Skin Game

Skin Game (1971) directed by Paul Bogart

Another weirdo film from the past.  This one a comedy about slavery starring James Garner, (he actually produced it too), and Louis Gossett (no Jr.) as a couple of con men in pre Civil War era American.  Gossett is a 4th generation freeman from Chicago who pretends to be a slave, so Garner can sell him, then rescue him.  Then they both run off to the next town to pull the scam again.

It's got very bizarre sensibilities, probably because it's 40 years old but I have to admit I found it shocking to hear the n word used so casually.  But I think it's mostly because the slavery aspect is played for laughs, and I found it hard to find the humour in it especially considering how  hardly ever depicting how very terrible it was.

I kinda liked it though.  It was crazy stupid and silly at times, but it mostly took advantage of the situation to establish a few times over, the awful insanity of people being bought and sold and deprived of dignity and freedom because of the colour of their skin.

Makes me think that slavery is the ultimate end of capitalism and libertarianism.  Why shouldn't people be commodities?  Who are you to deny a person the right to sell themselves to the highest bidder?  It's bullshit, but it's in line with their principles.


trailer