The Politics & Poetics of Black Film

Nothing But a Man

David C. Wall, Michael T. Martin

• Publisher: Indiana University Press
• Year: 2015
• Print ISBN: 9780253018373
• eBook ISBN: 9780253018502
• Topic: Media & Performing Arts
• Subtopic: Film & Video

Written and directed by two white men and performed by an all-black cast, Nothing But a Man (Michael Roemer, 1964) tells the story of a drifter turned family man who struggles with the pressures of small-town life and the limitations placed on him and his community in the Deep South, an area long fraught with racism. Though unmistakably about race and civil rights, the film makes no direct reference to the civil rights movement. Despite this intentional absence, contemporary audiences were acutely aware of the social context for the film's indictment of white prejudice in America. To help frame and situate the film in the context of black film studies, the book gathers primary and secondary resources, including the original screenplay, essays on the film, statements by the filmmakers, and interviews with Robert M. Young, the film's producer and cinematographer, and Khalil Gibran Muhammad, the Director of the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture.

Screenplay

Nothing But a Man (1964)

Michael Roemer and Robert Young

A crew of African-Americans are laying tracks in rural Alabama. The crane operator is the only white man on the section gang.

INT. BUNK CARThe dormitory of the section gang. The men are through for the day and lounging on their bunkbeds. DUFF ANDERSON plays checkers with FRANKIE, using bottle tops as pieces. Duff makes the winning move and Frankie, disgusted, turns over the board. He saunters over to JOCKO, who is shaving in a broken mirror. Frankie watches him with a grin.

JOCKOGo to hell, Frankie.

FRANKIEMan, you sure one ugly cat!

He takes the cigarettes Jocko has rolled, sailor-style, into the sleeve of his T-shirt.

JOCKOWhy don’t you guys buy your own?

FRANKIE’Oughta give up smoking, Jocko.

He stops in front of an older man, who is writing a letter.

FRANKIEHow much longer we got on this stretch, Riddick?

RIDDICKFive weeks, maybe six.

FRANKIEMan, what a dump.

He circles restlessly past two card players back to Duff, who is clipping his fingernails.

FRANKIEWhat you getting’ all pretty for?

DUFF(with a grin) Why don’t you relax, Frankie?

RAILROAD TRACKDuff, Frankie, and Jocko are riding a track-car, powered by a small engine into the nearest town. The sun is setting. A church bell rings.

POOL HALLJocko, a cigar in his mouth, is playing a pinball machine. Duff and Frankie stand at the bar. They are joined by DORIS, a sad-looking woman with bad skin.

DORISWho’s going to buy me a beer?

FRANKIE(scornfully) What’s the matter, Doris? Business bad?

DORISIt sure is.

FRANKIEEverybody givin’ it away free, huh?

DORISYou gonna buy me a beer, Frankie?

FRANKIESee Duff. He’s the money man.

DORISWhat d’you say, Duff?

DUFF(to the bartender) Give her a beer.

DORISThanks, Duff. You’ a nice guy. Not like Frankie.

FRANKIEYou know, Doris – you’d make some guy a swell wife.

DORISYou think so, Frankie?

FRANKIEHell, you got steady work.

DUFFQuit ridin’ her, Frankie.

The bartender serves her a bottle of beer.

FRANKIEI ain’t ridin’ her. Wouldn’t ride her on a bet.

Duff pays for the beer and turns to leave.

DORISWhere’ you goin’?

DUFFOut.

DORISWant me to come?

DUFFNo thanks.

DORISCome on, honey.

FRANKIEWhere’ you goin’?

DUFF’Round town.

FRANKIEWhat’s so hot ’round town?

DUFF(with a grin) Take it easy, Frankie.

He leaves.

FRANKIEDon’t wanna fish you outa no jailhouse.

STREET(NIGHT) Duff is walking along the deserted street in the black part of town.

Music from the pool hall fades and we pick up the strains of gospel singing from a nearby church.

INT. CHURCHThe choir is singing “Precious Lord.” The women are spirited and the congregation in the small wooden building is alive to the music.

Duff appears in the open doorway and stops to listen.

Whe...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half title
• Title
• Copyright
• Dedication
• Contents
• Acknowledgments
• Introduction: Nothing But a Man and the Question of Black Film
• Filmmakers’ Statements
• Essays
• Interviews
• Screenplay
• Press Kit
• Filmographies
• Select Bibliography
• Contributors
• Index