Black and White (1999 film)

For the 1999 television film of the same title, see Black and White (1999 television film).

Black and White
Directed by	James Toback
Produced by	Daniel Bigel Michael Mailer Ron Rotholz
Written by	James Toback
Starring	Robert Downey, Jr. Gaby Hoffmann Allan Houston Jared Leto Method Man Joe Pantoliano Bijou Phillips Oli "Power" Grant Raekwon Claudia Schiffer Brooke Shields Scott Caan Mike Tyson Elijah Wood and Ben Stiller
Music by	American Cream Team
Cinematography	David Ferrara
Editing by	Myron Kerstein
Distributed by	Palm Pictures
Release date(s)	September 4, 1999 (1999-09-04) (Telluride) April 5, 2000 (2000-04-05) (United States)
Running time	98 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Box office	$5,277,299

Black and White is a 1999 American film directed by James Toback, starring Robert Downey, Jr., Gaby Hoffmann, Allan Houston, Jared Leto, Scott Caan, Claudia Schiffer, Brooke Shields and a number of rap musicians, namely members of the Wu-Tang Clan (Raekwon, Method Man, Ghostface Killah, Oli "Power" Grant, Masta Killa and Inspectah Deck) and Onyx (Fredro Starr and Sticky Fingaz).

The film also features Ben Stiller in a rare dramatic role as a sleazy police detective, as well as Mike Tyson playing himself. It had its first showing at the Telluride Film Festival on September 4, 1999, followed by a second screening at the Toronto Film Festival on September 15, 1999. It had its widespread theatrical release in the U.S. on April 5, 2000.

Plot

The inner workings of the New York hip-hop scene, and the fascination of white observers with rap music and hip-hop culture, set the stage for this drama written and directed by James Toback. Rich Bower (Power) is a mover and shaker in the world of rap music (he's involved with a number of other licit and illicit business ventures as well), and his apartment is a favored meeting place for musicians, hangers-on, and hipsters who want to seem cool, including a clique of white kids who want to be on the inside of whey they consider the coolest scene of the day. Sam (Brooke Shields), a filmmaker, is making a documentary about Rich and his circle, with the help of her husband Terry (Robert Downey Jr.), a closeted homosexual who doesn't feel at home in this milieu. Dean (Allan Houston) is a talented college basketball player and Rich's friend since childhood who is offered a deal by a bookmaker, Mark (Ben Stiller) to throw a few games for a price. Dean takes the money against his better judgment, and he soon realizes how much of a mistake he made when Mark turns out to be a cop hoping to dig up dirt on Rich. Rich in turn discovers that Dean might be forced to tell what he knows to stay out of jail, and he decides that Dean has to be killed; however, rather than murder his friend himself, Rich asks one of the white kids who hangs out with him, who seems especially eager to prove himself, to do it for him. The kid, however, is actually the son of the District Attorney. Also contributing to Black and White's supporting cast are controversial boxing legend Mike Tyson, musician Bijou Phillips, Wu Tang Clan rapper Raekwon, model Claudia Schiffer, and Donald Trump's former spouse Marla Maples.

Cast

• Robert Downey, Jr. as Terry Donager
• Gaby Hoffmann as Raven
• Allan Houston as Dean Carter
• Jared Leto as Casey
• Scott Caan as Scotty
• Stacy Edwards as Sheila King
• Kidada Jones as Jesse
• Marla Maples as Muffy
• Joe Pantoliano as Bill King
• Bijou Phillips as Charlie
• Oli "Power" Grant as Rich Bower
• Raekwon as Cigar
• Claudia Schiffer as Greta
• William Lee Scott as Will King
• Brooke Shields as Sam Donager
• Ben Stiller as Det. Mark Clear
• Eddie Kaye Thomas as Marty King
• Frank Adonis as Frank
• Elijah Wood as Wren
• Mike Tyson as himself

Production

Most of the script was improvised by the cast. Only Claudia Schiffer's part was fully scripted.

Because she had not had them done previously, Claudia Schiffer had to have her ears pierced especially for the large hoop earrings worn by her character. In addition to sporting fake dreadlocks, Brooke Shields also wore a nose ring for this film, for which she had her nose temporarily pierced.

See also

• List of American films of 1999
• Black and White (soundtrack)

External links

• Black and White at the Internet Movie Database
• Black and White—Rotten Tomatoes
• Black and White at AllRovi