This film is part of our winter series, running at De Uitkijk throughout December and January. This year, our winter series focuses on loneliness, but don’t worry, you can still enjoy warmth and good company at De Uitkijk…!
Putney Swope is the only Black board member at a stuffy New York advertising agency. When the company’s director unexpectedly dies, Swope is suddenly chosen as his replacement. With full control, Swope begins reshaping the firm: he fires the white board members and replaces them with revolutionary Black Power figures. The company is renamed Truth and Soul, Inc., and under Swope, the advertising world is forced onto an entirely new path…
PUTNEY SWOPE (1969) is a satirical takedown of consumerism, capitalism, and racism in America. Downey Sr. (yes, the father of) mocks it all with a chaotic, almost absurdist style. Released during the civil rights movement, the film was hilariously bold and politically ahead of its time. Today, PUTNEY SWOPE remains strikingly relevant thanks to its sharp social critique and Downey Sr.’s playful approach to filmmaking and montage.