Watermelon Man 1970
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. Continuing to review African-Americans in film in chronological order for Black History Month, we're still in 1970 when director Melvin Van Peebles makes his first major studio feature having previously done a critically acclaimed independent one called Story of a Three Day Pass.
He casts comedian Godfrey Cambridge as Jeff Gerber who we initially meet as an obnoxious white insurance man-along with wife Althea (Estelle Parsons) and their two kids of different genders-who likes to run when leaving for his job in order to beat the bus. By the way, the light-skinned makeup on Cambridge is about as convincingly white on him as it was on Eddie Murphy in the 'White Like Me' short film he did on 'Saturday Night Live', that is, not much. Anyway, when the change comes, well, that's when all hell breaks loose!
Now, knowing what I know about ironic humor concerning stereotypes, I found the whole thing just a little over-the-top and, you know what? I also found the whole thing hilarious! I mean, how can you not laugh at the attempts Godfrey keeps making to turn himself 'back' like drinking lots of milk or putting his face in plaster. Plus, there's many funny sudden turns from now-'brothers' like the bus driver played by D'Urville Martin who claims to be Hispanic or Mantan Moreland as the counterman at his regular eatery who, when asked to look at his skin, says, 'I don't need to look at your skin, I can see my own!'
And wait till you see how Three Stooges regular supporting player Emil Sitka reacts when he gets attacked by Jeff over some new sunlamps! Not to mention Jeff's bed scenes with a flirtatious secretary named Erica (Kay Kimberly). I think I've said enough so all I'll say now is that Van Peebles provides much funny stuff from Herman Raucher's script in addition to his own contributions with his occasionally distorted score. So on that note, Watermelon Man comes highly recommended.
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It's quite interesting seeing who's also in this movie besides those I've already mentioned like singer/songwriter Paul Williams-here credited with the middle initial H-as an employment clerk or a young girl named Erin Moran-later to portray the teen Joanie Cunningham on 'Happy Days'-as daughter Janice Gerber.
Jeff Gerber (Godfrey Cambridge) is a self important insurance salesman. Every morning he follows a health regiment that includes drinking a health drink and racing the bus to work. He thinks he knows everything, is annoyingly bigoted, and a total bore. His co-workers can't really stand him. His wife Althea (Estelle Parsons) stays with him out of love and obligation to their two children Burton (Scott Garett) and Janice (Erin Muran). He dosen't know his boss is thinking about firing him.
Watermelon Man, 1970. Directed by Melvin Van Peebles 35 mm color film 100 minutes Columbia Pictures. Watermelon Man offers extraordinarily frank insights into the. Overview of Watermelon Man, 1970, directed by Melvin Van Peebles, with Godfrey Cambridge, Estelle Parsons, Howard Caine, at Turner Classic Movies. Directed by Melvin Van Peebles. With Godfrey Cambridge, Estelle Parsons, Howard Caine, D'Urville Martin. An extremely bigoted white man finds out the hard (and.
Herman Raucher
He thinks he is on top of the world. Recently Jeff has added tanning in a tanning machine to his health routine. One morning Jeff wakes to discover there is a black man in his mirror. In 1960s middle America this is not good.
The only person more shocked is his wife. He blames the tanning booth. He hides in the house, hoping his condition will fade. When he finally does go out the next day he finds everything has changed. People treat him differently. Jeff realizes that his life will never be the same.