“The changes I’m going to make will be minimal. I’m not gonna rock the boat. Rockin’ the boat’s a drag. What you do is sink the boat! And there’s no sense sinkin’ nothin’ unless you can salvage with productive alternatives. And brothers, you can’t change nothin’ with rhetoric and slogans. Because if a man’s really got the truth in his pocket, he doesn’t talk about it. He hangs it out on a shingle where people can see it. So from now on, the name of this agency is TRUTH and SOUL.”
The only reason this website is not called Truth And Soul is because someone already owns the url. That’s how influential the movie is. P.T. Anderson always includes a hidden “Truth & Soul” reference in his films. It’s bizarre. It’s horribly edited. It’s got one of the most devoted cult followings in the business.
This film is about an advertising agency. The chairman of the agency dies. The executive board, made up of mostly white males and one Black man, votes on the chairman’s replacement. The Black man is voted in. The Black man, Putney Swope, then changes the agency. It’s the boards’ worst nightmare. He renames the agency Truth and Soul, fires all but one of the original staff, and proceeds to do business on his own terms, insisting that they no longer accept business from companies that produce alcohol, weapons, violent “war toys”, or tobacco. The firm is a huge success (hmmm.)! This success draws attention from the Government, which considers it a threat to national security.
Directed by Robert Downey, Sr. (Yes, that’s his father.), Putney Swope is an essential arthouse classic that has countless inside jokes for anyone who has ever held a job in media. This movie was made in 1969 for $120,000 and the symbolism throughout the picture shows that it’s a child of the late 60s (the midget president and his German master, for example). There are many social commentary elements of this movie that were ahead of its time. This film is outrageous, and not for the easily offended.
Don’t be mistaken…this is not a “Blaxploitation” film, though it does feature Antonio Fargas. It stars Arnold Johnson (and the voice of Robert Downey, Sr. — overdubbed!)
Surprisingly, a lot of common stereotypes from this film have been repeated for years, with audiences from this generation never seeing the original film. It is on DVD now (get it at Greencine!), and is essential viewing. Before you accept that “dream job” offer at that media company, ya MIGHT wanna rent this.
Here’s a scene showing what happens immediately after the executive board vote.
This is hilarious. Where do you all find these movies?
hey Jeff! I found this movie about 20 years ago at a place called Mondo Kim's in NYC. You find movies like these where you least expect to!
I saw this movie once and I wondered if that was the brother's real voice.
Best scene is the consultant the agency flies in at the beginning. "Beer is Peepee dickey!" I forgot how much I love this movie. Thank you.
Putney says the boorman six girl has got to have soul!
This man said a contract. 22 weeks vacation. Box seats at Shea stadium. This is not a rental. I have to own this.
And when confronted with being corrupt, he says "thank you". Incredible.
LMAO@the bags of cash!!
When I initially saw this some years ago, it took me awhile to get over Downey's dubbed voice. Actually it still grates on my ears whenever I watch it. That's my singular complaint about the film, as it has the habit of taking me out of the moment whenever the man speaks. But, as you stated, it's mos def essential viewing!
It catches you so off-guard in the opening scene that you never really recover, and when I quote the film I often impersonate Downey.