Mandingo

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Mandingo

R

1975

2h 7m

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

29%

Tomatometer

21 Reviews

65%

Popcornmeter

500+ Ratings

A Louisiana plantation owner's (James Mason) son (Perry King) has an affair with a slave, and he's not the only one.

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Richard Schickel

TIME Magazine

Until this moment we cannot be certain that the movie is going to employ every cliche of antebellum melodrama.

Oct 14, 2013

Full Review

Sam Adams

AV Club

Viewed with fresh eyes, it can credibly be seen as revisionist history of a particularly savage kind.

Rated: B+

Oct 14, 2013

Full Review

Mike Emery

Austin Chronicle

This is a deeply depressing film. The main problem is that shock value is the centerpiece, so the theme of slavery is just a vehicle for horrific gore and interracial sex.

Oct 14, 2013

Full Review

Steve Warren

The Barb (Atlanta)

Better made trash.

May 9, 2023

Full Review

James McMahon

NME (New Musical Express)

[It] manages to coax some humanity out of a person who appears to have little throughout this excellent movie.

Rated: 4/5

May 25, 2021

Full Review

Ida Peters

Baltimore Afro-American

A distorted sick film.

Jul 28, 2020

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rex w

i disgusting piece of trash.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

07/27/25

Full Review

Nedd B

Classic film...one underatted movie...i love the uncutt honesty of this film...django is a fruit off the tree of mandingo

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/06/23

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steve d

Melodramatic and deeply unpleasant.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

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Audience Member

A disturbingly accurate rendition of the most horrible of times for Black people in history. I saw this as a child mainly because I was a huge Ken Norton fan, & always will be. He plays the "Mandingo," a specially trained fighter for gambling in those days. Norton does a tremendous job, almost a Natural in Acting at least in this, his first of only 2 films, the other being a similar Bomb called "Drum," again the title character, Norton. So this is worth watching not only for its brutally accurate historical value, but for the acting & especially the fight scenes which are awesome. Not for the young, under 16 audience, maybe even under 18. Disturbing, brutal, well directed & the great Ken Norton make for a very memorable, underrated classic, even in 2021.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/03/23

Full Review

cinephile f

I watched this film because it has been referenced in other films by two of my favorite directors (Solondz and Taranatino.) This is not a feel good film and I honestly found it very difficult to watch but I am glad I watched it so that I could see this perspective as well as see the source of the inspiration. I recommend watching it early in the evening (or earlier in the day) as I had a tough time sleeping after. Nonetheless, definitely worth watching if you are a cinephile who is interested in film history.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Terrible. Saw it as a child. Disturbing after having seen it again as a man.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

02/02/23

Full Review

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Richard Fleischer

Director

James Mason

Warren Maxwell

Susan George

Blanche Maxwell

Perry King

Hammond Maxwell

Ken Norton

Mede

Richard Ward

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Synopsis

A Louisiana plantation owner's (James Mason) son (Perry King) has an affair with a slave, and he's not the only one.

Director: Richard Fleischer
Producer: Dino De Laurentiis
Screenwriter: Norman Wexler
Production Co: Paramount
Rating: R
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Jul 1, 2013
Runtime: 2h 7m

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