Reactions to Do The Right Thing Film

"1989 the number, another summer..." These are the beginning of the lyrics to Public Enemy's "Fight the Power", the anthem thats prominently played throughout Spike Lee's film Do The Right Thing.  Do The Right Thing is a critically acclaimed film and a cult classic amongst the rap and hip hop community. The film takes place on the hottest day of the year in Brooklyn, New York, in the year 1989. Spike Lee uses the film to demonstrate the racial tension in the area during that time period.

One of the most interesting aspects about Do The Right Thing is the culture that is represented throughout the film. Spike Lee was able to perfectly capture the essence of the city at that time. The film features tons of creative art work, classic Air Jordan sneakers, and essential hip hop music for the time period. As someone who is a fan of all of these various subjects, this movie was a perfect representation of the hip hop culture.

Another important aspect of the film is the various themes and battles that are fought throughout the film. A few of these themes are black vs. white, youth vs. old, and cops vs. civilians, and love vs. hate. These are generally touchy subjects and Spike Lee does a masterful job of intertwining one another to send his message. The racism aspect throughout the film is explained beautifully through the various characters and their respective viewpoints. One of these important characters is Radio Raheem. Raheem is a strong figurehead in the community, who always has his boombox blasting Public Enemy. He is always sporting the Love and Hate finger rings and trying to spread his message of love and peace.

I thoroughly enjoyed the film and the many different aspects of a community in which I never had a chance to experience. Being someone from an all white community, I never had to deal with many of the injustices that many African Americans portrayed in the film had to experience. The most telling scene of the movie is when Clifton steps on Buggin Out's shoes, and Buggin Out asks Clifton why he moved to Brooklyn, and Clifton responds with "It's a free country." But it's not a free country for all, and Do The Right Thing does a great job of showing that.

Martin Luther King Jr. & Malcolm X in Do The Right Thing

Martin Luther King Jr. was someone who advocated for pacifism. He did not believe in physical altercation in order to send a message. One theme throughout Do The Right Thing and also in Martin Luther King Jr.'s speech, is the theme of young vs. old, youth vs. the older generation. Martin Luther King is saying that the old ideology of an eye for an eye, equivalent exchange, is outdated. Instead of trying to change the ignorant's thoughts and actions and making real change, most people would rather use violence, which King describes as "impractical and immoral." The second recurring theme that King brings up is this idea of peace vs. violence. As previously stated, MLK did not believe in violence as a way of bringing upon change, and promoted pacifism instead, unlike his counter-part Malcolm X.

Malcolm X was another civil rights activist who had different ideals from Martin Luther King. He believed in using violence when necessary and did not shy away from it. In comparison to Do The Right Thing, Malcolm X's quote represents the theme of white vs. black. Racial tension during Malcolm X and Martin Luther King's time was at an all time high. When he's speaking about the bad people that are holding him and other African Americans' back, he is referring to white people in positions of power. Malcolm X was never a pacifist like Dr. King, however he believed in self defense. This shows another theme well represented in Spike Lee's film, police vs. citizens. Police are given so much power, and at times that power can be misused or mishandled. Many African Americans were being attacked, injured, and in some cases even killed by police officers. If the community of people that Malcolm X is talking to don't stand up for themselves, they are only risking their own lives. Malcolm X refers to using self defense and violence in these situations as "intelligence."

Do The Right Thing... or Not?

Do The Right Thing is a 1989 film written, directed, and produced by the critically acclaimed Spike Lee. The film takes place in Brooklyn, New York during a time where racial tension would reach it's climax. The film features Spike Lee as the role of Mookie, a 25 year old pizza delivery boy who works for Sal's Famous Pizzeria. Sal's Pizzeria is ran by Sal and his two sons, Vito and Pino. Sal's Pizzeria is in the heart of Brooklyn and much of the consumer-base is comprised of African Americans. When one member of the community, Buggin Out, comes inside, he realizes that the inside of Sal's only Italian-Americans, such as classic figures like Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle, and Frank Sinatra. Taking on his moniker, he begins to start fighting against Sal, proclaiming a boycott of the store.

Things take a turn for the worse when Buggin Out gets Radio Raheem involved on his boycott. Radio Raheem is a profound figure in the community, and is always trying to spread positivity and love. He is always sporting his boombox blasting Public Enemy's anthem Fight the Power. Raheem holds a personal vendetta against Sal for making him turn his music down while in his restaurant. When the two gentleman enter Sal's, Radio Raheem's boombox is louder than it's ever been before. Sal, a man with a short temper, grabs his Louisville Slugger and starts taking swings at Radio Raheem's beloved boombox. The music stops, and Radio Raheem, a proponent of love and peace, has his hands wrapped around Sal's neck. Pino, Vito, and Buggin Out are all involved in the scrap, and it leaks out into the streets.

Once on the streets of Brooklyn, the police arrived. Tragedy occurs when two racist police officers put Radio Raheem into a chokehold and prematurely end his life. With his lifeless, limp body on the floor, the crowd around them turns into an angry mob and turns towards Sal's Famous Pizzeria in order to get revenge. They wanted to go after Sal, Pino, and Vito... who were all farely innocent, and did not cause Raheem's death. This was, until a famous figure in the community, self-proclaimed Da Mayor comes in.

Da Mayor is the most interesting character in the movie. We are first introduced to Da Mayor when he comes in and sweeps up Sal's restaurant in order to get some money to buy a beer. Many people in the community have the predetermined notion that Da Mayor is an alcoholic and always drunk. Da Mayor is always trying to spread a similar message as Radio Raheem to the youth. Love and positivity. He tells Mookie, the main character, "Do the right thing." This begs the question, does the movie actually explain, what the right thing to do really is? For the whole movie, we are led to believe that Radio Raheem is this calm, cool as the other side of the pillow, respected figure in the neighborhood, but we see him doing the wrong thing when he starts to try and kill Sal.

This is where the story of Da Mayor is interesting. I believe that the writer is using Da Mayor in order to try and show what the "right" thing to do is. Throughout the movie, we get glimpses into his past. Mother Sister, the overseer of the neighborhood is very spiteful towards him and referring to him as a scumbag and alcoholic, and youths around the neighborhood are given the same impression. When he's talking to a group of young kids and they begin to voice their opinions of him, he's quick to let them know that they haven't experienced half of what he has, and to come back to him when they have to provide for five kids and are not able to. While Da Mayor is walking around the block, he sees a young boy playing in the street who is about to get hit by a car. Quickly, Da Mayor risks his own life and pushes the young boy out of the way of the car. This is one example of doing the right thing.

When Radio Raheem is killed and the mob begins to loot Sal's Pizzeria, Da Mayor is the first person to stand up and defend the three Italian men against his fellow African Americans. Da Mayor is the one person who despite his shortcomings, attempts to do the right thing. This movie has many themes, but the one man who continuously does "the right thing" is Da Mayor, who's perceived as a no good drunk.