The movie Spike Lee called a “fiasco”
A true legend of contemporary filmmaking, Spike Lee has fashioned his own distinctive corner of cinematic history over the past four decades. The creative genius behind the beloved comedy-drama Do the Right Thing, the vital historical epic Malcolm X, and the gripping crime drama BlacKkKlansman, Lee has demonstrated his talent across various genres.
Introduced to the filmmaking craft at Morehouse College in Atlanta, Lee’s initial foray into filmmaking served as a prelude to his more formal education in film and television at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. Now a revered luminary, he teaches at the university, ensuring excellence in the next generation of aspiring filmmakers.
In 1983, Lee founded a production company of his own, 40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks, and has since produced more than 35 movies under the banner. His remarkable filmography began in 1986 with his debut feature, She’s Gotta Have It. The directional debut was also written, produced and edited by Lee.
Shot on a small budget, the movie was revered for its artistic innovation and was set aside from contemporary movies by its monochrome finish. Upon its release, She’s Gotta Have It was critically applauded as a refreshing cinematic hit unbound by genre classification.
In a 2008 interview with Directors Guild of America, Lee revealed that, despite the movie’s ultimate success, it was a hard-fought endeavour. “She’s Gotta Have It was really my second attempt at a feature film,” he said. “The first attempt was a fiasco. It was a film called The Messenger. And it didn’t work out because of money.”
Considering the $175,000 budget for She’s Gotta Have It, the resources available for The Messenger must’ve been particularly scant. “But it turned out to be the best thing that ever happened to me because I was ill-equipped to direct that script,” he continued. “I mean, it had helicopter chases, car chases. And thank God I didn’t get the money because it would have been a total disaster.”
Fortunately, when Lee finally received adequate funding, he had a more coherent vision. “I was not ready yet,” he said. “But when it didn’t happen, it was at the most critical point in my development as a filmmaker, and I was getting ready almost to quit. But I thought, let me try to do something that’s not overreaching—which The Messenger would have been—let me just try to do something that’s two or three people in the room. And that was She’s Gotta Have It.“
As seen throughout much of Lee’s filmography, She’s Gotta Have It was praised for its perfect balance of comedy and serious drama. “From the very beginning, I always believed that you could do serious subject matter with humour in it,” Lee reflected. “It’s a hard thing to do. I’ve not always been successful in it. There are various degrees of success. Do the Right Thing is a very serious film, but I also think it’s very funny too. So I’ve always tried to, no matter what type of genre I’m doing, I try to have some humour in it. Not necessarily comedy but humour.”
She’s Gotta Have It follows the story of Nola Darling, a young graphic designer living in Brooklyn who juggles three men of wildly varying personalities. The humorous plot challenged conventional values surrounding sex and relationships. Watch the trailer below.
