Jungle Fever

This critically acclaimed film from Spike Lee explores the provocative consequences of interracial relationships. Black architect Flipper Purify (Wesley Snipes) begins an affair with his working-class Italian secretary (Annabella Sciorra), which causes them to be scrutinized by their friends, cast out from their families and shunned by their neighbors in this moving view of inner-city life. Featuring an original soundtrack by Stevie Wonder, Jungle Fever stars a talented cast including Spike Lee, Ossie Davis, Ruby Dee, Samuel L. Jackson, Lonette McKee, John Turturro and two-time Academy Award winner Anthony Quinn. Starring: Wesley Snipes, Annabella Sciorra, Spike Lee, Anthony Quinn, Samuel L. Jackson, John Turturro, Ossie Davis, Ruby Dee, Lonette McKee, Frank Vincent, Halle Berry, Tim Robbins, Brad Dourif, Queen Latifah Directed by: Spike Lee

Spike Lee's 1991 story about an interracial relationship and its consequences on the lives and communities of the lovers (Wesley Snipes, Annabella Sciorra) is one of his most captivating and focused films. Snipes and Sciorra are very good as individuals trying to reach beyond the limits imposed upon them for reasons of race, tradition, sexism, and such. Lee makes an interesting and subtle case that they are driven to one another out of frustration with social obstacles as well as pure attraction--but is that enough for love to survive? John Turturro is featured in a subplot as an Italian American who grows attracted to a black woman and takes heat from his numbskull buddies. --Tom Keogh