Spike Lee’s first feature was shot in black and white and cost $175,000 to make. It went onto make $7 million at the box office and launched Lee’s career. It also served as one of the key independent films of the 1980s that helped launch the explosion of indie cinema in the early '90s. For black cinema, it also helped move portrayals of African-Americans on the screen away from the stereotypes of the blaxploitation era.
Set in a thriving Brooklyn, the film chronicles the love life of Nola Darling (Tracy Camilla Jones, NEW JACK CITY), who is dating reserved “nice guy” Jamie Overstreet (Tommy Redmond Hicks, THE FIVE HEARTBEATS), conceited model Greer Childs (John Canada Terrell, BOOMERANG) and out-of-work jokester Mars Blackmon (Lee). The main focus of the movie is Nola and Jamie’s relationship. All three of the men have a tough time with Nola sleeping with other men. This film was about female sex in the city before there was a SEX IN THE CITY.
The comedy is an interesting look at modern relationships and love. Nola doesn’t know what she is looking for and freely admits to loving sex. In its time, Lee was pushing boundaries with regards to how cinema and society viewed sexually active women. Moreover, the film shows black people making love. Before this film that was really unheard of in American cinema. For the most part, Lee portrays the characters honestly, especially Nola. Greer does come off as a stereotype. In a truly gutsy move, Lee allows even his nice character Jamie to look ugly. The ending is especially wonderful because it acknowledges lessons learned, but understands the reality of the situation and that real change takes time.
Upon its release some argued that Lee's film was sexist, a criticism he has had his entire career. But the freedom that Nola seeks to make her own choices is a powerful statement when compared to the marginalized attitudes toward black woman in society and the media. Depending on one’s point of view, it is easy to see how some could argue that the ending hates women as well. But I fall on the side of the film being an interesting character study that portrays a strong willed, if not confused, young woman, who is completely liberated. When looking back the crucial final scenes, are Jamie's actions a criticism of Nola's behavior, or the African-American male's inability to deal with a truly independent woman? SHE'S GOTTA HAVE IT will have you debating. The film is funny, sexy and smart.
Rick DeMott
Animation World Network
Creator of Rick's Flicks Picks
