IMDb RATING
6.7/10
3.1K
YOUR RATING
Jeff Gerber, a racist white man, wakes up one morning to discover that he has become black.Jeff Gerber, a racist white man, wakes up one morning to discover that he has become black.Jeff Gerber, a racist white man, wakes up one morning to discover that he has become black.
- Nominated for 1 BAFTA Award
- 1 win & 1 nomination total
Paul Williams
- Employment Office Clerk
- (as Paul H. Williams)
- Director
- Writer
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Featured review
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!
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaMelvin Van Peebles: The artist who letters Jeff Gerber's new office door.
- GoofsDr. Wainwright asks Jeff if he knows that the first man to die in an American war was Crispus Atticus. The man's name was actually Crispus Attucks, NOT Atticus. The doctor puts in an extra syllable.
- Quotes
Delivery Man: That guy needs a sun lamp like Fred Astaire needs dancing lessons.
- ConnectionsFeatured in The Real Deal: What It is (2003)
- SoundtracksLove, That's America
Written and performed by Melvin Van Peebles
- How long is Watermelon Man?Powered by Alexa
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Language
- Also known as
- The Night the Sun Came Out
- Filming locations
- Burbank, California, USA(Studio)
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- $1,000,000 (estimated)
- Runtime1 hour 40 minutes
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.85 : 1
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