I noticed that Blanche's sex scene with Mede was shown fairly graphically, but they never showed any of the black woman/white man interracial scenes. Is this something that was just "glossed over" for the DVD or did they never show that? I don't think that's fair. Was it considered OK to show a black man having sex with a white woman but not a black woman having sex with a white man?
shareWith all due respect to jamesabutler44, who gets it quite right about Hollywood being racist, the instance you ask about is not an example of such. Just the opposite, neither the film MANDINGO nor its director Richard Fleischer should be considered racist by anyone taking the time to examine the film and its presentation of the issues closely. Additionally, the film is very much concerned with the even greater Hollywood taboo of representations of female sexual desire, especially female sexual gratification. (Anyone interested in this subject, which presumably is anyone reading this, should see Kirby Dick's excellent documentary THIS FILM IS NOT YET RATED.) These two issues of racism and sexism are so closely connected, not only in MANDINGO, but in society generally that it becomes all but impossible to separate them for discussion here. Briefly, the politics of racial and sexual privilege (as granted within society, not 'privilege' in any objective sense) have long sanctioned the 'right' of the white male to seek sexual gratification with the woman of his choice, regardless of race. Conversely, the greatest taboo is the act of miscegenation represented by a white woman seeking pleasure with a black man. This taboo unquestionably plays out in classical narrative (Hollywood) cinema. Fleischer responds to this time-worn prejudice by defying it entirely. Had the film elided the sex scene between Blanche and Mede or presented a 'tasteful' presentation of it, the film would have been yet another example of the racist/sexist paradigm of most Hollywood cinema. The only way to explode this taboo is to represent the 'unrepresentable.' The scene might be open to charges of sensationalism, as has long been the (too easy, too lazy) case had the scene not existed within the context of a film so deeply engaged with these issues in a much larger sense. MANDINGO is a very critical, even angry film that depicts the systemic horror of racial prejudice and the assumption of racial privilege. But most of us are not conditioned to be critical viewers of films, particularly films generated by Hollywood. Also, anyone interested in this issue and this film should read Robin Wood's excellent (and still controversial) discussion of the film in "Hollywood from Vietnam to Reagan… and Beyond." For those unacquainted with Wood he is not only one of the greatest writers about cinema, including the first serious (and still best?) appreciation in English of Alfred Hitchcock, but a writer deeply engaged for decades with the issues of racial, sexual, gender and class politics and their representations. And thinking of issues of representations and controversy in relation to MANDINGO specifically and narrative generally - one must first understand that to depict or represent a circumstance is not the same thing as endorsing it. Particularly for an artist it is often necessary to depict what is taboo in order to critically engage with the issue at hand and not merely accept the conditions for depiction dictated by the status quo. This may seem a no-brainer to many, but I fear that the problem of teaching new generations is increasingly crippled by the old model that teaches people 'what to think' and not 'how to think.'
shareGood point.
shareActually Susan George had trouble getting work after that sex scene with Ken Norton. Back in 1975 explicit sex scenes between blacks and whites were very taboo. I don't think they were racist in not showing the other scene--it was just they pushed it as far as they could with the first one! And yeah--Hollywood DOES have trouble showing women enjoying "it".
shareThe film is meant to be anti-White, and appeal to those who felt that way.
shareWhat the hell does that mean? Sounds to me like somebody feels their tender little white toes have been stepped on.
share"Anti-White"? It should be obvious what it means. Stop being a racist troll.
Never argue with a Cultural Marxist. They never make sense and they never give up their racism.
Well I think it is because it was already understood that the White Men were already having sex with the Black Women.
It was very taboo for a white woman to desire a Black Man. The whole point was that her husband ignored her and she threw her attention towards Meade to get back at her husband for sleeping with Ellen. She knew her husband deeply cared for Ellen more than her.
YOU MADE ME PLAY SECOND BASE!
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taboo. but it was going on. u see the german widow that wanted to buy mede 1st? lol
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humina
Double standards? Double standards? Racist director of a reenactment of mans greatests sins? You mean you weren't already grossed out watching a male slave get raped by his female owner, you wanted to see a female too? Are you people insane? You know only the nazis rationalized like this, but if your gripe with this movie is 'not enough rape' then you wouldn't mind sounding like one.
shareThe Nazis, rape? You obviously know nothing about them. Clueless to the max!
Never argue with a Cultural Marxist. They never make sense and they never give up their racism.
I know that I'm way to late to comment but I agree with you because I noticed that same thing. But after watching the scenes with Hammond and his bed wenches I think the character of Hammond was supposed to be conflicted because although he was having sex with the slaves he still had a certain level of compassion for them.
If you watch the " Don't sell my sucker scene". It's obvious they just got finished having sex and he appears to be tenderly talking to Ellen and admiring her breasts. So I'm not justifying Hammond's behavior but I do think it was supposed to be layers to his character in contrast to his wife was just in heat all the time.
Never too late to put in a viewpoint :) This post of mine is pretty old and I haven't even seen most of the answers on here. But to add on to the subject myself, honestly, I've noticed that with a lot of different movies. If there is a graphically depicted interracial sex scene it is always a black man and a white woman. I have seen other movies with black woman/white man couples and the sex scenes are never shown, it's just always implied. So I can't believe it has just to do with Hollywood not taking seriously women's sexuality in general and not believing in showing their pleasure, etc. as another poster pointed out. I feel like there is just something about showing black women with white men that maybe offends the delicate sensibilities of those in the movie world Just my thoughts. Black women are maybe not taken real seriously as beautiful and sexual beings.
shareI have to agree with your point because I'm a black woman and I noticed that same thing. I think you are right and I think it has to do with it being so unbelievable that a white man would have sex with a black woman or that black women can't be seen as sexual.
I don't know why Hollywood insists on doing that because to be honest if they aren't going to keep the true tone of the book then don't right the sex scenes at all then. They had no problem showing the black bed wenches nude bodies so I don't think it's a matter of finding their bodies undesirable but the synopsis of the movie even on IMDB is that Hammond keeps bedding the bed wenches. So how can that be the synopsis of the movie but they intentionally leave that part out.
Some people may be into seeing that type of thing I'm not knocking any bodies fantasies but me I just tend to be neutral. If there is a scene between a black woman and white man I can take it or leave it but I am glad you noticed that fact.
Well, as an exception, there is movie Monster's Ball.
shareWell if you think about it that was only the second time a black man had sexual scene with a white women (100 Rifles was first I think). There has been numerous occasions whit white men and black women in the movies. I think the director wanted to show this pretty white seduce a big black man on screen. Something we had never seen before to induce discussion and in some cases hate. Guess what? it worked because we are still talking about it 40 yrs later.
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