Black Like Me (1964) {DVD Review}

Reviewed by Jason S. Lockard

No doubt we have all heard of John Howard Griffin, a journalist obsessed with race prejudice, who embarked on a daring experiment. Griffin darkened his skin and traveled alone through the South to document his subjective experience, than wrote it in his novel Black Like Me.

In 1964 Carl Lerner co-wrote and directed the film based on Griffin’s real life experience. Black Like Me the film stars James Whitemore as the white journalist who lives in the Deep South as a black man, encountering a great deal of racism from both white and black people. The film also boasts a great cast of including Roscoe Lee Browne, Clifton James and Will Geer.

This DVD release is restored from its original negative and is beautiful. There is a good amount of bonus features as well in this release including; original trailers, a one-hour documentary Uncommon Vision: The Life and Times of John Howard Griffin and an excerpt from the forthcoming book Reluctant Activist: The Authorized Biography of John Howard
Griffin by Robert Bonazzi.

I have wanted to see this film for years and I feel so privileged to have been able to view this piece of cinema history. If you interested in seeing this classic film on DVD you can’t find a better print anywhere. So I highly suggest you head over to www.amazon.com and pick up your copy today.

Moral Rating: Violence
Audience: Parental Guidance
Genre: Drama
Length: 105 Minutes
Our Rating: A