Thursday, February 05, 2009

Ghost: African Americans In Cinema

It was a Christmas miracle when we did not have to wait another few decades to see another African American received the Academy Award for acting.

Whoopi Goldberg received an Academy Award for her supporting role as Ode Mae Brown in the movie Ghost (1990).

In this thrilling tale, Sam Wheat, played by Patrick Swayze, and Molly Jensen, played by, Demi Moore, are one of the most loving couples ever.

On their way back to their new apartment they run into a roughneck named Willy Lopez, played by Rick Aviles, resulting the death of Sam. As a ghost, Sam comes to the realization that the robbery was planned by no other than his best friend, Carl Bruner, played by Tony Goldwyn who hired Willy to rob Sam in order to get Sam's wallet, containing the password to Sam's computer, which would allow Carl to conclude a money-laundering deal he was involved in. In order for Sam to make sure that Carl does not get away with the dastardly deed, he has to warn Molly and ask for her help. The only problem is that only a very few people can speak to a ghost so Sam employs the help of Oda Mae Brown who is the sunshine to this dark and dreary film.

With the help of Oda Mae, Sam thwarts Carl and Willy's plans to get huge amounts of money and Carl soon discovers the presence of Sam's ghost. Carl sends Willy to kill Oda Mae and her sisters, but with the interference of Sam, Willy fails and is hit by a truck and dies. After this, Molly finally believes in the existence of Sam's ghost, but an outraged Carl storms into her house and threatens Sam to kill Molly and Oda Mae if he doesn't give him the money which was supposed to be stolen by Willy.

He fails, of course, and by accident he gets killed by a half-broken window crashing down on him thus fulfilling his mission to save Molly.

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