Customer Reviews

Watermelon Man

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Being interested in many types of film, I saw the DVD release of Watermelon Man (1970) and it was the title that caught my eye. Directed by African-American film pioneer Melvin Van Peebles and starring Godfrey Cambridge (The President's Analyst, Cotton Comes to Harlem) and Estelle Parsons (Bonnie and Clyde), Watermelon Man relates an interesting tale of what happens when a bigoted white man wakes one day to find his skin has since turned black.

As the film begins, we meet the Gerbers, a typical white family living in a typical white neighborhood. There's Jeff Gerber (Cambridge), the head of the family, who make his living selling insurance, Althea Gerber (Parsons), Jeff's somewhat liberal wife, and their two children. One evening Jeff awakes to discover he's no longer white, and believes he suffering a bad dream. This turns out not to be the case, as Jeff retains his new skin color into the next day. He begins to look for answers, maybe it can be washed off if he showers for a lengthy period of time, or maybe the new color of his skin is attributed to spending too much time in his tanning bed, but there appears to be no real cause for what happened. Unable to hide from the outside world forever, Jeff ventures back into his regular routine, and soon learns that the color of his skin isn't the only thing that's changed. He finds racist attitudes prevalent throughout his workday and home life, as now, the system of which he used to be a part of, begins to turn on him, effectively forcing him to `walk a mile in another man's shoes'.

I really enjoyed this different sort of film, as it was an unusual blend of satire and social commentary. The writing was sharp and witty, and while this may not be a film for everyone, it does provide an interesting perspective, one that doesn't necessarily have to beat its' audience over the head (it does lay it on a little thick sometimes) with its' message. Some of the funniest scenes developed in part to Jeff and his wife's initial reaction to his change like Jeff showering for a really, really long time, his reviewing the warranty contract on his tanning bed, and his somewhat liberal wife asking if she should hide the money and serving him fried chicken and watermelon for dinner (she may be a liberal, but she's one of those liberals who's main contact comes from what she sees on the TV). Just think how you might act or be treated if one day you found that the color of you skin has changed, while you remain the same person on the inside. Cambridge does a wonderful job as the main character, beginning as a slightly bigoted individual who sees how life is from the other side. While a dislikable character in the beginning, I began to develop a sense of sympathy for him as the film progressed, not because his skin changed color, but because I felt he really began to understand the inherent differences in a system he worked in and was a part of for so long, and he understood flaws within his own character, now magnified in the attitudes and demeanor of people around him, his co-workers, family, friends, and community. He sees his world is not a particularly nice place to live, that is if you are not of the right color. The humor is pretty subtle, and doesn't seem to be prone to exaggeration, but more or less presented to mirror that of real life, as different forms of racism are presented, from the straight up type (the use of unpleasant racial terms and profiling by the police), to less obvious, more insidious forms in terms of accepted stereotypes and common misconceptions. The direction was a bit weird at times, as different things are incorporated into the film, strange music, odd text, (reminded me of sort of safe psychedelia used in the Monkees television show, only not to that extent) but then the late 60's and early 70's tended to elicit this kind of experimentation, which, at the time, seemed completely new and far out, but now serves mainly to effectively date films containing such elements. An interesting side note to the film, apparently the director received quite a bit of flak over his unwillingness to change the ending of the film. The studio executives had wanted him to incorporate an ending in which the main character would wake up and find his original skin color had returned, and the whole affair was to be presented as if it were all a bad dream (which would have ruined the film, in my opinion). Van Peebles resisted, and was finally able to keep his intended ending, maintaining his creative integrity and preserving the element that makes this film interesting and original. Is it controversial? I didn't get that feeling, although I will admit this movie probably isn't for everyone.

Presented here is a really good looking wide screen version of the film, which runs approximately just over an hour and a half. There really aren't any special features, not even a trailer, but there is an introduction by the director, Melvin Van Peebles, which can be chosen to play over the opening credits of the film. All in all, an interesting, fairly funny perspective that still bears relevance today, some thirty plus years after its' original release.

Cookieman108

I watched this movie late one Saturday night and have not been able to get it out of my head ever since. The pastel colors and the soundtrack were terrific. Even though I am a white man, there for making me the victim of this movie, I simply loved it! It seems that other members of my race did not seem to enjoy it as well as I did, but the fact is, you have to look past the fact that this movie really is "politically incorrect." I really am not much of a judge on how black people are treated today, but I know that this film really showed me how different my own life would be if I were a black man livingin the late-sixties/early-seventies. It just proves that all that we in the magical world of white were really true. We actually were exploiting these people, just for the color of their skin. Maybe, just maybe, the world isn't such a pretty place after all. Great film! I whole-heartedly recommend it.

I am sure that a better film depicting the stereotypes that, we as black people must endure will never be made. It was truly a cinematic breakthrough. Considering the time that the film was made in, I am surprised that it was allowed to be made especially by the movie company that produced it. Godfrey Cambridge was sheer genius in this film. The kids were worth watching. I never laughed at any other movie as much as a laughed at this satire.

One night my friend and his brother were watching a bad movie and making fun of it. My friend Rich said that he had a funny movie called The Watermellon Man. I told him to get it without knowing anything about it. I soon relized that this was a very good film. The movie is directed by Melvin Van Peeples and it stars Godfrey Cambridge as Jeff Gerber a average white man who does not understand anything about minorities except they are good fodder for his bad jokes. Gerber races the bus everyday to save some money, grabs his assistant at office and generally is oblivious to the rest of the world. He is not a bad man just ignorant. One night Gerber awakes to find that he has become a black man. After scrubbing for hours, and attacking the delivery man of his new tanning lamp he accept's the fact and goes out of the house. Now he deals with all the bigotry that he himself acted with. There are some really funny parts to this film, like when his kids ask him if he is going to race the bus and he yells "Never bring up the race issue agian." By the end of the movie you have realized that he will not be turned back and is a black man forever. You also see how different he is treated one day to the next. As a white man he is left alone by the police and never questioned about his ethecs. As a black man he finds it different. The end can be a little confusing but is can be forgiven for giving us a great movie. I would like to see this remade someday.

The first time I saw this movie was back in the late 70's. At that time I felt that every American should see this movie. Now, over 20 years later, I still hold to that belief. Why, because this is a classic movie that skilfully mixes a message with a great story and wonderful performances all the way around. A movie like this would probably not get the "green light" from a major studio today. Godfrey Cambridge plays Jeff Gerber, the bigoted insurance salesman living in happy seclusion in suburbia. One night he goes to bed an average white guy, and the next day he wakes up an african american and truly a rasin in the sun. Versions of this storyline have been utilized before (from James Whitmore in "Black Like Me" to that really bad C. Thomas Howell move), but none can hold a candle to the artistry of this movie. It will make you laugh out loud while simultaneously making you think about yourself and your own values. It will take you through the journey of one man's struggle for self acceptance, and leave you asking why eveyone else couldn't get over themselves like he had to. On top of that, it is very clever and will drop subtle hints early in the movie that are easliy missed untill referred to later (like Jeff Gerber's full name, Jefferson Washington Gerber). Melvin Van Peebles (yes Mario's father for the uninitiated) is fully on his game for this movie, and he coaxes superior performances out of the cast.
If you are white, watch it with a person of color and talk about it after the movie is over. It will probably be one of the most powerful conversations you have ever had. If you're african american, just watch the film and prepare for a great deal of identification and head shaking. They just don't make movies like this anymore.

An excellently-acted performance by the late Godfrey Cambridge. This is the "chameleon" of all movies which changes its color in more ways than one. A great plot about an upper middle class white businessman who seems to be well-educated, but has indelible bigoted impressions about minorities. His liberal-minded wife appears to be sympathetic toward the plight of minorities. However, a freak of nature occurs which changes their attitudes completely. The man (played by Cambridge) discovers he has turned black overnight; this gives him and his family first hand experience with discrimination and prejudice. After the transformation, the wife (played by Estelle Parsons) discovers she's not really that liberal-minded. The film starts out as a very funny comedy; but a little more than halfway through the film, transforms into a serious drama. The film is quite thought-provoking and gives anyone who watches it a great vicarious experience of racial discrimination and prejudice.

How people feel about themselves and how they percieve others is portrayed with humor, but accurately.
Thoughts and desires surface making evident where people stand. This is a good time movie with a message. What that message is depends on where you are in the Human Race.

Despite the lunatic rantings of the Klan member 5 posts down from mine (is this really the place for such reactionary grandstanding?) I heartily recommend this movie. Made in a time when you could make a "different" sort of movie, this one just radiates with style, creativity, social commentary, satire, and a tremendously gifted performance from the lead character. Yes, this movie is very "over the top," from the acting to the story, to the cinematography, to the lighting, to the crashing piano accompaniment, and THAT'S what makes it so monumental. It isn't like every other movie out there, it's got the unique qualities that make mankind who we are. Sure, the story isn't fully cohesive, and it tends toward the silly, but that's part of the point of the film. It's like a roller-coaster ride in someone else's shoes. Just hold on and see where it takes you. Underneath the readily apparent light humor, It's really quite an intelligent film that represents the past, the present, and the future of how we all think about things. Do yourself a favor (and if necessary pry open your mind with a crowbar) and see it. I'm betting you won't be disappointed.

Wow--it looks like some people really didn't like this movie. I'm sure that Melvin would be proud that his "major studio" comedy still has the power to provoke. One thing these reviews have in common, though, is astonishment at how WM got made in the first place. Well, back in the early seventies, studios saw cash cows in "rebel" directors like Van Peebles and Robert Downey Sr. Since budgets weren't yet out of sight, folks in the "counterculture" could do pretty much whatever they felt like if the studio bigwigs throught that "the kids" or any other subgroup they felt like patronizing would buy it. That's why Dennis Hopper got to go wild for The Last Movie and how Van Peebles and Downey managed to slide under the wire. Watermelon Man has some classic moments, but Van Peebles wasn't really a comic director. Most of his gags go on too long, and there's a strong indication that he wasn't all that clear about what he was doing--mixing genres and all. But it's his vision, alright, unadulterated by focus groups or committees. Watch Watermelon Man for the last great performance by forties Black Cinema star Mantan Moreland as the counterman. Mantan alone is worth the price of the tape

Great nostalgic comedy that incorporates a real world perspective on racism in America while maintaining the lightheartedness of the overall film.