Putney Swope
Starring:Alan Abel, Buddy Butler, Joe Fields, Allen Garfield, Don George (II), Ramon Gordon, Stan Gottlieb, Vincent Hamill, Arnold Johnson, Spunky-Funk Johnson, David Kirk, Bert Lawrence, Joe Madden, Tom Odachi, Ron Palombo, Archie Russell, Norman Schreiber, Robert Staats, Ching Yeh
Studio: Rhino / Wea
Product Type: DVD
Editorial Review:
Amazon.com
If you're looking for a movie that shocked the filmgoing public with its outspoken take on race relations in corporate America circa 1969, look no further than this Robert Downey debut effort. Made on a shoestring in black and white, this film begins with a wonderful moment of racial discomfort. The board of directors at a Madison Avenue ad agency must elect a new chairman, and, in the maneuvering to make sure that enemies don't get votes, all the board members accidentally cast their ballot for the board's token black man, Putney Swope (Arnold Johnson). Swope immediately cleans house and transforms the agency into New York's hippest shop with a Black Power mentality and a willingness to tell previously unspoken truths in advertising. Though it looks dated today, it is a fascinating time capsule of the period and still contains its share of outrageous laughs. --Marshall Fine
Average customer rating:
- What was I thinking? This film really sucks!
- Take some aspirin before you watch this movie...
- Anti Black Semitic Garbage
- swope
- Insanity in every frame...
|
Putney Swope
Starring: Allan Arbus , Peter Benson , Buddy Butler , Elzbieta Czyzewska , and Joe Engler
Director: Robert Downey, Sr.
Manufacturer: Homevision
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD
 General
| Comedy
| Genres
| DVD
| Video
Satire
| Comedy
| Genres
| DVD
| Video
Classic Comedies
| Comedy
| Genres
| DVD
| Video
General
| Parody & Spoof
| Comedy
| Genres
| DVD
| Video
Corporate Life
| By Theme
| Comedy
| Genres
| DVD
| Video
Arbus, Allan
| ( A )
| Actors & Actresses
| Stores
| DVD
| Video
Fargas, Antonio
| ( F )
| Actors & Actresses
| Stores
| DVD
| Video
Garfield, Allen
| ( G )
| Actors & Actresses
| Stores
| DVD
| Video
Jones, Walter
| ( J )
| Actors & Actresses
| Stores
| DVD
| Video
DVDs Under $14.99
| Today's Deals in DVD
| Special Features
| DVD
| Video
( P )
| Titles
| Features
| DVD
| Video
Similar Items:
- The Spook Who Sat by the Door
- Hands Over the City - Criterion Collection
- Watermelon Man
- Petulia
- The Fallen Idol - Criterion Collection
ASIN: B000FUF7DK
Release Date: 2006-08-01 |
Amazon.com
If you're looking for a movie that shocked the filmgoing public with its outspoken take on race relations in corporate America circa 1969, look no further than this Robert Downey debut effort. Made on a shoestring in black and white, this film begins with a wonderful moment of racial discomfort. The board of directors at a Madison Avenue ad agency must elect a new chairman, and, in the maneuvering to make sure that enemies don't get votes, all the board members accidentally cast their ballot for the board's token black man, Putney Swope (Arnold Johnson). Swope immediately cleans house and transforms the agency into New York's hippest shop with a Black Power mentality and a willingness to tell previously unspoken truths in advertising. Though it looks dated today, it is a fascinating time capsule of the period and still contains its share of outrageous laughs. --Marshall Fine
Description
A hallmark of 1960s radicalism and one of the first major underground films, Robert Downey Sr.'s seminal Putney Swope remains a classic of social satire. After the CEO croaks during a boardroom meeting at a Madison Avenue ad agency, members trying to sabotage each other's chance of winning the top spot each vote for the token black guy, thereby electing Putney Swope. Swope swoops into action, firing them all and replacing them with armed radicals, soul brothers, and sexy red-hot mamas. Re-naming the agency "Truth and Soul," Putney sets about revolutionizing the corporate world of advertising, banning the marketing of products such as cigarettes, alcohol and violent toys. The agency produces raucous, kooky TV spots - offensive, humorous, and, at first, wildly successful. But can "Truth and Soul" last, not only in advertising but within Putney himself?
Customer Reviews:
What was I thinking? This film really sucks!.......2006-12-29
Thirty years ago or so, I was watching late night TV. I think the show was called "Seymour Presents" and the host, wearing a cape and a fedora, invaded the films and mocked them.
In this turkey, token Negro board member Putney Swope is elected chairman of an advertising agency's board of directors after the previous board chairman unexpectedly dies. Thinking that no one else would vote for him but concerned that a boycott of their token would betray their resident racism, a majority of the other members votes for Swope.
Immediately instituting a sweeping campaign of reforms, including dressing board members in dashikis and renaming the advertising agency "Truth and Soul Incorporated", Swope seems at first likely to prove a creative new mastermind for the company. However, rabid ambition drives him to overstep his authority time and time again. In the end, he proves himself instead--in the words of one detractor--"nothin' but a jive nigger".
Distrustful of the white-dominated banks, he decides to keep all of the company's funds in cash. This backfires when, in a rage of jealousy, some employees and board members who feel frozen out of the action set the company safe on fire and destroy all of its money.
Thirty years ago, I thought this film to be provocative and clever. Today I think it just plain vile. Don't waste your money on this turkey. It's not worth the plastic its recorded on.
Take some aspirin before you watch this movie..........2006-06-06
and you might be able to sit through it. I love satire - reading it, writing it, hearing it, watching it - and this movie definitely has its moments. The commercials, in fact, are so spot-on and well done that it's hard to imagine what happened to the direction in the segments between. The acting is laughable; the camera work appalling (poor lighting, unsteady shots, and completely arbitrary/gimmicky framing); the "plot" rambling and mostly absent. This is one of those movies that some fans might claim you "don't get" if you don't like it, but having viewed it among people with a passionate interest in film and satire and an appreciation for eclectic comedy, I can say with certainty that we got it. It's just not a very good film.
That being said, the concept has potential and I would love to see this film remade with more competence. If you must watch it, take a painkiller or two first and maybe you'll be able to focus on the engaging/funny parts and drown out the rest. And if you can't find the aspirin, well, god help you.
Anti Black Semitic Garbage.......2005-02-15
If you are into thinly guised minstrels, this Bud's for you. Posing as equal opportunity race bashing, this film would be better if some effort were made to make it humorous. This garbage is so bad, that the lead character has his voice dubbed to sound even more ignorant. After 100+ years of Black bashing in film, you begin to wonder who is behind these sorry depictions of Black people in America. No wonder why R Downey Jr. turned out to be such a fine dopehead, trickle down guilt.
swope.......2004-06-15
Most older movies seem tame. Not this one! "Putney Swope" doesn't pull any punches and is STILL ahead of the times as far as portraying race relations in an honest and funny way.
A word of caution: This movie is extremely low budget and extremely irreverent. Much of it seems made-up from moment to moment. But there are some hilarious, brilliant moments in this.
Insanity in every frame..........2004-01-10
The true beauty of this film lies in the fact that Downey is able to pack so much insanity in so tight a space. Every frame of this picture is spilling over with madness worthy of the Marx Brothers at their anarchistic best. Just dig the names, man! We have Mark Focus, Mr. Victrola Cola, Mr. Ethereal Cereal...my God, it's the 1960s at its dark, psycho-delic best. Sure, it's a bit dated, but come on - it's an artifact, as telling of the times as "Magical Mystery Tour" or "Gimmie Shelter."
Incidentally, unlike most "racial comedies" of the 1960s, Downey allows his pointed satire to skewer both black and white (think Hal Ashby's "The Landlord"). All in all a perfectly insane picture; maybe not a cinematic classic, but certainly the damn funniest products of "alternate" cinema to date.
Average customer rating:
- What was I thinking? This film really sucks!
- Take some aspirin before you watch this movie...
- Anti Black Semitic Garbage
- swope
- Insanity in every frame...
|
Putney Swope
Starring: Alan Abel , Buddy Butler , Joe Fields , Allen Garfield , and Don George (II)
Manufacturer: Rhino / Wea
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD
General
| Comedy
| Genres
| DVD
| Video
Satire
| Comedy
| Genres
| DVD
| Video
Classic Comedies
| Comedy
| Genres
| DVD
| Video
General
| Parody & Spoof
| Comedy
| Genres
| DVD
| Video
Corporate Life
| By Theme
| Comedy
| Genres
| DVD
| Video
Abel, Alan
| ( A )
| Actors & Actresses
| Stores
| DVD
| Video
Garfield, Allen
| ( G )
| Actors & Actresses
| Stores
| DVD
| Video
Gottlieb, Stan
| ( G )
| Actors & Actresses
| Stores
| DVD
| Video
( P )
| Titles
| Features
| DVD
| Video
Similar Items:
- The Spook Who Sat by the Door
- Hands Over the City - Criterion Collection
- Watermelon Man
- Petulia
- The Fallen Idol - Criterion Collection
ASIN: B00005BJXW
Release Date: 2001-05-22 |
Amazon.com
If you're looking for a movie that shocked the filmgoing public with its outspoken take on race relations in corporate America circa 1969, look no further than this Robert Downey debut effort. Made on a shoestring in black and white, this film begins with a wonderful moment of racial discomfort. The board of directors at a Madison Avenue ad agency must elect a new chairman, and, in the maneuvering to make sure that enemies don't get votes, all the board members accidentally cast their ballot for the board's token black man, Putney Swope (Arnold Johnson). Swope immediately cleans house and transforms the agency into New York's hippest shop with a Black Power mentality and a willingness to tell previously unspoken truths in advertising. Though it looks dated today, it is a fascinating time capsule of the period and still contains its share of outrageous laughs. --Marshall Fine
Customer Reviews:
What was I thinking? This film really sucks!.......2006-12-29
Thirty years ago or so, I was watching late night TV. I think the show was called "Seymour Presents" and the host, wearing a cape and a fedora, invaded the films and mocked them.
In this turkey, token Negro board member Putney Swope is elected chairman of an advertising agency's board of directors after the previous board chairman unexpectedly dies. Thinking that no one else would vote for him but concerned that a boycott of their token would betray their resident racism, a majority of the other members votes for Swope.
Immediately instituting a sweeping campaign of reforms, including dressing board members in dashikis and renaming the advertising agency "Truth and Soul Incorporated", Swope seems at first likely to prove a creative new mastermind for the company. However, rabid ambition drives him to overstep his authority time and time again. In the end, he proves himself instead--in the words of one detractor--"nothin' but a jive nigger".
Distrustful of the white-dominated banks, he decides to keep all of the company's funds in cash. This backfires when, in a rage of jealousy, some employees and board members who feel frozen out of the action set the company safe on fire and destroy all of its money.
Thirty years ago, I thought this film to be provocative and clever. Today I think it just plain vile. Don't waste your money on this turkey. It's not worth the plastic its recorded on.
Take some aspirin before you watch this movie..........2006-06-06
and you might be able to sit through it. I love satire - reading it, writing it, hearing it, watching it - and this movie definitely has its moments. The commercials, in fact, are so spot-on and well done that it's hard to imagine what happened to the direction in the segments between. The acting is laughable; the camera work appalling (poor lighting, unsteady shots, and completely arbitrary/gimmicky framing); the "plot" rambling and mostly absent. This is one of those movies that some fans might claim you "don't get" if you don't like it, but having viewed it among people with a passionate interest in film and satire and an appreciation for eclectic comedy, I can say with certainty that we got it. It's just not a very good film.
That being said, the concept has potential and I would love to see this film remade with more competence. If you must watch it, take a painkiller or two first and maybe you'll be able to focus on the engaging/funny parts and drown out the rest. And if you can't find the aspirin, well, god help you.
Anti Black Semitic Garbage.......2005-02-15
If you are into thinly guised minstrels, this Bud's for you. Posing as equal opportunity race bashing, this film would be better if some effort were made to make it humorous. This garbage is so bad, that the lead character has his voice dubbed to sound even more ignorant. After 100+ years of Black bashing in film, you begin to wonder who is behind these sorry depictions of Black people in America. No wonder why R Downey Jr. turned out to be such a fine dopehead, trickle down guilt.
swope.......2004-06-15
Most older movies seem tame. Not this one! "Putney Swope" doesn't pull any punches and is STILL ahead of the times as far as portraying race relations in an honest and funny way.
A word of caution: This movie is extremely low budget and extremely irreverent. Much of it seems made-up from moment to moment. But there are some hilarious, brilliant moments in this.
Insanity in every frame..........2004-01-10
The true beauty of this film lies in the fact that Downey is able to pack so much insanity in so tight a space. Every frame of this picture is spilling over with madness worthy of the Marx Brothers at their anarchistic best. Just dig the names, man! We have Mark Focus, Mr. Victrola Cola, Mr. Ethereal Cereal...my God, it's the 1960s at its dark, psycho-delic best. Sure, it's a bit dated, but come on - it's an artifact, as telling of the times as "Magical Mystery Tour" or "Gimmie Shelter."
Incidentally, unlike most "racial comedies" of the 1960s, Downey allows his pointed satire to skewer both black and white (think Hal Ashby's "The Landlord"). All in all a perfectly insane picture; maybe not a cinematic classic, but certainly the damn funniest products of "alternate" cinema to date.
DVD:
- The Adventures of Ford Fairlane
- Summer Rental
- Kiss Me Kate (Broadway Revival - PBS Great Performances)
- Ace Ventura: Pet Detective
- Amarcord - Criterion Collection
- Sliding Doors
- Ed Wood (Special Edition)
- Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (Dimension Collector's Series)
- The Upside of Anger
- Half Baked Fully Baked Widescreen Edition
DVD List
DVD
DVD
Civil War Combat: America's Bloodiest Battles
Morecambe And Wise - Musical Extravaganzas
Le Viol Du Vampire (The Rape of the Vampire) [1967]
DVD: Akira (DTS)
Top Gun