Today, we’re talking about the controversial 1986 film Soul Man, directed by Steve Miner. It tells the story of Mark Watson who is an affluent UCLA student who gets into Harvard Law School. The only problem is his father decides to not fund his education so that he can learn some responsibility. He tries to get loans, but can’t because his credit sucks. But then his friend tells him about a scholarship meant for Black applicants, so he buys some tanning pills and dons a jerry curl wig to get the scholarship. And hilariousness ensues! He falls in love with Rae Dawn Chong (a black student who we learn was supposed to get the scholarship), he has sex with a white woman who fetishizes black men, he gets evicted by a racist landlord, and tries unsuccessfully to play basketball. In the end, he is exposed, learns the error of his ways, and commits to giving back to the Black community.

The film stars C. Thomas Howell, Rae Dawn Chong, James Earl Jones, Arye Gross, Julia Louis-Dreyfuss, Melora Hardin, and Leslie Nielsen.

The film has a runtime of 1 hour and 44 minutes.

Film Sins: Did we mention C. Thomas Howell is in blackface the entire time?

CREDITS

Hosted by: Kristina “Krissie” Rettig & Erin Maxwell

Edited by: Russ Lichter

Theme song by: Spooky Dan