Mandingo-1975

Director Richard Fleischer

Starring James Mason, Susan George

Scott’s Review #53

Reviewed June 21, 2014

Grade: B+

Mandingo is quite a controversial 1975 film and is inspirational to Quentin Tarantino’s Django Unchained (2012) and to 12 Years a Slave (2013), as it is very similar to the latter.

It centers on a family of southern slave owners who eventually have physical relations and even romantic, loving relationships with their slaves.

There is also a sub-plot involving bare-knuckle fights to the death among the enslaved men that is disturbing to witness.

The entire film is extreme and difficult at times, but also has a mystical, dreamlike element to it and is in no way an exploitation film.

The sticky, hot, deep southern setting adds a wonderful atmosphere. The romances are an interesting facet of the film, which I have never seen in similarly themed movies.

There is one sympathetic enslaver, but happily, the others get their comeuppance, one by one, which is delightful to watch.

Mandingo (1975) is an interesting film because it inspires others to follow in its footsteps and shows how far we have come as a society.