Review of Nothing But a Man (1964) by Tom M — 18 Jul 2010
This movie was made by a couple of neophyte filmmakers, young well-meaning Jewish kids who had spent some time in the South and wanted to testify about the daily indignities of black life in an openly racist society.
It stars an actor best known for his role in "Hogan's Heroes." So what do you expect? Earnest, preachy, clunky, dated, embarrassing. Part of what makes this film wonderful is how it defies expectations.
The action and characters are surprisingly well-observed, the story surprisingly nuanced (it isn't ALL about race). It's respectful without being reverent, hard-hitting without being sensationalistic.
Not worth seeking out as a historical artifiact... just worth seeking out, period.
This review of Nothing But a Man (1964) was written by Tom M on 18 Jul 2010.
Nothing But a Man has generally received very positive reviews.
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