SOUL MAN

US, 1986, 104 minutes, Colour.
C.Thomas Howell, Rae Dawn Chong, Arye Gross, Melora Hardin, James Earl Jones, Leslie Nielsen.
Directed by Steve Miner.

Soul Man begins as one of those youth films with a smug, self-centred teenager from affluent surroundings. This one, accepted for Harvard Law School, finds his father won't pay. What to do? Take experimental tanning pills and get a scholarship designed for negro students.

Actually, the film brightens considerably. Aiming at young audiences rather than the sophisticated, the film offers a lot on bigotry but also shows our hero having to face reality and responsibility. C. Thomas Howell convinces well enough as the hero. The supporting cast is quite strong including Rae Dawn Chong as Sarah, Arye Gross as the hero's best friend and James Earl Jones as the Professor. The message comes through sentiment and humour quite strongly and is better than expected.

The film was produced by Steve Tisch whose main success was Risky Business. The film was directed by Steve Miner who directed, amongst other films, some of the Friday the 13th. series.

1. Comedy, race relationships and bigotry, human nature and hypocrisies -at a popular level?

2. The affluent Los Angeles lifestyle, the contrast with Boston and Harvard? University, apartments, slums?

J. The musical score, the range of songs - and their use as background for the action?

4. Credibility of the plot? The role reversal genre (Tootsie and the poor rich men and women, Trading Places)? The moralising and the hero learning - and the audience sharing his new perspective?

5. Mark and his lifestyle, in bed with the girlfriend, the drug-taking, the affluent Los Angeles life? Acceptance to Harvard? His hopes? Sharina with his friend? The ironic sequence of his father refusing to give him the money to build his character? Mark's desperation, going to the banks and the various firms and trying to con them? Brad and his mocking him? The negro scholarship, application? No qualms?

6. His taking the pills and becoming black? The credibility of his masquerade? His friend not recognising him? Going to Boston, experiencing the prejudice of the landlord? Their apartment? Enrolling in courses, seeing Sarah? Going to class, Criminal Law, the Professor and Mark's carry-on? His dressing up militarily to go the black radical meeting? His ineffectual play at basketball - and the slow-motion collage of his failure? Hearing the two white students tell anti-black jokes - 'No offence'? And finally punching them? His Stevie Wonder mimicry? The owner's daughter and the sexual liaison and her stereotypes about black sexuality? Going to her family and the meal - and each member imagining Mark with a stereotype: as a rapist, as Prince, as a drug dealer? His meeting Sarah's little boy, studying with her, their ups and downs, classes? The interview with the Professor and his being invited onto the Board? The farce of the mix-up when his parents came and the two girls? Sarah's reaction? His discovering the truth about the scholarship? Final exam? His decision to admit the truth? His talk with the Professor and his making amends? The final encounter with Sarah, her rejection? Acceptance? His future? A callow white American learning something about responsibility?

7. His best friend and his smart patter, working together, the apartment, covering for him, experiencing the racial prejudice, the girls, the attitude of the parents, his special sequence in his smart talk defending Mark before the Professor and the students?

8. Sarah, her background, working, pleasant, her boy, study, the puzzle about Mark, friendship with him, romance, her family, hurt by the truth? The final relenting?

9. Themes of white bigotry: the students with the jokes, the landlord and the ousting of Mark, the owner and his bigotry, his daughter (finally seen with the Indian)? Mark's comment about being in a black's shoes - but always being able to get out?

10. The Professor, tough, his classes, the offer to Mark to be on the Board, his response to the trial, his demands at the end and his affirmation of Mark?

11. The satire on affluent American parents, going to the Bahamas, not giving their money to their son? The mix-up with their visit? The contrast with Sarah's family?

12. The light comic touch? Serious themes for a popular audience?