Principal cast
Danny Aiello, Ossie Davis, Ruby Dee, Richard Edson and Giancarlo Esposito
Film 117 of 498 on the Screen Path
Do the Right Thing
It's the hottest day of the summer. You can do nothing, you can do something, or you can...
About the film
Do the Right Thing at a glance.
Screen Path places this 1989 film at stop 117 in one curated journey through cinema. The learning experience adds context before you watch and deeper analysis after.
Sal is the Italian owner of a pizzeria in Brooklyn. A neighborhood local, Buggin' Out, becomes upset when he sees that the pizzeria's Wall of Fame exhibits only Italian actors. Buggin' Out believes a pizzeria in a black neighborhood should showcase black actors, but Sal disagrees. The wall becomes a symbol of racism and hate to Buggin' Out and to other people in the neighborhood, and tensions rise.
Key craft credits
Ernest R. Dickerson (director of photography), Barry Alexander Brown (editor), Bill Lee (original music composer), Spike Lee (screenplay) and Wynn Thomas (production design)
- Director
- Spike Lee
- Release
- 1989-06-14
- Runtime
- 120 minutes
- Genres
- Drama
- Country
- United States
- Quiz
- 50 questions
The Screen Path journey
Before. After. Remember.
The featured film is watched outside Screen Path. The app provides the learning experience around it: a guide, an analysis, and a quiz with explanations.
01
Before you watch
Start with a spoiler-free video guide to the context and filmmaking choices worth noticing.
Spoiler-free02
After the film
Return after watching for a deeper video analysis of craft, meaning, and legacy.
Contains spoilers03
Quiz yourself
Answer 50 questions with clear rationales designed to make the ideas stick.
50 questions in this journeyCitizen Kane is the complete public example: both learning videos and a five-question sample quiz are available below.
Start the example →Full cast
Full cast
- Danny AielloCharacter: Sal
- Ossie DavisCharacter: Da Mayor
- Ruby DeeCharacter: Mother Sister
- Richard EdsonCharacter: Vito
- Giancarlo EspositoCharacter: Buggin Out
- Spike LeeCharacter: Mookie
- Bill NunnCharacter: Radio Raheem
- John TurturroCharacter: Pino
- Paul BenjaminCharacter: ML
- Frankie FaisonCharacter: Coconut Sid
- Robin HarrisCharacter: Sweet Dick Willie
- Joie LeeCharacter: Jade
Full crew
Full crew
- Spike LeeCredits: Screenplay, Producer, Director
- Steve RosseCredits: Set Decoration
- Matiki AnoffCredits: Makeup Artist
- Ernest R. DickersonCredits: Director of Photography
- Bill LeeCredits: Original Music Composer
- Wynn ThomasCredits: Production Design
- Barry Alexander BrownCredits: Editor
- Tony MartinezCredits: Sound Editor
- Ruth E. CarterCredits: Costume Design
- Eddie SmithCredits: Stunt Coordinator
- Andy DuppinCredits: Stunts
- Robi ReedCredits: Casting
- Skip LievsayCredits: Sound Designer
- Larry M. CherryCredits: Hairstylist
- Steve KirshoffCredits: Special Effects
- Danny Aiello IIICredits: Stunt Double
- Monty RossCredits: Co-Producer
- Roy ThomasCredits: Stunts
- George PattisonCredits: Camera Operator
- Derrick StillCredits: Generator Operator
- Jeffrey SternCredits: Dialogue Editor
- Bob HagansCredits: Color Timer
- Jon KilikCredits: Line Producer
- Erik KonigerCredits: Stunts
- Jonathan BurkhartCredits: First Assistant Camera
- Michael L. BensonCredits: Set Dresser
- Paul WachterCredits: Best Boy Grip
- Eugene GeartyCredits: Sound Editor
- Joe GonzalezCredits: Script Supervisor
- Bob GorelickCredits: Assistant Camera
- Andrew SchmetterlingCredits: Boom Operator
- Stuart StanleyCredits: Sound Editor
- Marko CostanzoCredits: Foley Artist
- Millicent SheltonCredits: Wardrobe Assistant
- Nandi BoweCredits: Second Assistant Director
- Dominic MarcusCredits: Stunts
- Brunilda TorresCredits: ADR Editor
- Andrea ReedCredits: Casting Assistant
- Eric PayneCredits: Stunts
- Frank PrinziCredits: Camera Operator
- Dennis BradfordCredits: Assistant Art Director
- Rex NorthCredits: Dolly Grip
- Val DeSalvoCredits: Best Boy Electric
- Gail ShowalterCredits: Foley Editor
- Bruce ProssCredits: Sound Editor
- Randy FletcherCredits: First Assistant Director
- Malcolm LivingstonCredits: Stunts
- Preston L. HolmesCredits: Production Supervisor
- Kevin LadsonCredits: Props
- Rodney BauerCredits: Grip
- Philip StocktonCredits: Supervising Dialogue Editor
- David S. LomaxCredits: Stunts
- Darnell MartinCredits: Second Assistant Camera
- Jeff BalsmeyerCredits: Storyboard Artist
- Thomas Hudson ReeveCredits: Set Dresser
- Roger KimptonCredits: Grip
- Charles HoustonCredits: Gaffer
- Alex SteyermarkCredits: Music Editor
- Nic RatnerCredits: Assistant Sound Editor
- Mharaka WashingtonCredits: Stunt Driver
- John NewbyCredits: Camera Operator
- Octavio MolinaCredits: Property Master
- Erich AugensteinCredits: Grip
- Donald BialerCredits: Grip
- Gary FrithCredits: Stunts
- Robin DownesCredits: Assistant Production Coordinator
- Frank StettnerCredits: Sound Recordist
- David LeeCredits: Still Photographer
- Andrew LassmanCredits: Props
- John ArchibaldCredits: Grip
- John O'MalleyCredits: Electrician
- Christopher VanzantCredits: Electrician
- Rudy GaskinsCredits: Sound Editor
- Marissa LittlefieldCredits: Assistant Sound Editor
- Sarah Hyde HamletCredits: Extras Casting
- Lillian PylesCredits: Production Office Coordinator
- Jon RudoCredits: Assistant Set Decoration
- James R. BilzCredits: Set Dresser
- Serge MihajlovCredits: Electrician
- James BoormanCredits: Electrician
- Tula GoenkaCredits: Assistant Editor
- Karen PerryCredits: Assistant Costume Designer
- Brent OwensCredits: Location Manager
- Mark Paul SelemonCredits: Props
- John NicolardCredits: Color Timer
- Pam StephensCredits: Art Department Coordinator
- Scott RosenstockCredits: Leadman
- Valerie Gladstone-AppelCredits: Seamstress
- Sam MattinglyCredits: Unit Publicist
- Paul ReuterCredits: Assistant Camera
- Anthony BaldasareCredits: Set Dresser
- Martin BernsteinCredits: Construction Coordinator
- Jennifer RuscoeCredits: Wardrobe Supervisor
- Marianna NajjarCredits: Makeup Artist
- Rashon KhanCredits: Stunts
- Christopher LopezCredits: Second Second Assistant Director
- Susan D. FowlerCredits: Production Coordinator
- Robert F. NicksonCredits: Production Controller
- Robert IppolitoCredits: Key Grip
- James FlattoCredits: Assistant Sound Editor
- Cheryl Ann ScottCredits: Craft Service
- R.W. DixonCredits: Unit Manager
- Keith WallCredits: Lead Set Dresser
- Jeffrey RollinsCredits: Set Dresser
- Tom FleischmanCredits: Sound Re-Recording Mixer
Film data and images provided by TMDB. This product uses the TMDB API but is not endorsed or certified by TMDB.