The Color of Friendship (2000 TV Movie) User Reviews

Real Kids, Real Issues

[bkoganbing · 8/10 · 4 February 2009]

When I was watching The Color Of Friendship the only question I had was how a film like this was made at the Disney Studio. The answer is that it wasn't though it was distributed and exhibited by the folks at the Magic Kingdom. It's a film of rare insight and social significance, unlike the usual stuff you get from Disney.

In 1977 Congressman Ron Dellums through an incredible bit of bureaucratic snafuing got to host an African child as part of an exchange program. But our color blind applications don't take into account that he could and did wind up with a young girl from the apartheid Union Of South Africa. Her arrival proves to be a learning experience all around except sadly for her South African peers.

The Color Of Friendship works as well as it does because of the casting and chemistry of Shadia Simmons as Pieper Dellums and Lindsey Haun as Mahree Bok. What I liked most about The Color Of Friendship is that these two young ladies acted like real kids instead of Hollywood kids you see on so many shows.

The other thing about The Color Of Friendship is the hope it shows. We older folks live with so many built in prejudices and feelings and the hope of the world is that the younger generations as they come see past more and more of them. In another film about South Africa, a black character says to Donald Sutherland that it's all going to work out in the end because your son will not believe their lies. As we see here, young Ms. Haun does question the racist assumptions that the apartheid South Africa was built on.

Carl Lumbly, best known for playing Detective Petrie on Cagney&Lacey, plays Ron Dellums who is now Mayor of Oakland, California. Lumbly is fine in the part although if you look at pictures of Ron Dellums, he could be Morgan Freeman's twin brother. But I guess the producers could not afford Morgan Freeman. Penny Johnson plays Roscoe Dellums who sadly in real life got divorced from Ron Dellums many years after 1977 when this film is set. Her character is from the Phylicia Rashad school of mothers, that's not a put down.

Filmed in 2000 The Color Of Friendship turned out happily to be be a harbinger of things to come in South Africa. Don't miss this film if the Disney Channel ever broadcasts it again.

Family movie with a little something extra

[Whitetd12000 · 7/10 · 23 October 2012]

Based on a true story, The Color Of Friendship centers on Piper Dellums, the daughter of Congressman Ron Dellums and her experience hosting a Caucasian South African girl in 1977. The film is unlike most children's TV movies (and most DCOMS of the decade) due to the high educational value. The film showcases the very real effects of South African apartheid and its influence on attitudes towards racism in South Africa in contrast to the relative freedoms of the US. Mari, through her worldviews, sees African Americans as second class, clashing with the Dellums, who no doubt still feel the emotional scars of racism. Tension eventually gives way to friendship and the realization that racism is not only useless but immoral. Overall,the movie succeeds in its goals to foster understanding and race relation in a way that is not heavy-handed or preachy.

A very good movie with an important message.

[Blizzy · 7/10 · 5 February 2000]

I loved this movie. I think that it is great for people to watch, especially younger kids. The message is clear and should be recognized by everyone. I love the fact that it takes place during the time of the apartheid in South Africa, and so the kids in America are all dressing "groovy"...Haha! That adds to the factor for kids to enjoy the movie. Anyway, this was wonderfully acted and the two girls, Piper and Mahree, did an excellent job. See this movie on the Disney Channel.

Surprisingly well done

[figureskater67 · 28 April 2002]

I went in with low expectations for this TV movie being a Disney channel original movie.But Disney Channel did it right on this.The cast was flawless and Luren Haun who plays Mahree Bok does a convincing accent and fits the part well.It is a touching story that uses historical fact.This movie was picture perfect!

Tough to decide a rating

[brandi-ferrell · 6/10 · 23 November 2022]

Normally I would probably give a movie like this a five because that's what I give movies that were ok but I wouldn't really want to watch again, which is true. But I'm giving it a little something extra because the acting wasn't too bad, I learned something new, and it wasn't as bad as all the other Disney channel original movies I watched before it! It's a little dated but also still relevant and it's interesting that it's based on real events I had never heard of. I noticed a lot of people mentioning discrepancies between the year this took place and some of the cars, monuments, records, etc. That would not have existed yet, but I didn't even notice or pay that close of attention I guess!

Excellent story line and great acting.

[p.a.tolliver · 10/10 · 28 February 2001]

I truly enjoyed watching this movie more than once. The main thing I liked about the movie was the depiction of how both sides knew so little about the individual, but was willing to attach what the attitude was regarding apartheid from both sides. I think it is important for us as Americans to realize that not everyone in S. Africa who is white agrees with the concept of apartheid. That was shown very well in the movie. It also showed how the characters involved in the conflict grew and expanded their view point and ultimately accepted the other person regardless of what they initially believed in. The whole cast was fantastic.

Real life experience

[francoischristana · 7/10 · 12 August 2021]

Mahree, white girl from South Africa stays with a black family from the US for a couple months apart of an exchange program. She was confused of their high class lifestyle because in her country blacks are poor and servants, her views were changed based on her experience. I did not like that the word "nigger" was used in this movie especially a movie they show on Disney channel.

Absolutely Great!!!

[emalily2001 · 10/10 · 1 August 2000]

If you haven't seen this movie, I think you should see it. I love this movie and also cried at the end when I read the truth about the movie. You need to see it so you can find out what happened then and is still happening today which is wrong. I have a world history teacher who told me that he is not African American. He said that he is, "AMERICAN," just like me and that the only thing different from him and me is that he has darker skin then me. We both do the same things(well almost I mean he is older then me), we both have friends no matter who they are.

Disney surprise

[dana-218 · 10/10 · 25 February 2009]

I watch the first 10 minutes of my kids' shows with them for content. They're banned from Zack and Cody, and a few others, because the boys basically chase girls and are sneaky.

Most of the time, I can't tolerate more than 10 minutes on Disney. This show was very compelling (even for an adult). Now I read that it is based on a true story. I was relieved to find a story that wasn't over-acted (as most Disney shows); dealt with real issues, but was still stylized (higher budget) enough to hold the kids' attention. Bravo! To my surprise, I watched every minute with my eight-year-old...and had a conversation about the Aparteid Bill, and the follow-up comments on this site.

Future Shock in America!

[higherall7 · 8/10 · 29 April 2012]

Every now and then people have asked me what it feels like to be a Black Man in a White Man's World. The truth be told, I have never operated under any such delusion. The world is too big and wide to be the exclusive oyster of any one particular group, and I have always felt this to be so. That is why 'THE COLOR OF FRIENDSHIP' is such an interesting and enlightening film.

The Dali Lama has pointed out in an amazing anecdote about bees how spiritual poverty can run deeper than any material lack of means. It is one thing to be blind and poor, it is quite another not be aware that you are suffering from these conditions. Mauree Bok, as played by Lindsey Haun, arrives in the United States as an exchange student from South Africa; well scrubbed, well fed, a beautiful and neatly dressed representative of White Privilege. She even has a black maid named Flora, as played by Melanie Nicholls-King, who tells her stories about weaver birds. Really entertaining it is then to discover by degrees that she is as ignorant and poor and blind to her deprivation regarding the intellectual and spiritual riches of this world as would be any slumdog in Calcutta or Mumbai deprived of bread, clean clothes and adequate shelter.

When this young girl takes flight in a plane headed for Washington D.C. she is all interest and excitement about embarking upon this new adventure. She appears to be a properly maturing woman with a hint of that cool reserve and aloofness that can be noted so often framing the features of certain members of the White Race. This is to be her first foray into the world beyond her own country and all that she knows.

Piper Dellums, as played by Shadia Simmons, awaits the arrival of this exchange student, along with her mother, Roscoe Dellums, as played by Penny Johnson, expecting an African girl similar to them in hue. But, to paraphrase Flip Wilson, what they see is what they get; and what they get is a quantum leap in human understanding for all concerned. Here is a young girl from a racist nation in Africa, who is socially conditioned to see them as servants ready to take her bags, rather than as the 'Host Family' she is to stay with for the next few months. Even to the viewer the whole situation has the elements of a practical joke. However, in this case, the only person laughing is upstairs and most probably giving high fives all around.

This brings me back to my opening statement. The best way, as you know, to understand the condition of another is to put yourself in their position. There is a real fascination to seeing Mauree Bok suddenly thrust out of her comfort zone into a world beyond the immediate range of her understanding. She finds herself in a flash, faster than the speed of sound, living with a family of educated Black Folks who live in a neighborhood populated with other Black Folks assuming positions of status, power and responsibility.

That this is a culture and future shock that Alvin Toffler never wrote about is an understatement. The intriguing thing is to see how this young lady deals with this state of affairs. Even the most hard hearted person would sympathize that this is 'too much too soon' for a growing young person barely in her teens to tolerably experience. How she manages to assimilate this adventure becomes most of the fun.

Carl Lumbly portrays Ron Dellums as an admirable example of African American manhood. Sane and sensible, he is neither the personification of Black Rage burning towards martyrdom as was the late, lamented Stephen Biko, or bearing the cross as the paragon of all that is good and sterling about the Black Race, as did Sidney Poitier. He is simply an intelligent person, thoroughly grounded in his own cultural heritage, who is able to work the system to his advantage and wield power responsibly towards positive ends.

The real revelation is that Ms. Bok gets to put her hands on books that would otherwise be banned under the totalitarian regime of South Africa at that time. She gravitates over to Alex Haley 'ROOTS', and does a book report on Alan Patton's 'CRY THE BELOVED COUNTRY', while going to school with Piper Dellums. This reminds me of a joke I once heard about how do you hide things from Black Folks, but I suppose I shouldn't go there. I'll just put it in a book one day.

Anyway, I would love to see a sequel where Mauree Bok reflects upon the things she read in 'ROOTS' and 'CRY THE BELOVED COUNTRY', while aptly comparing the ideas from these books to her day to day life experience. Unfortunately, I understand the young woman upon whose real life this story was based vanished when she came home. Piper Dellums lost contact with her and no one knows exactly where she is to this day. This is a sobering thought that points out that many people coming from all walks of life have become involved in the struggle for the freedoms that we enjoy today. Evidently, this struggle will always be a cosmopolitan affair, requiring an intelligent approach to the subject of Racial Injustice and Unrest. It is not a subject for the unenlightened or faint of heart to rush blindly into, unless of course God requires that they should do so.

Kevin Hooks produced and directed this film with intelligence and reserve, and Stanley Clarke produces a winning score for a film that really is about something in the end.

There are a couple racist main characters, but not who you would expect.

[joe_imdb-4 · 5/10 · 2 February 2006]

I was not entirely impressed with this movie. I understand it was written for kids, but the "adult" characters in this movie were the most immature of the lot. A couple examples, when the black mom and daughter goes to pick up the girl at the airport the mom's first verballized response was "She's white". This was clearly audible to the girl they are picking up. Another example, They take her to meet Congressman Dellums, the mom doesn't even try to warn her husband, forcing the girl to go through another extremely uncomfortable shunning situation by the Congressman and his associates. The Congressman even says "I will not have a white South African in my house". I don't think my kids would learn the correct lesson from this comment, since the Congressmen never says anything that indicates that was a bad thing for him to say. The movie never addresses the prejudice and racism that the black family has toward this 14 year old girl.

There were several times in the movie that the mother hears a normal 14 year old girl's comment and decides that it is clear racism. At the first breakfast this girl sits down to eat at this house, she asks for South African food that would be normal breakfast for her. This is very normal for a kid that is used to having breakfast made for them by an adult in the household. The mom then asks if she has a maid. This then brings on a reprimand for asking. She is told that she will eat when the family eats (had they knocked on her door and asked her to come down to eat?) and would eat what the family eats (in this case, cold ceral).

Why did the family not try to make this girl comfortable at all? At this point in the movie, the only attempt to make her comfortable is the mom telling the girl that she has called the Exchange Student coordinator and they are arranging for another home or she can go back to South Africa. The girl had then asked if she could stay with them instead of going home.

It is hard to see who is the role model for a child. I found myself thinking that the actual role model is the white girl. She only knows what she has seen and grown up with. She is treated like dirt by this "foster family" that has agreed to bring her in. She manages to look through all of this and still learn that the way she was raised is not good. The Congressman's daughter may come in second, but the rest of the Congressman's family is not a role model. They treat this girl like dirt simply because she is white. The Congressman says several things that were just outright racist and he never learns anything. At the end he has come to like the girl, but it is clearly "despite her being white". I hope that the real Congressman Dellums was not like this and was not consulted in the making of this movie.

Bottom line - I would be uncomfortable having my kids watch this show because there are not enough good role models in this movie to enforce the message they are trying to spread.

enjoyable, educational

[k_barra · 23 August 2001]

Ok I don't normally watch Disney channel movies, but lately some of them have not been that bad. The Color of Friendship was one of these. It showed real problems in an atmosphere that was understandable to younger audiences and yet not wholly uninteresting to adults. The two teenage girls provided a great dichotomy, and though some of their arguments were unrealistic, for the most part the issues were clearly and logically presented. Even as an educated young adult, the movie still was delightfully surprising to me in that it opened my eyes and made me see more than a history book lesson, but instead real people with real feelings. It is noted in the movie, and important to remember in life, that it is not the people of the oppressive country that are inherently bad, but rather the system of beliefs that has been imposed upon them, often for generations.

Enjoyable and educational, I give it an 8 out of 10.

Excellent movie in many ways.

[minimum · 9/10 · 5 February 2000]

Though I am by no means a fan of Ron Dellums, the congressman, this movie is excellent in that it shows how love, understanding, and education can overcome hatred, bigotry, and racism. We are all human beings before we are white, black, pink, or yellow. Being a made for TV movie has it's limitations, but I liked this one a lot. Worth watching.

One of the best DCOMs I've seen

[klpcast · 9/10 · 4 July 2008]

This is an excellent movie. It is probably in my top 3 DCOMs I've watched. I watched it one day because there was nothing else on. After about 5 minutes, I was hooked and couldn't stop watching. The characters acted like real characters, and I can easily tell what's happening during the time it takes place, since I've spent a lot of time learning about it in school. The acting is also excellent. I love to watch Piper an Mahree become closer in their friendship. I wasn't able to see the ending, but I can tell that the ending will be good like the rest of the movie. The older Disney Channel Movies like this one are really good.

A Touching Movie

[JackBauerPowerHour · 8/10 · 28 June 2003]

The first time I say The Color of Friendship,I didn't know what I was getting at first but then I really liked this movie a lot.This movie was very good in a lot of ways.Now I know why this movie won a Emmy and a couple of awards.Good acting,Good Writting and Good Cast.A Touching movie.10/10.

Well told, well acted, important story.

[PMDonovan · 10/10 · 11 November 2006]

This true story is a must see for all children and adults not only because it tries to teach important lessons about learning to live with, and value, people's differences, but because the story is told in a manner that is encourages questions between parents and children. The actors are both convincing and engaging and the location shots remarkable.

I have watched this movie with my daughter several times since she was 5 years old and she is now 7. Each time she has asked questions about what people where doing and why. We discussed the whats and wondered about the whys; how people develop the attitudes and feelings of a South Africa. We also discussed how, in some respects, life in the U.S is the not that different from life in South Africa. She has learned that one needs to be aware of institutional racism (yes, at 7, my daughter knows what racism is) and to work to overcome it within oneself and where possible, in others.

Off my soap box, this is a movie to be enjoyed for its art as well as its message.

GOOD MOVIE

[Yejoo13 · 18 February 2000]

I thought that this was a really good movie that teaches a lot about what went on back then. I am reading a book called Cry, The Beloved Country in school right now and this is exactly what it is dealing with. All the law and acts that were passed in South Africa. This movie I think takes a pretty realistic look at all the problems South Africa had. And to have a white girl from South Africa was a good idea. It shows that not ALL white people were the same. She was pretty open minded and I think that this movie should be shown to anyone is studying/learning about the trials in South Africa. (Apartheid)

Great Teaching Tool

[marushia · 9/10 · 4 February 2007]

I am always on the lookout for movies/shows that can be used to raise interest in and personalize learning. Many children can't get excited about history because it seems so far away and unrelatable - mostly because they are often taught to memorize dates, names, and places rather than being told a story that illustrates what life may have been like for someone their age.

Now more than ever, movies like this are important! It can inspire people to look past politics and propaganda to find the truth. While this movie was about Apartheid; it is a great tool for helping people to understand the civil rights movement. Even more important it can lead to discussions about current events that threaten our most fundamental freedoms. Fighting to keep constitutional rights that make America great is imperative. This movie illustrates the importance of seeking alternative sources of news and information, seeking opinions that differ from your own, and considering how legislation will affect every day life for the minority. Try reading or watching International news, advocacy web sites and literature, and personal accounts in order to make an informed decision before you vote.

I will definitely be downloading this from my Tivo so my son can see why history and civil rights are important now more than ever.

A powerful movie about racism, prejudice, and how we take our freedom for granted

[lunarsimsgaming · 10/10 · 17 November 2019]

A powerful movie about racism, prejudice, and how we take our freedom for granted.

The Dellum family decides to host a foreign exchange student from Africa named Mahree Bok. Unknown to the Bok family, the Dellum family is a black family. Unknown to the Dellum family, Mahree is white. We see the effect of Mahree's parent's racist and prejudiced teachings in Mahree. This movie is a powerful look at how racism effects both black and white people. This movie also shows how we as Americans take our freedom for granted.

This movie is surprisingly deep for a Disney movie.

Best DCOM So Far!

[sugarcubeeee · 10/10 · 23 December 2008]

This is definitely my favorite Disney Channel movie. It's a very sweet film about how big a deal people thought your race was a long time ago. This movie is so much better than the stupid musical crap Disney won't stop airing. This movie is actually based on true events as well, except instead of Mahree her name was Carrie I think. Next time this movie is on, which will probably be sometime during Black History Month, you really have to see it, whether for the first time or just for old times sake. Please, Disney, quit showing High School Musical and Camp Rock 10 times per month and put this and your other amazing 90's movies on more!!!!

A most wonderful surprise, just like what the "user ratings" reported.

[akg96-1 · 10/10 · 12 April 2006]

Glad I check out this site for good movies! I had SO many to choose from tonight, but after seeing all the "user ratings" it was obvious which one would be a good one. I suspend objectivity to a degree to get into watching any movie, or else I'd merely be seeing a flickering lit screen. But I thought this movie did very well, even if the insensitivity of the Dellum was atrocious. But others were just as myopic & self-absorbed in their own unconscious & asleep ego. (Yes, that's redundant.) Although I thought for the message sake that the Dellum family in real life was not like that portrayed. Funny how they were proud to be fighting racism & apartheid, but were SO insensitive & racists (like we all can be & are at times, depending on how you define racism). It's good to know who you are & what type (?) of people you resonate with. As it turns out only 5% of the users voted this movie to be a 1,2, or 3. Looks like a chunk of the brain got removed along with a heart bypass. Pity, to have lost your humanity & have no heart. How else could this be explained? I found this movie to be very moving, honest & real. And it's not just for kids. Acting's very good too. This movie sheds light & opens the heart. What do you want for 2 hours of your life? Special effects? Violence? A "good" guy vs. "bad" guy "moral"? How quaint, gullible & escapist can that be, or maybe not. Anyway, if you're alive with a heart & soul, then this ones for you. Anyway, the race war is being won here in the U.S. so far, at least until overpopulating, immigration, & economic degradation raises up it little ugly head. (This is an easy topic to address, but try the war between the sexes (genders). Good luck!)

A very strong message

[magpiemegnut · 11 April 2002]

This is a Disney channel origanel, but it's very good. This movie can be understood and liked by kids but not be boring for adults. It contains a very strong message that even young children can appreciate. Mahree and Piper are acted superbly by Lindsey Haun and Shadia Simmons. I highly recomend it if you like very strong films. (The costumes are great and so is the music!)

Not your typical DCOM

[sildarmillion · 8/10 · 1 December 2020]

DCOMs, or Disney Channel Original Movies are generally feel-good wholesome teen movies, but I do tend to think of them being wrapped up in a teen bubble.

This movie is decidedly not in a bubble, even if it is wholesome and to an extent, feel good. It is also very obviously educational because characters would have to launch into expositions trying to explain the apartheid.

In trying to depict the situation in South Africa, the movie almost seemed to idealize America, but it would take stock of that now and again. But really, what stand out about the movie is watching the white daughter of a South African policeman coming to America as an exchange student and finding out that her host family is black and seeing how she reacts to it.

The most incredible part about this all is that this is actually based on a true story.

Simple film it is wonderful... Perect...

[RosanaBotafogo · 9/10 · 19 November 2022]

Mahree Bok lives on a farm in southern Africa. Her father is a policeman who cannot hide his joy when activist Steve Biko is captured by the South African authorities. Piper Dellums is the daughter of a congressman from California and USA who lives in a beautiful house in Washington DC. When Mahree is chosen to spend a semester at the Dellums' house, she doesn't expect her family to be black. Neither her hosts suspect that she is not a black South African. Written by Dragomir R. Radev

Based on real events about the friendship between two girls, in an exchange in which Piper Dellum, a black girl from the United States, receives Mahree Bok, a white girl from apartheid South Africa, in her home for 4 months, in the year 1977, who learn about tolerance and friendship, a beautiful, passionate, emotional, necessary film, this in the 2000s, but still necessary, although we are not mentally far from the dark days of Apartheid, disgusting and shameful... I cried, in pain... Simple film it is wonderful...

Disney Channel's....Best Movie?

[TheMysteriousReviewer · 8/10 · 20 February 2022]

The Color of Friendship is one if not the best Disney Channel Original Movie. I'm not gonna lie, it is quite rare to see an actual good Disney Channel movie nowadays. The last time they did something good was Let It Shine. And the problem with their movies nowadays is they reserve plots that are generic and their quality of storytelling pretty low, even for TV standards. This would result for them to be either mediocre at best or horrible at worst. But before they have became an embarrassment, they were just simple teen movies back in the early days of their television program. And this movie is the most enjoyable one they have made about races. It presents both the different cultures of America and Africa and the bigotry of other races (and unfortunately are still happening to this day). And honestly, I have never saw Disney Channel have the courage to present a message like this. Powerful messages is something we should get more out of Disney Channel, not just mediocre ones. Which would make both the story and the characters a lot memorable. This is probably an important one for you to check out considering this review has been posted for Black History Month. However, the commentary on this would more be something adults to fully understand. Honestly, Disney Channel has not just lost their touch with their recent films, but also with most of their sitcoms that try to be comedic and wacky instead of making them fun. But when watching the movie, it feels the program does have their charm of actually make good quality projects. But hey, at least they've made good cartoons in recent years.