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Black Like Me (1964) is an American drama film based on the book Black Like Me by John Howard Griffin. The journalist disguised himself to pass as an African-American man for six weeks in 1959 in the Deep South to report on life in the segregated society from the other side of the color line. The film was directed by Carl Lerner and the screenplay was written by Carl and Gerda Lerner. The film stars James Whitmore, Sorrell Booke and Roscoe Lee Browne.
| Black Like Me | |
|---|---|
Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Carl Lerner |
| Produced by | Julius Tannenbaum |
| Screenplay by | Carl Lerner Gerda Lerner |
| Based on | Black Like Me by John Howard Griffin |
| Starring | James Whitmore |
| Music by | Meyer Kupferman |
| Cinematography | Victor Lukens Henry Mueller II |
| Edited by | Lora Hays |
Production company | The Hilltop Company |
| Distributed by | Continental Distributing |
Release date |
|
Running time | 107 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
The DVD was released December 11, 2012 in North America from Video Services Corp. The DVD includes a documentary titled Uncommon Vision about John Howard Griffin, the journalist on which the main character is based.
Screenplay
This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (August 2015) |
John Finley Horton (James Whitmore) is a white journalist who artificially darkens his skin in order to pass for a black man. He travels for several weeks in the Deep South in order to report from the other side of the color line in the segregated society. He spends time in places from New Orleans to Atlanta, and encounters racism from both white and black people.
- James Whitmore as John Finley Horton (Black Like Me author John Howard Griffin)
- Sorrell Booke as Dr. Jackson
- Roscoe Lee Browne as Christopher
- Al Freeman, Jr. as Thomas Newcomb
- Will Geer as truck driver
- Robert Gerringer as Ed Saunders
- Clifton James as Eli Carr
- John Marriott as Hodges
- Thelma Oliver as Georgie
- Lenka Petersen as Lucy Horton
This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (September 2015) |
Critical reception for the film has been mixed. Bosley Crowther of The New York Times described the film as "melodramatic and unsubtle". He said it failed to place the viewer inside a Negro's skin, and to convince the audience that the protagonist "is truly passing for black".
Reviewing the film after the 2012 DVD release, Leonard Maltin awarded the film a positive 3 out of 4 stars. He said that, although some aspects of the film felt dated, the film's themes were still timely.
This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (September 2015) |
The film made its DVD debut on February 12, 2002 by VCI Home Video. It later was re-released by Video Service Corp on December 11, 2012.
- List of American films of 1964
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