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James Mason, Susan George, Richard Ward, Brenda Sykes, Ken Norton ... see more see more... , Lillian Hayman , Roy Poole , Ji-Tu Cumbuka , Paul Benedict , Ben Masters , Duane Allen , Stocker Fontelieu , Perry King , Kuumba , Earl Maynard , Debbi Morgan , Ray Spruell , Irene Tedrow , Louis Turenne , Beatrice Winde , John A. Barber , Simon McQueen , Stanley J. Reyes

Richard Fleischer directed this lurid historical drama based on the novel by Kyle Onstott. The story begins on a run-down plantation lorded over by Warren Maxwell (James Mason) and his son Hammond (Pe... read more read more...rry King). Hammond travels to New Orleans where he buys a top-of-the-line slave, Mede (Ken Norton), at an auction. Hammond is proud of his purchase, hoping to bring in money by training Mede to fight his other slaves. Hammond returns with Mede to the plantation, where he has to contend with his sex-crazed wife Blanche (Susan George). Hammond looks upon Blanche as damaged goods since he discovered her to not be a virgin on their wedding night. Instead, Hammond prefers erotic pursuits with his slave Ellen (Brenda Sykes). Blanche licks her lips at the sight of Mede, and seduces him to get revenge on her husband. Blanche soon becomes pregnant and gives birth to a half-black baby. Enraged, Hammond comes after Blanche, poisons her, and then the child bleed to death before going after Mede. ~ Paul Brenner, Rovi

Flixster Users

60% liked it

501 ratings

Critics

40% liked it

10 critics

R, 2 hr. 6 min.

Directed by: Richard Fleischer

Release Date: July 25, 1975

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DVD Release Date: June 3, 2008

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Stats: 57 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (57)

  • cosmo313
    November 17, 2011
    cosmo313
    Released near the end of the blaxploitation era, this is one of the few exploitation films of that time that, instead of being a crime drama set in a (then) contemporary urban area, is a lurid melodrama set in the Antebellum Deep South. It's also kinda significant to note that it... read more is a full on exploitation film with a decent budget and full backing from a major studio.

    The story concerns the owner of a run down plantation and his son who struggle to keep their enterprise going, and, in the case of the son, also have to deal with romantic feelings. The main theme of this film, besides racism, is that of miscegnation, aka interracial relationships. The material is good stuff for a history-based film, and could make for compelling viewing, but in this film's case, it's a mess.

    The film does have a few good moments, and it is great at provoking thoughts, and makes for good discussion and debate material, but the way it is handled is just awful. Rarely do films make me feel scuzzy, but this one did. It's awkward, uncomfortable, and hard to watch, but since it is trying to both be artsy and exploitative, that makes it worse. Had this been a lower budget, and not tried to have merit, I think I could deal with it better. It's one of the early examples (that I'm aware of) of a film addressing the issue of slavery instead of glossing over it like Gone With the Wind, but it doesn't really DEAL with it, instead using the material as backdrop for hollow scenes of shock and awe that have no real weight. There's maybe a few scenes such as a direct camera address that work and have substance, but they're few and far between.

    The music is handled by Maurice Jarre with a bit of assistance from Muddy Waters, and, while this helps some, the music still feels a bit out of place and overly dramatic. It's hard to really take it seriously. The acting like most of the rest of the film, is a real mess as well. James MAson is really slumming here, and I feel embarassed for him. Susan Geore, my word, is she always this terrible and hysterical? It's almost making me rethink my thoughts on Straw Dogs. Ken Norton actually is okay here, even though the material only gives him so much to work with. Still, he deals with it the best he can.

    All in all, I've seen worse, but the film at least tries to be both important and a seedy exploitation flick. Unfortunately, the way things are handled keeps the two parts froom really mixing all that well, and it's the over the top exploitative stuff that shines through, and that's probably more detrimental than beneficial. Sttill though, I'm giving it some credit because I really never found it boring, and, like all films it does have potential. It's actually a rather fascinating film, even though it is pretty awful and trashy. If it were fun, like other black centric exploitation films of the era, then I might have enjoyed it far more. As it stands, I will defend it as something worth discussing, but the more time that passes before I watch this again (if ever), the better.
  • fb1017355736
    May 12, 2012
    fb1017355736
    A much more intruiging story than I thought it would be. Roots it is not, but this was quite a decent film.

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Critic Reviews

Jonathan Rosenbaum
January 1, 2000
Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader

One of the most neglected and underrated Hollywood films of its era. Full Review

Fernando F. Croce
June 4, 2008
Fernando F. Croce, Slant Magazine

Mandingo is excessive, yet its excesses invariably reveal the caustic truths of social critique. Full Review

December 8, 2007
TV Guide's Movie Guide

The performances are overdramatized and unbelievable in a script that suffers from the same weaknesses. Full Review

February 9, 2006
Time Out

Good to see Fleischer returning to the kind of psycho-pathological thriller that he can handle so well. Full Review

May 24, 2003
Film4

[A] hugely entertaining potboiler. Full Review

James Kendrick
February 27, 2001
James Kendrick, Q Network Film Desk

too trashy to be good drama, but too dramatic to be good trash Full Review

March 26, 2009
Variety

Click to read the article Full Review

Emanuel Levy
July 24, 2005
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com

No review available.

Michael Dequina
January 2, 2004
Michael Dequina, TheMovieReport.com

No review available.

Nell Minow
November 6, 2003
Nell Minow, Movie Mom at Yahoo! Movies

No review available.

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