Mandingo

1975's "Mandingo" earned much scorn from such highbrow critics as Roger Ebert, such was its unflinching look at slave relations in the Antebellum South, including numerous interracial couplings featuring full frontal nudity. The series of Falconhurst novels began with Kyle Onstott's original 1958 publication of "Mandingo," named for a specific type of fighter from the West African Niger region, also known for its later use by Alex Haley in his largely fictional yet compelling family history "Roots," the miniseries still two years away from its debut broadcast. Producer Dino De Laurentiis spent a number of years trying to finalize a deal, and with the relaxation of the old ratings system could never have filmed such a sordid tale until the 70s, a decade of untold exploitation where 'anything goes,' and often did. Director Richard Fleischer initially turned the assignment down but finally relented, James Mason earning top billing as plantation owner Warren Maxwell, in a role rejected by James Cagney and Charlton Heston, Perry King as son Hammond in place of Jan-Michael Vincent, Jeff Bridges, Beau Bridges, and Timothy Bottoms. Hammond is mostly portrayed as a sympathetic figure toward his slaves, often at odds with his harder edged father, his subsequent marriage to cousin Blanche (Susan George) soured on their wedding night by her less than virginal countenance under the sheets (as was so often the case, the girl was deflowered by her own brother). Hammond's purchase of new 'bed wench' Ellen (Brenda Sykes) does not go unnoticed by an increasingly irrational Blanche, eventually taking revenge on her faithless spouse by summoning Mandingo fighter Mede (Ken Norton) to her bed, producing a non white child that is quietly allowed to bleed to death, poor Blanche poisoned and defenseless Mede shot, scalded, and butchered by pitchfork. Critics were appalled by the brutality of Norton's no holds barred fight scenes, and the nihilistic climax left audiences appropriately stunned, a game cast putting forth a great effort to bring such unhappiness to vivid life. Interiors are effectively dark and gloomy, furniture sparse and guests rarely in evidence, slaves variously bought and sold to keep the rundown plantation afloat (location shooting in Louisiana). Susan George gives an uncanny rendition of Bette Davis in a part that few actresses would brave, and even at the end still earns sympathy making tearful entreaties to her unfeeling husband. James Mason and Perry King also acquit themselves well, as does Richard Ward as the intelligent Agamemnon punished for being able to read, and Ji-Tu Cumbuka, later Kunta Kinte's Wrestler on ROOTS, making the strongest impression as a runaway slave who prefers death to a life enchained. Personal preference impacts how one sees this picture, slowly gaining increased stature over the years, and certainly better than its immediate sequel "Drum," Ken Norton returning as a new character.

This film, despite some controversy about it's biracial sex scenes when it was initially released, seems to have faded from memory. Given the degree of sex, violence, and unadulterated exploitation of slavery in the antebellum South, that's a surprise, because I saw this flick nearly ten years ago and STILL can't forget it! Those whose image of the old South has forever been defined by GONE WITH THE WIND as romantic and chivalrous and pick up this movie in the video store(the cover art on the box resembles that famous pose with Gable and Leigh)thinking they're about to be trasported to Tara ought to run like Hell! James Mason and his lame son Perry King live on a plantation and own slaves body and soul. Well, at least the body part, as we see when Mason strings an errant slave upside down, strips him, and pattles his butt with a perforated paddle. Son King takes a more tender approach, as he sleeps with the female slaves, especially Brenda Sykes, whom he takes as his mistress. However, he marries Susan George to provide an heir, and presents her with a ruby choker. He also gives Sykes the matching earrings. When George learns of the relationship(Sykes wears the earrings while she serves dinner to George and King on their first night at the plantation), and Kings learns George has slept with her brother, the marriage hits the skids. George drowns her sorrows in lots of sherry and lots of Ken Norton, a slave Perry has purchased specifically for fighting other slaves for betting. George becomes pregnant, and when the baby comes, it hits the fan! It's hard to believe that anyone in 1975 could see this film as anything but exploitation of a very dark period in American history. Didn't anyone cringe at the sight of King going in to "take pleasure" from a female slave in a bed and the woman groans, "I too black for you", or Ken Norton standing stoically on the auction block of a slave sale while an old woman gropes around inside his loincloth? The video edition of this film I saw was from the early eighties, when movie studios did their transfers from the first worn-out prints the could grab, and may have had a muddy, faded look because of this, but it's hard to believe this thing came from a major studio. You'd certainly wouldn't know it from the production values, because the film looks as if the filmmakers didn't spend a penny more than they had to(we're treated to interior scenes inside a plantation house curiously devoid of furniture). With all these setbacks, it's hard to understand why this movie hasn't garnered even a semi-cult following. If you're in the mood to be offended on all levels and don't treasure some romanticized Hollywood image of the old South, grab MANDINGO.

I just watched Mandingo and can't for the life of me figure out why this film would get any critical reviews. You can't criticize the truth unless you yourself are part of the lie or involved in hiding the truth or you just want to ignore the truth and live in a fantasy world. Like those freaks that refuse to acknowledge the holocaust really happened or say it wasn't that horrible. This film hits you with the truth about 1840ish slavery with a vengeance, shocking, sickening, and uncomfortable as it should be. It doesn't sugar coat the South and especially the Deep South with shades of romantic Gone with the Wind feel sorry for us we lost our culture nonsense, but shows in detail all the dehumanizing, sickening, savage racist attitudes that existed in the south at that time. The buying and selling of human beings should be as sickening and repulsive as it gets and left to me this film would be mandatory viewing by all high school students in this country to help them understand the barbarism of slavery and how it's residue still affects and infects this country to this day. If you get a chance to rent or view this film a note of advice, be prepared for the truth!

Quentin Tarantino has called Mandingo one of the few big budget exploitation films Hollywood has ever produced, and you can definitely see a lot of this film in his Django Unchained. I'm not sure I'd go as far as calling this an exploitation film, but it's certainly startling at times and deals with the subject of slavery without backtalk or ambiguity.

The movie takes place in Deep South prior to the American Civil War. Slavery is at its highest bloom and it's just as bad as you've probably heard. First night rights are freely exercised, slaves are just one step above animals, sold like cattle and while they're not beaten daily – they still need to work, and it's not like you beat your cows daily, either – it doesn't take much for them to incur the wrath of their masters.

The movie is also notable in that it uses the term 'mandingo' somewhat correctly. The term referred to any slave of the highest quality and not just to those who fought against one another. Though even that fighting might be a myth. The movie tells the tale of one particular manor, its owners and the pair of mandingo slave that were brought there, one of them to be trained as a fighter.

It's a tough movie to sit through if you're squeamish and while it's not overly gluttonous in its depictions of violence, like Django Unchained is, it doesn't shy away from them either or pull its punches. A very good movie to check out if you liked Django and/or are looking for a darker historical piece.

I can see why this was controversial, and no doubt it would be if it were released now (2013). It's stunningly unlike Gone with the Wind. The style is extreme Southern Gothic, (not to be confused with camp). Some shades of Tennessee Williams but goes beyond where he dared. The dialogue is a bit difficult, and DVD has no English subtitles, but you'll be rewarded if you stick with it. (No need to understand every word). I agree that Tarantino was influenced by it but his approach to the subject matter is very different. Mandingo stands on its own as a major work of the 1970s and it's certainly a film that deserves to be better known. Striking photography and music throughout. This film panders to no one, nor does it simplistically tell the viewer what to think about anything. We have the feeling we're on our own with this. Maybe it's no accident that that feels liberating. Fasten your seat belts and see it.