Video: White Man's Burden
Television: Doctor Who

John Travolta carries a white man's burden in a black man's world

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• White Man's Burden
• Rated R
• Starring John Travolta, Harry Belafonte
• 96 minutes

ouis Pinnock (Travolta) is a hard-working, blue-collar family man in an alternate society where the roles of blacks and whites have been reversed. Blacks are well educated, have good jobs and are in the majority. Whites fill the inner cities, have less advantages and are in the minority.

Louis works in a candy factory owned by Thaddeus Thomas (Belafonte). Thaddeus is a rich man of privilege who is more than happy to spout his views regarding the white problem to his equally privileged black friends. Of course, Thaddeus doesn't think he's a racist.

As a favor, Louis delivers a package to Thaddeus's mansion, but he accidentally looks in the wrong window and sees Thaddeus's wife partially unclothed. When Thaddeus catches Louis looking at his wife, he gets angry and offhandedly tells the factory foreman not to send that "delivery boy" around anymore. This causes a chain of events that leaves Louis unemployed and he and his family evicted from their home.

In an act of desperation, Louis confronts Thaddeus about the firing and ends up taking him hostage. Louis brings Thaddeus to his lower-class world as the two begin to learn more about each other and the separate worlds they live in.

Writer/director Desmond Nakano has chosen an intriguing subject by switching the roles of whites and blacks in White Man's Burden. But while there are certainly moments of truth, the film has little to say about racism except that it's bad.

White moviegoers will undoubtedly find some scenes unsettling, such as when one character flips through television channels to find mostly black faces, or when a police search turns into a Rodney King style beating. But White Man's Burden never really gets under the skin. By offering a complete reversal of the two races, Nakano never gives any perspective to the problems of racism, and his message is diluted. Ultimately the film ends up as a predictable drama when it could have been a powerful commentary.

The reason to see White Man's Burden is the chemistry between Travolta and Belafonte. Travolta creates yet another dynamic character by bringing Louis to life. Travolta's Louis is a proud man trying to do the best for his family, yet his desire to provide for his family causes him to act foolishly. Belafonte is wonderful as Thaddeus, a man who is so likable it's easy to forget how subtle his bigotry is. While they can't help the predictable story line, these two fine actors certainly give the film a heartbeat. The rest of the cast is fine; however, they have little to do since the movie really isn't about them.

While Nakano attempted something very special and unusual with a superior cast, he hasn't gone far enough by making White Man's Burden in such black and white terms. -- Kathie

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Who fans are gonna love this...

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• Doctor Who
• Starring Paul McGann, Eric Roberts, Daphne Ashbrook
• FOX/BBC
• British premiere the week of May 20

Editor's Note: We are leaving our review of Doctor Who up for a second issue for the benefit of fans in the United Kingdom, where the movie has not aired yet.

ime has finally caught up to the evil Timelord, The Master (Roberts), who is captured on the planet Skaro (by the Daleks!) and executed for his crimes. His last request is that his arch nemesis and rival Timelord, the Doctor (Sylvester McCoy/McGann), transport his remains to Gallifrey, the Timelord home world. Puzzled, the Doctor secures The Master's remains in his time traveling TARDIS -- Time and Relative Dimensions in Space -- and sets forth. But en route The Master's ooze-like remains somehow escape from confinement and halt the TARDIS's voyage in a back alley on Earth on December 31, 1999...the eve of the millennium.

The unfortunate Doctor (played at this point by the last actor to star as the Doctor in the BBC series, Sylvester McCoy) steps out of the TARDIS and right into a gang war. Gunned down, The Doctor is rushed to the nearest hospital, where Dr. Grace Holloway (Ashbrook) manages to do what countless aliens and monsters have been unable to accomplish over the centuries -- not realizing that he has two hearts, she kills the doctor during a routine procedure. Meanwhile, The Master has found himself a human host, which turns out to be Bruce, the ambulance driver (also played by Roberts...still with us?).

But The Master can only live for a short time in his new body. What he really needs is the Doctor's body, which has since regenerated into a younger form thanks to the 13 lives all Timelords possess (the Doctor is now played by McGann...we're done changing actors at this point). To do this he opens the Eye of Harmony, the power source for the TARDIS that has never been opened before. Now the Doctor has only three hours to close the Eye before it consumes the Earth, which means finding an atomic clock, avoiding The Master, convincing Grace he really is an alien, and shaking off the amnesia caused by the regeneration....

With its release of Doctor Who, FOX has a bonafide masterpiece on its hands that is sure to be a hit with Who fans and newcomers alike. From beginning to end Director Geoffrey Sax does everything right...McGann, Roberts and Ashbrook are perfect in their roles, and the plot seamlessly blends the classic Doctor Who of 1963-1989 with its new elements and actors. Sax also manages to define the new look and feel of Doctor Who without redefining the show millions of fans have taken to their hearts.

As the cornerstone of the new movie, McGann could not be a better choice. True to rumor he recalls the stellar performance of the fourth and arguably best actor to take on the role of the Doctor, Tom Baker (be on the lookout for a quick scene where McGann has the trademark Baker scarf in his hands for a moment). But McGann is clearly up to the task of taking over the mantle from his predecessors as he confidently lays the groundwork for the latest incarnation of the Doctor.

Some fans might balk at the new theme music -- and the revamped TARDIS does take some getting used to -- but this movie is clearly destined to be an instant classic. The only mistake FOX can make at this point is not turning this into a series.

I loved it from beginning to end. McGann is awesome! -- Craig E.

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