{"id":88326,"date":"2022-11-21T10:20:38","date_gmt":"2022-11-21T17:20:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=88326"},"modified":"2022-11-21T10:20:38","modified_gmt":"2022-11-21T17:20:38","slug":"nothing-but-a-man-1964","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=88326","title":{"rendered":"Nothing But a Man (1964)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>&#8220;It&#8217;s hard to know how to talk to the white folks these days.&#8221;<\/strong><\/p>\n<table>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Nothing-But-a-Man-Poster.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Nothing-But-a-Man-Poster-200x300.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-88328\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Nothing-But-a-Man-Poster-200x300.png 200w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Nothing-But-a-Man-Poster-85x128.png 85w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Nothing-But-a-Man-Poster-180x270.png 180w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Nothing-But-a-Man-Poster.png 641w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Synopsis:<\/strong><br \/>\nWhen a railroad employee (Ivan Dixon) marries the daughter (Abbey Lincoln) of a preacher (Stanley Greene) in a small Southern town, their life as newlyweds quickly becomes increasingly complicated as Dixon struggles to stay employed due to pernicious racism.\n<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p>\n<strong>Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>African-Americans<\/li>\n<li>Deep South<\/li>\n<li>Marital Problems<\/li>\n<li>Newlyweds<\/li>\n<li>Racism and Race Relations<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Review: <\/strong><br \/>\nGerman-born documentarian Michael Roemer helmed this groundbreaking look at the impacts of systemic racism on Black Americans in 1960s Alabama. By telling the story of &#8220;everyman&#8221; Duff Anderson (Dixon), we see what occurs when a person is unable to secure reasonably paid work that allows them to maintain dignity and self-respect. <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Nothing-But-a-Man-Work-Shaving.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Nothing-But-a-Man-Work-Shaving-1024x764.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"478\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-88349\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Nothing-But-a-Man-Work-Shaving-1024x764.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Nothing-But-a-Man-Work-Shaving-300x224.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Nothing-But-a-Man-Work-Shaving-128x95.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Nothing-But-a-Man-Work-Shaving-768x573.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Nothing-But-a-Man-Work-Shaving-362x270.png 362w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Nothing-But-a-Man-Work-Shaving.png 1055w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>While there may be plenty of work to be had, it&#8217;s low-paid and always comes at some psychological cost: Lincoln&#8217;s successful father (Greene), for instance, is shown acquiescing to the white church elder he reports to: <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Nothing-But-a-Man-White-Church-Elder.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Nothing-But-a-Man-White-Church-Elder.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"999\" height=\"745\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-88335\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Nothing-But-a-Man-White-Church-Elder.png 999w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Nothing-But-a-Man-White-Church-Elder-300x224.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Nothing-But-a-Man-White-Church-Elder-128x95.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Nothing-But-a-Man-White-Church-Elder-768x573.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Nothing-But-a-Man-White-Church-Elder-362x270.png 362w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 999px) 100vw, 999px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&#8230; while Dixon&#8217;s co-worker is openly demeaned by their white foreman (who is clearly pissed off that Dixon won&#8217;t similarly kowtow to him).<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Nothing-But-a-Man-Racist-Foreman.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Nothing-But-a-Man-Racist-Foreman.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"997\" height=\"755\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-88342\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Nothing-But-a-Man-Racist-Foreman.png 997w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Nothing-But-a-Man-Racist-Foreman-300x227.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Nothing-But-a-Man-Racist-Foreman-128x97.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Nothing-But-a-Man-Racist-Foreman-768x582.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Nothing-But-a-Man-Racist-Foreman-357x270.png 357w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 997px) 100vw, 997px\" \/><\/a> <\/p>\n<p>Women in this world, meanwhile, are relegated to roles as either a prostitute: <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Nothing-But-a-Man-Prostitute.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Nothing-But-a-Man-Prostitute-1024x751.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"469\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-88344\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Nothing-But-a-Man-Prostitute-1024x751.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Nothing-But-a-Man-Prostitute-300x220.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Nothing-But-a-Man-Prostitute-128x94.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Nothing-But-a-Man-Prostitute-768x563.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Nothing-But-a-Man-Prostitute-368x270.png 368w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Nothing-But-a-Man-Prostitute.png 1057w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&#8230; a loyal wife and mother, a caretaker, or a classroom teacher (Lincoln&#8217;s position). <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Nothing-But-a-Man-Teacher.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Nothing-But-a-Man-Teacher-1024x766.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"479\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-88345\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Nothing-But-a-Man-Teacher-1024x766.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Nothing-But-a-Man-Teacher-300x225.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Nothing-But-a-Man-Teacher-128x96.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Nothing-But-a-Man-Teacher-768x575.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Nothing-But-a-Man-Teacher-361x270.png 361w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Nothing-But-a-Man-Teacher.png 1057w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Lincoln is clearly attracted to and intrigued by the smart, independent man (Dixon) who is courting her, and boldly decides to take a chance on him against her father&#8217;s wishes. However, Dixon&#8217;s attempts to convince his co-workers they&#8217;re being mistreated (&#8220;You know&#8230; if you fellows stuck together instead of letting them walk all over you, they might not try it.&#8221;) quickly leads to not only his expulsion from the company, but a smear campaign and an inability to find any work at all that pays more than survival wages.   <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Nothing-But-a-Man-You-Know.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Nothing-But-a-Man-You-Know.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"995\" height=\"739\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-88340\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Nothing-But-a-Man-You-Know.png 995w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Nothing-But-a-Man-You-Know-300x223.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Nothing-But-a-Man-You-Know-128x95.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Nothing-But-a-Man-You-Know-768x570.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Nothing-But-a-Man-You-Know-364x270.png 364w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 995px) 100vw, 995px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Perhaps most powerfully, we see the ripple effect of unjust treatment in the workplace on families and communities: when an employee is shamed by their boss or customers, that almost inevitably trickles down to loved ones at home, who must take the brunt of the person&#8217;s shame and anger. <\/p>\n<p>Lincoln is eventually put into this position &#8212; but first we see Dixon witnessing this first-hand himself while visiting the home of his alcoholic father (Julius Harris), where his father&#8217;s girlfriend (Gloria Foster) is holding up their meager household on every front. <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Nothing-But-a-Man-Foster-Coffee.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Nothing-But-a-Man-Foster-Coffee.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"999\" height=\"747\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-88337\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Nothing-But-a-Man-Foster-Coffee.png 999w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Nothing-But-a-Man-Foster-Coffee-300x224.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Nothing-But-a-Man-Foster-Coffee-128x96.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Nothing-But-a-Man-Foster-Coffee-768x574.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Nothing-But-a-Man-Foster-Coffee-361x270.png 361w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 999px) 100vw, 999px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>We also learn that Dixon may have fathered a young boy being cared for by an overwhelmed woman (Helen Lounck) who shares that the boy&#8217;s mother has run away to get married, and she herself ain&#8217;t &#8220;got no use for him, neither.&#8221; <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Nothing-But-a-Man-Woman-Baby.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Nothing-But-a-Man-Woman-Baby.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"991\" height=\"741\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-88338\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Nothing-But-a-Man-Woman-Baby.png 991w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Nothing-But-a-Man-Woman-Baby-300x224.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Nothing-But-a-Man-Woman-Baby-128x96.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Nothing-But-a-Man-Woman-Baby-768x574.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Nothing-But-a-Man-Woman-Baby-361x270.png 361w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 991px) 100vw, 991px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>An ongoing question throughout the film is whether Dixon will reject his father&#8217;s cowardly way of being and choose to &#8220;do the right thing&#8221; by his son, his wife, and his unborn new child (though what this &#8220;right thing&#8221; is remains elusive other than simply not abandoning them). All of this is undeniably rough to watch &#8212; but the film remains a powerful neo-realist depiction of Black Southern communities in the 1960s, and is must-see viewing.   <\/p>\n<p><strong>Notable Performances, Qualities, and Moments:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Ivan Dixon as Duff Anderson<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Nothing-But-a-Man-Couple.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Nothing-But-a-Man-Couple-1024x656.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"410\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-88329\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Nothing-But-a-Man-Couple-1024x656.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Nothing-But-a-Man-Couple-300x192.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Nothing-But-a-Man-Couple-128x82.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Nothing-But-a-Man-Couple-768x492.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Nothing-But-a-Man-Couple-421x270.png 421w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Nothing-But-a-Man-Couple.png 1187w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Fine cinema verite cinematography<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Nothing-But-a-Man-Verite.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Nothing-But-a-Man-Verite.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1013\" height=\"757\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-88331\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Nothing-But-a-Man-Verite.png 1013w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Nothing-But-a-Man-Verite-300x224.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Nothing-But-a-Man-Verite-128x96.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Nothing-But-a-Man-Verite-768x574.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Nothing-But-a-Man-Verite-361x270.png 361w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1013px) 100vw, 1013px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Must See? <\/strong><br \/>\nYes, as a unique American independent film. Listed as a Sleeper and a Personal Recommendation in the back of Peary&#8217;s book. Selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry in 1993 by the Library of Congress as being &#8220;culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant&#8221;.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Categories<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Historically Relevant<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Links: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0058414\/\">IMDb entry<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tcm.com\/tcmdb\/title\/85269\/nothing-but-a-man#articles-reviews?articleId=1554248\">TCM Article<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/wp-srv\/style\/longterm\/movies\/videos\/nothingbutamannrhowe_a0afd8.htm\">Washington Post Review (Desson Howe)<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;It&#8217;s hard to know how to talk to the white folks these days.&#8221; Synopsis: When a railroad employee (Ivan Dixon) marries the daughter (Abbey Lincoln) of a preacher (Stanley Greene) in a small Southern town, their life as newlyweds quickly becomes increasingly complicated as Dixon struggles to stay employed due to pernicious racism. Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors: African-Americans Deep South Marital Problems Newlyweds Racism and Race Relations Review: German-born documentarian Michael Roemer helmed this groundbreaking look at the impacts&#8230;<\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more\"><a class=\"btn btn-default\" href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=88326\"> Read More<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">  Read More<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-88326","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-reviews"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/88326","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=88326"}],"version-history":[{"count":16,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/88326\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":88355,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/88326\/revisions\/88355"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=88326"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=88326"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=88326"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}