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Black Like Me

Play trailer Poster for Black Like Me 1964 1h 47m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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Tomatometer 1 Reviews 81% Popcornmeter 100+ Ratings
This fact-based film chronicles the journey of a white reporter, John Finley Horton (James Whitmore), who attempts to live as a black man in the American South during the 1950s. After undergoing treatments to darken his skin, Horton ventures from town to town, experiencing hostile racism from whites whom he doesn't provoke in any way. He also interacts with blacks and finds that they simply want justice, though some are pessimistic that change will ever come peacefully.

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Black Like Me

Critics Reviews

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Merl Edelman Los Angeles Free Press 01/24/2020
Such unnecessary devices as flashbacks after the opening (so that the film could open with pizazz and fill in background later) reduce a unique and fascinating story to mere low-budget cliche. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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04/20/2019 Pretty dramatic and a story unlike others, which also is heavily based on one's real-life experiences. See more 07/01/2017 Powerful message dropped by a poor makeup job! Would have been much more enjoyable and had a stronger effect if they would have used a black actor or at least spent some time on realistic makeup See more 09/20/2013 I think this is a sad reminder of where we were decades ago, and where, unfortunately, some people still are today. See more 03/06/2012 I never really knew what kind of man James Whitmore was until I seen how he acted in this picture. Especially at the end when black people expressed that he could take the color off and they couldn't. I was so very moved when he walked off with head down feeling sorry for how black were treated. After I saw that picture I will always have great respect and admiration for James Whitmore. See more 04/26/2009 It is a very powerful film and I refer many of my friends to see it. I read the book after I saw the movie and thought the movie did a very good job of staying true to the book. The book is a very good read and worth the investment in time to check out. Even though I think the book is better the movie did it justice. See more 03/22/2009 i just happened to run across this great film on extremely late nite cable tv but i think everyone should be required to see this movie sometime during their schooling. very thought provoking...even today. may be even more important now that we have a black president. See more Read all reviews
Black Like Me

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Cast & Crew

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Carl Lerner

Director

James Whitmore

John Finley Horton

Sorrell Booke

Dr. Jackson

Roscoe Lee Browne

Christopher

Dan Priest

Bus Driver

Walter Mason

Mason
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Black Like Me

Black Like Me (1964) Black Like Me (1964) Black Like Me (1964) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis This fact-based film chronicles the journey of a white reporter, John Finley Horton (James Whitmore), who attempts to live as a black man in the American South during the 1950s. After undergoing treatments to darken his skin, Horton ventures from town to town, experiencing hostile racism from whites whom he doesn't provoke in any way. He also interacts with blacks and finds that they simply want justice, though some are pessimistic that change will ever come peacefully.
Director
Carl Lerner
Producer
Jules Tannebaum
Screenwriter
Carl Lerner, Gerda Lerner
Distributor
Walter Reade-Sterling
Production Co
The Hilltop Company
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
May 20, 1964, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Mar 13, 2017
Runtime
1h 47m