Hollywood Shuffle

+ intro by Rógan Graham, BFI Film Programmer

Breaking into Hollywood is easy. Keeping your dignity is the hard part. Experience Robert Townsend’s comedy classic in 35mm.

  • Director

    Robert Townsend

  • With

    Robert Townsend, Keenen Ivory Wayans, John Witherspoon

  • USA 1987. 81min

  • 35mm

  • Certificate

    15

Townsend’s feature debut is a fearless and hilarious takedown of showbiz hypocrisy. A struggling Black actor lands a breakout role and then realises success comes wrapped in insult. Through razor-sharp satire, hilarious dream sequences and no small amount of righteous anger, Hollywood Shuffle exposes the cliches and stereotypes that riddle the mainstream film industry, daring its hero to choose pride over a pay cheque.

See other screenings of Hollywood Shuffle.

Contains homophobic language.

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