Nothing But a Man

Friday, February 1, 2013 | 7:30 pm
Film Independent at LACMA
1964/b&w/92 min.
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Scr: Michael Roemer, Robert M. Young; dir: Michael Roemer; w/ Yaphet Kotto, Ivan Dixon, Abbey Lincoln.

Director Michael Roemer's 1964 film about working-class life among African Americans has been met with the kind of superlatives that make it sound like a chore to endure. These descriptions don't convey the vitality and aplomb the actors bring to the drama, which has the teeming density of a Faulkner short story. As Duff, a railroad worker who labors to build a better life and romance the middle-class Josie (jazz singer turned actress Abbey Lincoln, whose eyes spark with life), Ivan Dixon and his languid slyness convey countless layers of ease, power, and ambition. The excitement of actors getting the opportunity to display their skills in a group of others like themselves—a rarity during the 1960s—makes Nothing But a Man crackle with excitement, especially Yaphet Kotto as the brash Jocko.

Bing Theater | Frequently Asked Questions | Los Angeles premiere of new 35mm print | Followed by a Q&A with cinematographer/co-writer/producer Robert M. Young.

$7 for LACMA members, students with valid ID, and seniors (62+); $10 for the general public | Members of these four groups can purchase tickets starting at 5 pm on January 31 | Tickets: 323 857-6010 or purchase online

$5 for Film Independent, LACMA Film Club, and The New York Times Film Club | Members of these three groups can purchase tickets starting at 5 pm on January 24 | Tickets: 323 857-6010 or purchase online

Ticketholders: Tickets can be picked up at the Hammer Building Ticket Office at LACMA during museum hours, any time after purchase or on the night of the screening any time before the start of the event. Ticketed guests must be in the theater by the published start time of the event, otherwise your seat(s) may be released and distributed to the standby line.