Editorial September 25, 1989 Issue

What is the right thing to do?

Ann Kenrick

Black, yellow, and white; love and hate; good and evil. All the colors and elements of human society make up the stark scenario of Spike Lee's new film, Do the Right Thing.

In very explicit language, the film depicts raw racial tensions over a twenty-four-hour period on the hottest day of summer in a ghetto in New York. Tragedy occurs with the killing of a young black man by the police and the riot that explodes after it. In the end, everyone is hurt by the violence.

Mr. Lee says of his film: "It's not a preaching film. The title is ambiguous. Everyone in the film is acting according to their version of the right thing. But I do feel that what the cops do is not the right thing. I don't know what it will take to improve race relations. I think anyone expecting Spike Lee to give answers to that is going to be disappointed.... Hopefully, it will provoke thought and discussion. Hopefully, we can move in the direction of ending all this madness." Quoted in The Boston Globe, June 25, 1989 .

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