Taglines: Two men at odds in a world turned upside down.
White Man’s Burden begins with a dinner engagement at the Thomas residence. Thaddeus Thomas (Harry Belafonte), a wealthy CEO, prompts a discussion about White people and claims they are “genetically inferior” because the children grow up without fathers.
In this alternative reality, the lower class consists of White Americans as the large percentage of minorities who live in rundown and crime-infested ghetto communities, and face prejudice from the broader society; while the comfortable middle to upper class is predominantly made of African Americans.
The African Americans in the film are dominant in employment, business, and entertainment and they often refer condescendingly to how white children live in poverty and unfortunate conditions. The rich Thomas family are horrified and struggle to be polite in the presence of poor white people.
In an effort to go above and beyond in his position, Louis Pinnock (John Travolta), a struggling factory worker hoping for a promotion in the candy factory, offers to deliver a package after his shift. He delivers the package to successful CEO Thaddeus Thomas, who lives in a wealthy upper-class community predominantly of blacks.
Pinnock is let into the property by a white servant at the security gate point in front of the Thomas residence and accidentally views Thaddeus’s wife naked while dressing in her bedroom through the window. Thaddeus notices and complains to the VP at the factory, during a dinner engagement at his house, that he would prefer a different delivery man instead of a “Peeping Tom” to visit his house next time.
Although Thaddeus doesn’t suggest any form of punishment towards Pinnock, the VP “gets the message” and immediately fires Pinnock anyway. Pinnock returns to the Thomas residence in an attempt to discuss the misunderstanding with Thaddeus, but because Thaddeus was in an important business meeting, he refuses and sends a message to Pinnock that he apologizes but there’s nothing he can do to help him. Pinnock begs for two minutes of his time, but is abruptly turned away.
White Man’s Burden is a 1995 American drama film about racism in an alternative America where black and white Americans have reversed cultural roles. The film was written and directed by Desmond Nakano. The film revolves around Louis Pinnock, a white factory worker (John Travolta), who kidnaps Thaddeus Thomas, a black factory owner (Harry Belafonte) who fired him over a perceived slight.
White Man’s Burden (1995)
Directed by: Desmond Nakano
Starring: John Travolta, Harry Belafonte, Tom Bower, Margaret Avery, Kelly Lynch, Andrew Lawrence, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Judith Drake, Wesley Thompson
Screenplay by: Desmond Nakano
Production Design by: Naomi Shohan
Cinematography by: Willy Kurant
Film Editing by: Nancy Richardson
Costume Design by: Isis Mussenden
Set Decoration by: Evette Knight
Art Direction by: John Ivo Gilles
Music by: Howard Shore
MPAA Rating: R for strong language and some violence.
Distributed by: Savoy Pictures
Release Date: December 1, 1995
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