiah. Film critic Esther Iverem of SeeingBlack.com wrote, "Ultimately, Monster's Ball uses the legacy of racism in an unconvincing manner to belittle its impact, and its historical and present-day consequences."[3]
Accolades[edit]
Academy Awards Best Actress in a Leading Role: Halle Berry (Winner)
Best Original Screenplay: Milo Addica & Will Rokos (Nominated)
BAFTA Awards Best Actress: Halle Berry (Nominated)
Black Reel Awards Best Actress: Halle Berry (Winner)
Golden Globes Best Actress in a Drama: Halle Berry (Nominated)
MTV Movie Awards Best Female Performance: Halle Berry (Nominated)
National Board of Review Best Actor: Billy Bob Thornton (Winner)
Best Actress: Halle Berry (Winner)
Screen Actors Guild Awards Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role: Halle Berry (Winner)

References[edit]
1.Jump up ^ "Monster's Ball Movie Reviews, Pictures". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved March 27, 2011.
2.Jump up ^ "Monster's Ball :: rogerebert.com :: Reviews". Chicago Sun-Times (February 1, 2002). Retrieved March 27, 2011
3.Jump up ^ "Esther Iverem, 'Not All of Us Are Oscar Happy'". SeeingBlack.com (March 28, 2002). Retrieved March 27, 2011.
External links[edit]

Portal icon Film portal
Monster's Ball at the Internet Movie Database
Monster's Ball at AllRovi
Monster's Ball at Rotten Tomatoes
Monster's Ball at Box Office Mojo

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Categories: 2001 films
English-language films
2000s romantic drama films
American romantic drama films
American independent films
Films directed by Marc Forster
Films about racism
Films featuring a Best Actress Academy Award winning performance
Films set in Louisiana
Films shot in Louisiana
Films about capital punishment
Interracial romance films
Films about race and ethnicity
Lions Gate Entertainment films


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Jungle Fever

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This article is about the film. For other uses, see Jungle Fever (disambiguation).

Jungle Fever
Jungle Fever film poster.jpg
Theatrical release poster

Directed by
Spike Lee
Produced by
Spike Lee
Written by
Spike Lee
Starring
Wesley Snipes
Annabella Sciorra
 Spike Lee
Ossie Davis
Ruby Dee
Samuel L. Jackson
Lonette McKee
John Turturro
Frank Vincent
Anthony Quinn
Music by
Terence Blanchard (score)
Stevie Wonder (songs)
Cinematography
Ernest Dickerson
Editing by
Sam Pollard
Studio
40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks
Distributed by
Universal Pictures
Release date(s)
June 7, 1991
Running time
132 minutes
Country
United States
Language
English
Budget
$14,000,000
Box office
$43,882,682
Jungle Fever is a 1991 American drama film directed by Spike Lee, starring Wesley Snipes and Annabella Sciorra. It was Lee's fifth feature-length film. The film mainly explores interracial relationships against the urban backdrop of the streets of 90s New York City. This was the film debut of Grammy Award winner Queen Latifah and Academy Award winner Halle Berry.

Contents
  [hide] 1 Plot
2 Cast
3 Soundtrack
4 Awards
5 Reception
6 References
7 External links
Plot[edit]
Before the opening credits begin, a dedication to Yusuf Hawkins is shown, who was killed on August 23, 1989, in Bensonhurst, New York, by neighborhood folk who believed the youth was involved with a white girl in the neighborhood, though he was actually in the neighborhood to inquire about a used car for sale in the area.
Flipper Purify (Wesley Snipes) is a successful, married black American man who works at an architectural firm in New York City. One day, a white woman named Angela "Angie" Tucci (Annabella Sciorra) is hired as a temporary secretary at the place. Flipper complains to his partners Jerry (Tim Robbins) and Leslie (Brad Dourif) about wanting an African American secretary; they tell him that they want "the best human being for the job."
When Flipper returns to his Harlem home after visiting his friend Cyrus (Spike Lee), he tells his wife Drew (Lonette McKee) about his promotion. Drew tells him to be prepared if his promotion is declined, but Flipper tells her not to worry. Meanwhile, Angie returns to her Bensonhurst home, and cooks dinner for her father Mike (Frank Vincent) and her two brothers Charlie (David Dundara) and Jimmy (Michael Imperioli). Her boyfriend Paulie Carbone (John Turturro) arrives and takes her out on a date.
One night, Flipper and Angie are working late at the firm, and they start to have a conversation about cooking. They have dinner in his office that night and at least another time which leads them to have sex on a desk. The next day, Flipper does not say anything when he is walking his daughter to school. Later, at the office, he tells Jerry and Leslie that he wanted to be partner at the firm. After his offer is declined, he abruptly quits his job. Later that night at the park, Flipper admits his infidelity to Cyrus, who tells him the affair is problematic not only because his mistress is white, but also because she is Italian and from Bensonhurst. Then, Flipper's brother Gator (Samuel L. Jackson) shows up with his girlfriend Vivian (Halle Berry). He asks Flipper for some money so he can feed his crack habit. Flipper initially refuses, but gives in eventually. Meanwhile, Angie tells her girlfriends that she is seeing Flipper, shocking them when she tells them he is African American. She then tells them not to tell anybody.
The next evening Flipper and Angela are ignored by the staff at a restaurant. He complains to a waitress (Queen Latifah) about not being served; she in turn berates him for dating a white woman. Later, the rumors about them surface when Flipper comes home and sees a furious Drew throwing his things out of the window, forcing him to move back in with his mother Lucinda (Ruby Dee), and his father, the Good Reverend Doctor (Ossie Davis). Later that night, he confronts Cyrus for betraying his trust. Cyrus admitted he told his wife Vera (Veronica Webb), but did not know she told Drew. Flipper insults Vera, causing a rift in his friendship with Cyrus.
The next day, Flipper tries to make things up to Drew by bringing her flowers at work, which she proceeds to refuse. Meanwhile, Angie ends her relationship with Paulie. His father Lou (Anthony Quinn) finds Paulie in the bathroom and consoles him. When Angie returns home, a livid Mike violently beats her for dating a black man and throws her out of the house. Flipper and Angie move in to an apartment together, where they subsequently encounter social problems including a failed dinner with Flipper's parents, and another problem when they are walking down the street, they joke around and Flipper forces himself onto her, the police show up thinking he is raping her, she tells them that he is her boyfriend and threatens to have their badges. Flipper yells at her and does not want anyone else to know. Paulie attempts to start a similar relationship with an African American woman called Orin Goode (Tyra Ferrell), but encounters problems of his own.
Lucinda has Flipper come over and informs him that Gator has taken the television. She wants him to try and get it back before the Good Reverend Doctor comes home, so Flipper goes out to find Gator. Flipper finds Gator at a crack house, where he and Vivian are smoking the drug. Gator tells Flipper that he pawned the TV to get money for the crack. Flipper slaps Vivian in the face and tells Gator that their mother is crying over him; Gator does not appear to care. Flipper tells him that he is cutting him off for good and leaves.
Eventually, issues surrounding Flipper and Angie strain the relationship so much so that they break up. Orin accepts Paulie's offer to take her on a date. But when he tells his father he is going on a date with an African American, his father disowns him. On the way to meet with Orin he gets into a fight but still heads to her house. One night, Gator storms into his parents' house while the Reverend is away, demanding money from Lucinda while trashing the house. The Reverend arrives and threatens him if he does not leave. Gator refuses to leave and mocks his father. The Reverend tells Gator he is better off dead and regretfully shoots him in the stomach. Gator dies in his screaming mother's arms.
Flipper attempts to reconcile with Drew. After having sex with her, Drew, still hurt, tells him it is best for him to leave. While walking down a street, Flipper passes by a prostitute who offers to perform fellatio for two dollars. Flipper, in response, hugs her and screams "No!" out to the heavens.
Cast[edit]
Wesley Snipes as Flipper Purify[1]
Annabella Sciorra as Angie Tucci
Spike Lee as Cyrus
Ossie Davis as The Good Reverend Doctor Purify
Ruby Dee as Mrs. Purify
Samuel L. Jackson as "Gator" Purify[2]
Lonette McKee as Drew Purify
John Turturro as Paulie Carbone
Frank Vincent as Mike Tucci
Anthony Quinn as Lou Carbone
Halle Berry as Vivian
Tyra Ferrell as Orin Goode
Veronica Webb as Vera
David Dundara as Charlie Tucci
Michael Imperioli as James Tucci
Nicholas Turturro as Vinny
Michael Badalucco as Frankie Botz
Debi Mazar as Denise
Gina Mastrogiacomo as Louise
Tim Robbins as Jerry
Brad Dourif as Leslie
Theresa Randle as Inez
Miguel Sandoval as Officer Ponte
Charlie Murphy as Livin' Large
Grand L. Bush as Friend of Gator
Doug E. Doug as Friend of Livin' Large
Queen Latifah as LaShawn
Soundtrack[edit]
See: Jungle Fever (soundtrack).
Awards[edit]
1991 Cannes Film Festival Best Supporting Actor
 :Samuel L. Jackson[3]
Prize of the Ecumenical Jury (Special Mention)
Kansas City Film Critics Circle Awards Best Supporting Actor
 :Samuel L. Jackson
National Board of Review 10th best film of the year
New York Film Critics Circle Awards Best Supporting Actor
 :Samuel L. Jackson
Political Film Society Human Rights Award
Reception[edit]
The film gained mostly positive reviews, with particular praise for Samuel L. Jackson's performance as crack addict Gator, which is often considered to be his breakout role.[4][5][6][7]
Rotten Tomatoes gives the film a rating of 84% on based on 26 "Fresh" reviews and 5 "Rotten" ones.[8]
References[edit]
1.Jump up ^ "Jungle Fever". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved 2010-10-02.
2.Jump up ^ Williams, Lena (1991-06-09). "UP AND COMING; Samuel L. Jackson: Out of Lee's 'Jungle,' Into the Limelight". The New York Times. Retrieved 2010-10-02.
3.Jump up ^ "Festival de Cannes: Jungle Fever". festival-cannes.com. Retrieved 2009-08-09.
4.Jump up ^ "Spike Lee Cools Off but His 'Fever' Doesn't". The Los Angeles Times. 1991-05-17. Retrieved 2010-10-02.
5.Jump up ^ Freedman, Samuel G. (1991-06-02). "FILM; Love and Hate in Black and White". The New York Times. Retrieved 2010-10-02.
6.Jump up ^ "Spike Lee's 'Jungle Fever' seethes with realities of interracial relationships". Baltimore Sun. Retrieved 2010-10-02.
7.Jump up ^ "Jungle Fever". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2010-10-02.
8.Jump up ^ "Jungle Fever". Rotten Tomatoes. Flixster. Retrieved 2012-01-07.
External links[edit]
Jungle Fever at the Internet Movie Database

[hide]
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Spike Lee


­Filmography·
 ­Awards and nominations
 

Feature films
 directed


1980s

­She's Gotta Have It (1986)·
 ­School Daze (1988)·
 ­Do the Right Thing (1989)
 


1990s

­Mo' Better Blues (1990)·
 ­Jungle Fever (1991)·
 ­Malcolm X (1992)·
 ­Crooklyn (1994)·
 ­Clockers (1995)·
 ­Girl 6 (1996)·
 ­Get on the Bus (1996)·
 ­He Got Game (1998)·
 ­Summer of Sam (1999)
 


2000s

­Bamboozled (2000)·
 ­25th Hour (2002)·
 ­She Hate Me (2004)·
 ­Inside Man (2006)·
 ­Miracle at St. Anna (2008)
 


2010s

­Red Hook Summer (2012)·
 ­Oldboy (2013)
 


Documentaries
 directed
­4 Little Girls (1997)·
 ­Freak (1998)·
 ­The Original Kings of Comedy (2000)·
 ­A Huey P. Newton Story (2001)·
 ­The Concert for New York City (2001, directed the segment "Come Rain or Come Shine")·
 ­Jim Brown: All-American (2002)·
 ­When the Levees Broke (2006)·
 ­Kobe Doin' Work (2009)·
 ­Passing Strange (2009)·
 ­If God Is Willing and Da Creek Don't Rise (2010)·
 ­Bad 25 (2012)
 

Other films
 directed
­Joe's Bed-Stuy Barbershop: We Cut Heads (1983)·
 ­Lumière and Company (1995)·
 ­Ten Minutes Older: The Trumpet (2002, directed the segment "We Wuz Robbed")·
 ­All the Invisible Children (2005, directed the segment "Jesus Children of America")
 

Television
 directing work
­Sucker Free City (2004)·
 ­Miracle's Boys (2005, two episodes)·
 ­Shark (2006, pilot episode)
 

Related articles
­40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks·
 ­Bill Lee·
 ­Joie Lee·
 ­David Lee·
 ­Cinqué Lee
 

 

Categories: English-language films
1991 films
Films directed by Spike Lee
Films set in New York City
Independent films
Interracial romance films
Universal Pictures films
40 Acres & A Mule Filmworks films
American drama films
1990s drama films
Screenplays by Spike Lee

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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
 Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization.
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