Putney Swope
Robert Downey Sr.
- 1969
- USA
- Comedy
- 1h24mn
- Original version with French subtitles
- Black and white with color
Novelty
Brand new master
After the CEO’s brutal death, the only afro-american employee of a WASP advertising firm is elected to replace him, following a hypocritical vote where other contestants hoped to eliminate their enemies. He will fire the staff, and replace it by his Black Power friends, rename the company Truth and Soul Inc. and start a revolution.
A hallmark of Melvin van Peebles style blaxploitation directed by a white man, this sharp pamphlet, this joyous devastating mayhem, is the work of a thrilling filmmaker, alas less known than his son. With a voice over by Downey himself, our hero dressed like Fidel Castro takes on the powers that be, headed by a midget president, and with brilliant ads played by black people; reveals the truth about consumer society: everything they sell you is crap !
Images Courtesy of All Channel and the American Genre Film Archive. Putney Swope was restored by the Academy Film Archive and The Film Foundation, with funding provided by the Hobson/Lucas Family Foundation
Screenings
09/09 • 21h30 • Screen 100
Screening presented by Dominik Moll
14/09 • 15h45 • Screen 100
Screening presented by Dominik Moll
Credits
- With : Arnold Johnson, Stan Gottlieb, Allen Garfield, Archie Russell, Ramon Gordon
- Screenplay : Robert Downey Sr.
- Photography : Gerald Cotts
- Editing : Bud S. Smith
- Music by : Charley Cuva
- Production : Robert Downey Sr., Henri Pachard
