That To Sleep With Anger represents Charles Burnett on the A&F Top 100 rather than his more lauded Killer of Sheep was one of the bigger surprises of the 2020 list. Perhaps its selection simply illustrates the preference for drama over documentary. But there is a dis-ease that permeates the film, and it is one that provokes rather than placates.
Anger is one of the more dangerous of human emotions in large part because we justify it to ourselves and others. The friendship between Harry (Danny Glover) and Gideon (Paul Butler) allows Burnett to throw together two distinct African-American subcultures — South Central Los Angeles and Atlantic South. They don’t mix easily or well, and maybe that’s part of the point. Majority cultures endlessly try to reduce the minority culture to one thing, one stereotype. Perhaps, too, there is an allegory here that can speak to the broader culture if we let it. What we define as backward or irritating is often that which reminds of of our pasts (individual or corporate). — Kenneth R. Morefield
- Directed by: Charles Burnett
- Produced by: Thomas S. Byrnes Caldecot Chubb Michael Flynn Danny Glover Linda Koulisis Edward R. Pressman Darin Scott Ron Stacker Thompson Harris Tulchin
- Written by: Charles Burnett
- Music by: Stephen James Taylor
- Cinematography by: Walt Lloyd
- Editing by: Nancy Richardson
- Release Date: 1990
- Running Time: 102
- Language: English
Arts & Faith Lists:
2020 Top 100 — #32