DO THE RIGHT THING

US, 1989, 120 minutes, Colour.
Danny Aiello, Ossie Davis, Ruby Dee, Richard Edson, John Savage, Giancarlo Esposito, Spike Lee, John Turturro, Bill Nunn, Rosie Perez.
Directed by Spike Lee.

Do The Right Thing was produced, directed and written by Spike Lee, who also stars. He made his first impact with She's Gotta Have It and then with School Daze. Lee is a passionate writer and director, focusing on the situation of black Americans.

This is the story of one hot summer day in the Bedford Stuyvesant area of Brooklyn (Lee's own home). It is a story about ordinary people, detailing very effectively the small things that happen on the street and in the neighbourhood during that day. However, the underlying theme of racism is very strong - and eventually it erupts into a violent riot with death and the intervention of the police.

Danny Aiello is very good as Sal, the owner of the pizzeria, the focus of the film. A lot of character actors participate, especially Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee.

The film captures the atmosphere of daily New York life, the range of characters, many incidental but giving an authentic atmosphere to the film. It was well received at the Cannes Film Festival, and on release in the United States there was apprehension that it could lead to riots in the cinemas. It didn't - however, it gave rise to a great deal of discussion about the issues. His 1991 Jungle Fever took his themes into affluent black Harlem.

1. The impact of the film? As comedy drama? Race issues? The United States, New York? Controversy?

2. The importance of the authentic locations, the Bedford Stuyvesant streets, the pizzeria, the apartments, the detail of street life? Editing and pace?

3. The musical score, the songs, rap style, aggressive lyrics, racial themes? Fight the power?

4. The photo of Martin Luther King with Malcolm X? The significance of their being together? The final two quotations: the non-violence of King, the explanation of Malcolm X of reaction which is not violence? The controversy and ambiguity of these themes in the film?

5. The title, as spoken by Da-Mayor? Mookie listening to it? For whom was the message of the title?

6. The structure of the film: one day, the very hot summer and its aftermath? Symbolic day, symbolic cross-section of people, symbolic conflict? The nature of the resolution?

7. The opening with the radio announcer, in the window, observing the street, playing the music, making the comments?

8. Mookie and his sister? The focus on Mookie, Spike Lee himself playing the role? Type, going to work, his size, dress, manner of speaking, going to Sal's? Working with the Italian pizza parlour?

9. The portrait of Sal: 25 years in the neighbourhood, his grown sons, his authority over them, ordering them about? The race themes? One son wanting to move out, the other not? Their bigotry? The interplay of the three men? The details of the work of the day?

10. Sal in himself, his attitudes, towards the blacks as customers and friends, benign? The pictures of Italian American celebrities on the wall? The reaction to the suggestion about pictures of black people? Radio and noise, his baseball bat, threatening, eventually bashing the radio? The tension, the heat, his feeling tired? The passing day, the various groups, his friendliness? The man who wanted to boycott - and the discussions? Pino becoming more virulent? The build-up to the end of the day, closing, staying open? His achievement up to that point?

11. Mookie and his moods, pro and con, his relationship to Sal, to Pino, the other brother? Around the parlour, his work, the deliveries and the heat and tiredness, his meeting the people in the street, giving some money to Smiley? Going home for the shower? The delivery to his wife, the discovery about his son, antagonism of his mother-in-law? Returning for the money? The brawl, the boycotters, watching at the start of the riot?

12. Da-Mayor? as the old man with experience, waking up, doing the job sweeping, the money and buying a beer, his attraction towards Mother-Sister? Wandering the streets, his injunction to Mookie of `Do the right thing'? Observing, buying the flowers for Mother-Sister?, saving the boy from being run over? His response to the riot?

15. Mother-Sister? and her watching, her sadness, relationship with people, getting her hair done? The flowers from Da Mayor, praising him for saving the boy, her sadness and cry at the end?

16. Smiley, his stammer, his pictures of Martin Luther King and Malcolm X, his annoying people, friendliness, Mookie buying some, Sal giving him the money, his observing people, being told to go away? The riot?

17. The three men in the shade, their talk, the jokes, watching, criticisms? Symbolic attitudes?

18. The big man with the radio, his walk, having pizza, buying the 20 batteries, his loud radio and his standover tactics, his radio being bashed - and the repercussions?

19. The Koreans across the street, their shop, not understanding English too well, the 20 batteries, the observers, the outsiders, the attitude of the blacks towards them, extending the hand of friendship?

20. The man who was upset about the pizza and the photos on the wall, rabble-rousing, clashes with Mookie, talk of the boycott, the suggestions - and its growing during the day, to the man whose radio was bashed? The consequences with the riot?

21. Jade and Sal, their friendship, arguments at home, home for the shower? Her visit to the pizzeria, Sal's attentions and kindness, Mookie's resentment and warning Sal? Mookie's wife, child? Going home, the sexual encounter, the ice?

22. Incidents in the street, the child and his almost being run over, the mother criticising him and criticising those who criticised her? The man with the ices? The various groups?

23. Clifton as one of the few white people on the street, presence, questions? The white police, on their rounds, buying some pizza, their return during the riot?

24. Enjoyment on the street, recreation, action? Ordinary detail? Colourful language? Swearing?

25. The attempt at the boycott, the group in the shop, Sal keeping it open for them as a favour? The resentment of the sons? The fight, the radio man, the noise, the police arriving, holding back the radio man, killing him? Mookie and his anger and breaking the window? The crowd going berserk?

26. The fire, the riot, the violence, the complete destruction? The effect on Sal, sitting in the ruins? His sons? The others?

27. The racist attitudes in the blacks, antagonism towards the whites, not having the power to be as angry as whites? Sal and his angers but his kindness? Violence erupting? Pino and his bigotry and the strong dialogue he was given?

28. The aftermath, Sal and the 25 years, building it himself, Mookie coming for the pay, their argument about the money? Sal's future? His sons? Mookie going back to his wife and child?

29. Race themes, universal themes? Bitterness, violence, eruption, the conditions for violence? The possibilities for change? Resolution?
Concerts, performances, controversies? New Hagen,