Set on one block of Brooklyn’s Bed-Stuy Do or Die neighborhood, at the height of summer, this 1989 masterpiece by Spike Lee confirmed him as a writer and filmmaker of peerless vision and passionate social 
engagement. Over the course of a single day, the easygoing interactions of a cast of unforgettable characters—Da Mayor, Mother Sister, Mister Señor Love Daddy, Tina, Sweet Dick Willie, Buggin Out, Radio Raheem, Sal, Pino, Vito, and Lee’s Mookie among them—give way to heated confrontations as tensions rise along racial fault lines, ultimately exploding into violence. Punctuated by the anthemic refrain of Public Enemy’s “Fight the Power,” Do the Right Thing is a landmark in American cinema, as politically and emotionally charged and as relevant now as when it first hit the big screen.
R | USA | 1989 | 2h
Directed by Spike Lee
Starring Danny Aiello, Ossie Davis, Ruby Dee
Beer and wine available at our concessions
About 100 YEARS OF MOVIES
This series presents films from every decade the Strand has been in operation, chosen for how they represented the filmmaking style and perspectives of their time. In addition to well-known films, the titles will include lesser-known, high quality releases that have been overlooked, as well as underrepresented movies and directors. The films were curated by Alicia Malone, a host on Turner Classic Movies (TCM); and Strand House Manager Liz McLeod, also a film historian. Each film will be introduced by Malone or McLeod, or a special guest presenter.
