Search - Putney Swope on DVD

MPAA Rating: R Content Advisory: Mild Violence, Nudity, Not For Children, Adult Humor, Profanity Movie Release: 1969 DVD Release: 05/22/2001 Format: DVD - Black and White Audio Tracks: English SwapaDVD Credits: 1 Number of Discs: 1 Run Time: 1 hrs 25 mins Studio: Rhino Home Video Members Wishing: 9 Genres: Comedy, Parody/Spoof, Media Satire See Also: Putney Swope

After several years working along the margins of the underground film scene in New York, director Robert Downey broke through to wider recognition with the arthouse hit Putney Swope, a wildly irreverent satire of race and advertising in America. Putney Swope (Arnold Johnson) is the token African-American executive at an otherwise all-white advertising agency when the chairman of the board unexpectedly drops dead. Through a fluke in the chain of command, Swope becomes the new head of the firm, and decides its time to do things his way. He fires nearly all the staff (except for his one token white employee), renames the agency Truth and Soul, Inc., and announces they'll no longer accept accounts advertising tobacco, alcohol, or war toys. The ads they do produce -- for acne remedies and breakfast cereal, among other things -- are wildly successful, and the iconoclastic ad agency (which only accepts payment in cash) is targeted by government operatives as a threat to the national security. Antonio Fargas and Allen Garfield lead the supporting cast; Mel Brooks makes a cameo appearance. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Stanley Gottlieb - Nathan
Allen Garfield - Elias, Jr.
Arnold Johnson - Putney
Buddy Butler - Putney's Bodyguard
Ramon Gordon - Bissinger

Robert Downey Sr.'s scathing satire Putney Swope comes to DVD with a standard full-frame transfer. The English soundtrack is rendered in Dolby Digital Stereo. There are neither subtitles nor closed-captions on this release. Supplemental materials include an interview with the director, and a filmography for him as well. Although there is little to this Rhino title, having this cult classic available on DVD is reason enough for any film lover to consider giving it a look. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide