How to Make Love to a Negro Without Getting Tired

How to Make Love to a Negro Without Getting Tired (French: Comment faire l'amour avec un nègre sans se fatiguer) is a 1989 French-language Canadian drama film directed by Jacques W. Benoit [fr], starring Isaach de Bankolé and Maka Kotto, and written by Haitian author Dany Laferrière based on his novel of the same name.[1] The film was released in the US on 8 June 1990.[2] The New York Times, the Toronto Star, the Toronto Sun and The Boston Globe all refused to publish advertisements for the film, while The Washington Post did.[3] The film was controversial upon its initial release because of its title and was boycotted by the NAACP.[4][5][6]

How to Make Love to a Negro Without Getting Tired
FrenchComment faire l'amour avec un nègre sans se fatiguer
Directed byJacques W. Benoit [fr]
Written byDany Laferrière
Produced byRichard Sadler
Ann Burke
Henry Lange
StarringIsaach De Bankolé
Maka Kotto
Roberta Weiss
CinematographyJohn Berry
Edited byDominique Roy
Music byManu Dibango
Release date
  • 1989 (1989)
Running time
98 mins.
CountryCanada
LanguageFrench
Budget$3 million

Plot edit

In Montreal, two African men, Man (de Bankolé) and Bouba (Kotto), share an apartment. Man is a student and aspiring author while Bouba is an amateur philosopher. The film is a slice of life story about Man and Bouba's sexploits. Man (de Bankolé) spends most of his time flirting with women around the city with the philosophy that if he talks to as many girls as possible his chances of having sexual relations with them will be higher. In the movie, many of them do, and he gives them nicknames: "Miz Literature," "Miz Mystic," "Miz Redhead," and so on.[7] The story proceeds to document these short lived sexual relations with details on biracial sexual relations and stereotypes.

Production edit

The film cost $3 million.[8]

Reception edit

The film was seen by 128,006 people in France.[9]

Awards edit

The film was nominated for two Genie Awards in the year 1990. The nominations were, Best screenplay adapted written by Dany Laferrière and Richard Sadler. The other nomination was for best original song, written by Claude Dubois and Dany Laferrière. The film did not win the awards.[10]

References edit

  1. ^ Maslin, Janet (June 8, 1990). "How to Make Love to a Negro Without Getting Tired (1989) Review/Film; Myths of Race and Sex In a Breezy Examination". The New York Times.
  2. ^ "IMDB – Blog". IMDB.com. Retrieved April 3, 2018.
  3. ^ "New York Times refuses movie ad". The New York Times. Toronto, Ontario. Canadian Press. June 1, 1990. p. D17.
  4. ^ Ebert, Roger (July 20, 1990). "How to Make Love to a Negro Without Getting Tired". Chicago Sun-Times.
  5. ^ Howe, Desson (July 6, 1990). "How to Make Love to a Negro Without Getting Tired". The Washington Post.
  6. ^ Kempley, Rita (July 6, 1990). "How to Make Love to a Negro Without Getting Tired". The Washington Post.
  7. ^ "How To Make Love to a Negro Without Getting Tired". RogerEbert.com. Retrieved April 3, 2018.
  8. ^ Pallister1995, p. 10.
  9. ^ Marshall 2001, p. 85.
  10. ^ "Awards: – Blog – IMDB". IMDb. Retrieved April 3, 2018.

Works cited edit

External reviews edit