MANDINGO (1975). >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
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Have seen many negative adjectives describing this such as "Trash", "Loathsome" and "Abomininble" and must say that is scratching the surface...totally offensive in so many ways and such a waste of a fine cast. It deals with a decaying Plantation that needs to revive its fortunes and mainly gets it by Slave trading. This Paramount film would surely never be made today, but to give credit where it is due, it is probably the most convincing in showing the awful aspects of slavery, such as auctions, forced separations and mistreatment.
Good cast as mentioned, although probably a low point for many of them...James Mason (whose "Treatment" for Rheumatism
), Susan George, Brenda Sykes , Perry King (CLASS OF 84), Ken Norton playing a fighter who tangles with Earl Maynard (A Pro Wrestler mainly on the West Coast and one of Lou Gosset's cronies in THE DEEP) and Ji-Tu Cumbuka (BLACULA and DR BLACK AND MR HYDE) and a quick glance at Sylvester Stallone, a year or so before ROCKY.
Though Slavery is shown as the Big evil in here, it must be pointed out that Women of all types also were Second Class Citizens, with NO RIGHTS at all. Susan George does give probably the one Good performance here as "Blanche" who marries Perry to get away from Her Brother (it implies rape had occurred) and give Him an Heir. Perry is suspicious and upset that Blanche is not "Pure" which drives him back to His Love Slave, Ellen (Brenda) who gets pregnant by him. In retaliation, Blanche seduces Ken and Perry just cannot deal with the results of that, although He has done the exact same thing.
Approach with caution...*1/2