2000
Struggling writer Pierre Delacroix creates "Mantan: The New Millennium Minstrel Show" as a satire, casting homeless Manray in blackface, which initially draws criticism but becomes a massive success, bringing Delacroix fame while alienating Manray and his manager. As Manray embraces the Mantan persona and begins a relationship with Delacroix's assistant, Sloan, Delacroix becomes increasingly detached from the show's original satirical intent. Manray's refusal to perform in blackface leads to his firing and subsequent kidnapping and execution by the Mau-Mau's, which Delacroix witnesses live online. Sloan, revealed to be the Mau-Mau leader's sister, then shoots Delacroix, who dies watching a minstrel show, reflecting on his life as the film concludes with archival footage of Malcolm X.
Save the Cat beat sheet
Showrunner Pierre Delacroix creates a controversial minstrel TV show to boost ratings, sparking personal and racial conflicts.
Open full beat sheetPierre Delacroix is listed as Television writer and showrunner. Harvard-educated, pretentious, struggling to maintain his identity in a white-dominated network. In the parsed data, Pierre Delacroix is connected to 27 scenes, 12 dialogue lines, 14 text mentions, first appearing around scene 1.
27 scenes / 12 dialogue linesManray is listed as Street performer / Actor. Young African-American male with natural tap-dancing talent, homeless. In the parsed data, Manray is connected to 22 scenes, 1 dialogue line, 4 text mentions, first appearing around scene 35.
22 scenes / 1 dialogue linesSloan Hopkins is listed as Assistant to Delacroix. Highly attractive African-American woman, NYU film school graduate. In the parsed data, Sloan Hopkins is connected to 12 scenes, 4 dialogue lines, 4 text mentions, first appearing around scene 13.
12 scenes / 4 dialogue linesCheeba is listed as Street performer / Manager. Skinny Puerto Rican male, homeless, partner to Manray. In the parsed data, Cheeba is connected to 9 scenes, 4 dialogue lines, 5 text mentions, first appearing around scene 2.
9 scenes / 4 dialogue linesBig Black is listed as Leader of the Mau-Mau's. Sloan's brother, radical rapper, militant. In the parsed data, Big Black is connected to 6 scenes, 1 dialogue line, 1 text mention, first appearing around scene 29.
6 scenes / 1 dialogue linesThomas Dunwitty is listed as Senior V.P. of Entertainment at CNS. Caucasian, aggressive, claims to understand Black culture better than Black people. In the parsed data, Thomas Dunwitty is connected to 5 scenes, 5 dialogue lines, 5 text mentions, first appearing around scene 4.
5 scenes / 5 dialogue linesOrchid Dothan is listed as Delacroix's mother. Middle-aged African-American woman. In the parsed data, Orchid Dothan is connected to 3 scenes, 2 dialogue lines, 2 text mentions, first appearing around scene 11.
3 scenes / 2 dialogue linesHoneycutt is listed as Cast member / Host. Rotund, elder Black man. In the parsed data, Honeycutt is connected to 3 scenes, 1 text mention, first appearing around scene 27.
3 scenes / 0 dialogue linesJunebug is listed as Comedian. Delacroix's father, alcoholic, bitter about his failed career. In the parsed data, Junebug is connected to 2 scenes, 2 dialogue lines, 2 text mentions, first appearing around scene 17.
2 scenes / 2 dialogue linesJukka Laks is listed as Director. Young, blonde, Finnish, completely ignorant of Black culture. In the parsed data, Jukka Laks is connected to 1 scene, 1 dialogue line, 1 text mention, first appearing around scene 44.
1 scenes / 1 dialogue linesPierre Delacroix introduces himself and his struggle as a TV showrunner to the audience.
Pierre DelacroixCheeba wakes up Manray to go perform on the street.
Manray, CheebaManray and Cheeba perform for passersby; Delacroix stops to watch.
Pierre Delacroix, Manray, CheebaDunwitty berates his writing staff for poor ratings.
Pierre Delacroix, Thomas DunwittyDunwitty pressures Delacroix to create a show that appeals to the masses.
Pierre Delacroix, Thomas DunwittyDelacroix pitches the minstrel show idea to Dunwitty.
Pierre Delacroix, Manray, Cheeba, Thomas Dunwitty, Sloan HopkinsDunwitty approves the Mantan act and promises to push it to the network.
Thomas Dunwitty, Manray, Cheeba, Pierre DelacroixCheeba and Mantan discuss their newfound success and interest in Sloan.
Cheeba, ManrayDelacroix instructs Manray to adopt the name Mantan and explains the satirical nature of the show.
Pierre Delacroix, Manray, CheebaThe Mau-Mau's record a track and decide on the spelling of 'BLAK'.
Big BlackDelacroix visits his mother and discusses his new show.
Pierre Delacroix, Orchid DothanA celebration dinner where Delacroix feels uneasy about the show's pressure.
Pierre Delacroix, Sloan Hopkins, Cheeba, ManraySloan confronts Delacroix about his motivations for the show.
Sloan Hopkins, Pierre DelacroixDelacroix visits his mother, Orchid, who urges him to visit his father, Junebug, in Virginia.
Pierre Delacroix, Orchid DothanMantan performs a tap dance for Sloan, leading to a romantic moment.
Manray, Sloan HopkinsDelacroix drives south to visit his father.
Pierre DelacroixDelacroix watches his father, Junebug, perform comedy in a nearly empty club.
Pierre Delacroix, JunebugDelacroix visits Junebug in his dressing room and meets his father's girlfriend, Dot.
Pierre Delacroix, JunebugThe Mau-Mau clan watches the television monitor in disgust.
Big BlackDelacroix reflects on the success of Mantan.
Pierre DelacroixDelacroix wins an Emmy and has an emotional breakdown.
Pierre DelacroixDelacroix wins a Golden Globe and breakdances on stage.
Pierre DelacroixMantan rehearses and Cheeba quits the show.
Manray, CheebaMantan and Sloan discuss Cheeba leaving.
Manray, Sloan HopkinsMantan arrives at the Apollo Theatre.
Manray, Sloan HopkinsMantan and Sloan share an intimate moment before the show.
Manray, Sloan HopkinsMantan performs at the Apollo and is booed by the Mau-Mau's.
Manray, Sloan Hopkins, Big Black, HoneycuttDelacroix drives Mantan away from the Apollo.
Pierre Delacroix, ManrayMantan is interviewed by Tavis Smiley.
Manray, Big BlackDelacroix and Sloan argue about Mantan.
Pierre Delacroix, Sloan HopkinsDelacroix and Mantan argue about Sloan.
Pierre Delacroix, ManrayMantan confronts Sloan about her past with Delacroix.
Manray, Sloan HopkinsDelacroix talks to his mother and experiences a hallucination.
Pierre Delacroix, Orchid DothanHoneycutt warms up the audience.
HoneycuttManray refuses to wear blackface.
Pierre Delacroix, ManrayManray performs without blackface and is fired.
Manray, Thomas Dunwitty, HoneycuttManray is thrown out and kidnapped by the Mau-Mau's.
Manray, Big BlackThe Mau-Mau's prepare to execute Manray live on the internet.
Manray, Big BlackDelacroix and Cheeba are interrogated by the FBI.
Pierre Delacroix, CheebaThe X-Force tracks the Mau-Mau's.
Pierre Delacroix, Sloan HopkinsDelacroix watches the execution on his monitor.
Pierre DelacroixSloan confronts Delacroix with a gun.
Pierre Delacroix, Sloan HopkinsDelacroix reflects on his life and father as he dies, watching a minstrel show on screen.
Pierre Delacroix, ManrayMalcolm X speaks on screen as the film fades to black.
Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. I know everybody is in a hurry to work, ready to begin another day in this rat race. But don't sleep us. I'm Cheeba and I introduce to you the world renown MANRAY, the man with the educated feet.
Alec Baldwin, this is the very first time we've ever met, you don't know this, I'm your biggest fan and I want you to have my Emmy. It's for you, out of the deep bowels of my heart - I don't deserve this. You take it.
The material you've been creating is too white bread. White people with black faces. The Huxtable's, Cosby, revolutionary. But that's dead. We can't go down that road again.
Watch this. This is what you contributed to. Because of you, Manray is dead. Mu brother's dead. It's all because of you.
You've been had. You've been took. You've been led astray. Run amok. You've been bamboozled.
To my astonishment, not only did the people in TV land love us, but also the critics.
I play the straight man. I do some singing and dancing also. I also manage Mantan.
For the love of Joseph and Mary, what have I done? My God, what have I done?!
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