Home / Mo' Better Blues

Mo' Better Blues

Year:

1990

Duration:

129 min | USA:130 min

Genres:

Drama | Music | Romance

IMDB rate:

6.5

Director:

Spike Lee

Awards:

1 win & 3 nominations

Details

Country: USA

Release Date: 1990-08-03

Filming Locations: 141st Street, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Earnings

Budget: $10,000,000

Gross: $16,153,600 (USA) Filming Dates 25 September 1989 - 1 December 1989 Related Links

Cast

Actor

Character

Jelani Asar Snipes

Denzel Washington

Bleek Gilliam

Spike Lee

Giant

Wesley Snipes

Shadow Henderson (Sax)

Giancarlo Esposito

Left Hand Lacey (Piano)

Robin Harris

Butterbean Jones

Joie Lee

Indigo Downes

Bill Nunn

Bottom Hammer (Bass)

John Turturro

Moe Flatbush

Dick Anthony Williams

Big Stop Williams

Cynda Williams

Clarke Bentancourt

Nicholas Turturro

Josh Flatbush

Jeff 'Tain' Watts

Rhythm Jones (Druns)

Samuel L. Jackson

Madlock

Leonard L. Thomas

Rod

Charlie Murphy

Eggy (as Charles Q. Murphy)

Steve White

Born Knowledge

Rubén Blades

Petey

Abbey Lincoln

Lillian Gilliam

Linda Hawkins

Jeanne

Raye Dowell

Rita

Angela Hall

Cora

Coati Mundi

Roberto

Zakee Howze

Young Bleek / Miles (as Zakee L. Howze)

Deon Richmond

Tyrone

Raymond Anthony Thomas

Joe (as Raymond Thomas)

Sheldon Turnipseed

Benny

Christopher Skeffrey

Louis

Terrence Williams

Sam

Darryl M. Wonge Jr.

Miles at Birth

Glenn Williams III

Miles, Age 3

Arnold Cromer

Miles, Age 5

Leon Addison Brown

Smith

Scot Anthony Robinson

Cooley

Herbert Daughtry

Minister

Bill Lee

Father of the Bride

Branford Marsalis

Party Guest

Doug E. Doug

Jimmy the Busboy (as Douglas Bourne)

Tracy Camilla Johns

Club Patron

John Canada Terrell

Club Patron

Monty Ross

Club Patron

Carol M. Wiggins

Club Patron

Isabella

Club Patron

Mamie Louise Anderson

Club Patron

Joe Seneca

Big Stop's Friend

John Sobestanovich

Taxi Driver

Flavor Flav

Impatient Movie Patron

Esther Castro

Club restaurant audience (uncredited)

Anaysha Figueroa

Shanika (uncredited)

Emma Terese

Woman at the Jazz Club (uncredited)

Did you know?

Trivia

Usage of the film's original title: "A Love Supreme", was denied by Alice Coltrane, the widow of John Coltrane, the composer of the four-movement composition.

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Behind the bill on the cover/poster, the posters for Do the Right Thing (1989) can be seen.

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Although the scenes take place over ten years apart, the same kids ask the exact same question in both the opening and closing sequences.

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Goofs

During the performance of Bleek's "Pop Top Urban 40 Funk Love ... Song", Bleek's headgear changes from hat to baseball cap.

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Quotes

Giant: Shut up! Who asked you, Left Hand?

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Bleek: But the jazz, you know if we had to dep... if we had to depend upon black people to eat, we would starve to death. I mean, you've been out there, you're on the bandstand, you look out into the audience, what do you see? You see Japanese, you see, you see West Germans, you see, you know, Slabobic, anything except our people - it makes no sense. It incenses me that our own people don't realize our own heritage, our own culture, this is our music, man.

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Clarke: 'Cause mo better makes it mo better.

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