--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I had seen 'Do the Right Thing' when I…" description: "\"I had seen 'Do the Right Thing' when I was at college, and it was incredibly inspiring as a piece of cinema. Just brilliant, I thought. But saw 'Malcol..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/036/justin-chadwick-37112_american_i-had-seen-do-the-right-thing-when-i-was_3075963.jpg" --- # I had seen 'Do the Right Thing' when I was at college, and… ![“I had seen 'Do the Right Thing' when I was at college, and it was incredibly inspiring as a piece of cinema. Just brilliant, I thought. But saw 'Malcolm X' with a crowded audience. It was my first time in an American cinema, hearing an audience respond. You know, in England, everyone is so…” quote by Justin Chadwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/036/justin-chadwick-37112_american_i-had-seen-do-the-right-thing-when-i-was_3075963.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/036/justin-chadwick-37112_american_i-had-seen-do-the-right-thing-when-i-was_3075963.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/036/justin-chadwick-37112_american_i-had-seen-do-the-right-thing-when-i-was_3075963.jpg) > “I had seen 'Do the Right Thing' when I was at college, and it was incredibly inspiring as a piece of cinema. Just brilliant, I thought. But saw 'Malcolm X' with a crowded audience. It was my first time in an American cinema, hearing an audience respond. You know, in England, everyone is so restrained.” [Justin Chadwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-chadwick/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Realized cinema’s power to provoke thought and reflect communal experience, especially across cultures. **In simple terms:** Cinema can inspire and unite audiences. Key Takeaway Use film to spark dialogue and cultural awareness. Themes culture film social impact Mood reflective thoughtful Type analytical inspirational When to use this quote - college film class - community screening - film discussion panel Key Concepts racial dynamics audience reaction Questions to Reflect On - How does audience reaction shape a film’s message? - What stories need more diverse voices? A Different Perspective Audience may resist challenging viewpoints. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Audience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/audience/) [Brilliant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brilliant/) [Cinema](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cinema/) [College](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/college/) [Do the right thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/do-the-right-thing/) [England](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/england/) [Inspiring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspiring/) [Malcolm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/malcolm/) [Right thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right-thing/) [Thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thought/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [If they had not murdered Malcolm X, there probably never would have been a Black Panther Party.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-seale/if-they-had-not-murdered-malcolm-x-there-probably-never-would-have/) [Bobby Seale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-seale/) > [Malcolm X and Elijah Muhammad's message made a whole lot of people feel whole again, human being again. Some of them came out and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-henrik-clarke/malcolm-x-and-elijah-muhammad-s-message-made-a-whole-lot-of-people/) [John Henrik Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-henrik-clarke/) > [If you blink, you will miss me, but I am in 'Malcolm X.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-donovan/if-you-blink-you-will-miss-me-but-i-am-in-malcolm-x/) [Martin Donovan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-donovan/) > [I'm going to have to call up Spike Lee. I did a cameo for him in 'Malcolm X,' and I'm trying to get him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-seale/i-m-going-to-have-to-call-up-spike-lee-i-did-a-cameo-for-him-in/) [Bobby Seale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-seale/) > [When white supremacy becomes institutional, it begins to harm the very people who are not simply outside of it because of their race, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-eric-dyson/when-white-supremacy-becomes-institutional-it-begins-to-harm-the-very/) [Michael Eric Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-eric-dyson/) > [The rage was in me, and if it wasn't for the rage, then I wouldn't know how to be calm. They feed off of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-sheffield/the-rage-was-in-me-and-if-it-wasn-t-for-the-rage-then-i-wouldn-t-know/) [Gary Sheffield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-sheffield/) > [David Icke reminded me of Malcolm X.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/david-icke-reminded-me-of-malcolm-x/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [In Singapore, Malcolm X type of activity would be extremely difficult because the government can be very harsh on lawbreakers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/in-singapore-malcolm-x-type-of-activity-would-be-extremely-difficult/) [Ian Mckellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mckellen/) > [I have always looked at cinema as not just a medium for entertainment, but as a medium that can bring about social change as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kunal-kapoor/i-have-always-looked-at-cinema-as-not-just-a-medium-for-entertainment/) [Kunal Kapoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kunal-kapoor/) > [I was lucky to land up in Mumbai when serious cinema was just beginning to flower.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naseeruddin-shah/i-was-lucky-to-land-up-in-mumbai-when-serious-cinema-was-just/) [Naseeruddin Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naseeruddin-shah/) > [I would personally not run down any cinema just because I am not capable of making it. Anurag Kashyap makes a certain kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rohit-shetty/i-would-personally-not-run-down-any-cinema-just-because-i-am-not/) [Rohit Shetty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rohit-shetty/) > [I spent my entire time reading books and going to the cinema, just to escape.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-caine/i-spent-my-entire-time-reading-books-and-going-to-the-cinema-just-to/) [Michael Caine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-caine/) > [I don't want to choose between commercial and independent cinema. I just want to choose between a good film and a bad film.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kalki-koechlin/i-don-t-want-to-choose-between-commercial-and-independent-cinema-i/) [Kalki Koechlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kalki-koechlin/) > [Cinema is not just a medium of entertainment. Yes, it should entertain, but cinema is made to convey a message, to say something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pankaj-tripathi/cinema-is-not-just-a-medium-of-entertainment-yes-it-should-entertain/) [Pankaj Tripathi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pankaj-tripathi/) > [I've learnt so much since I joined cinema. I just want to take it as a positive experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shruti-haasan/i-ve-learnt-so-much-since-i-joined-cinema-i-just-want-to-take-it-as-a/) [Shruti Haasan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shruti-haasan/) ## More by Justin Chadwick > [Manchester Youth theater, then the National Student Theater Company, and later, my degree course, all helped form my love of telling stories and directing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-chadwick/manchester-youth-theater-then-the-national-student-theater-company/) [Justin Chadwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-chadwick/) > [I was very fortunate that a teacher saw that I read a lot and got bored very easily and had a lot of energy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-chadwick/i-was-very-fortunate-that-a-teacher-saw-that-i-read-a-lot-and-got/) [Justin Chadwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-chadwick/) > [My job is to create a film, where we are capturing truth in performances.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-chadwick/my-job-is-to-create-a-film-where-we-are-capturing-truth-in/) [Justin Chadwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-chadwick/) > [Its amazing what you can do without in terms of filmmaking when a story is really important.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-chadwick/its-amazing-what-you-can-do-without-in-terms-of-filmmaking-when-a/) [Justin Chadwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-chadwick/) > [It is important that alongside the blockbusters there are stories that can inspire and audiences can experience together in the cinema.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-chadwick/it-is-important-that-alongside-the-blockbusters-there-are-stories/) [Justin Chadwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-chadwick/) > [As soon as I got my proper first job, I never did acting again. I think the last thing I did was a Mike…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-chadwick/as-soon-as-i-got-my-proper-first-job-i-never-did-acting-again-i-think/) [Justin Chadwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-chadwick/) > [I managed to get a short film with Channel 4 Films. I cast a young actor who'd done a bit of television before, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-chadwick/i-managed-to-get-a-short-film-with-channel-4-films-i-cast-a-young/) [Justin Chadwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-chadwick/) > [It's amazing what you can do without in terms of filmmaking when a story is really important.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-chadwick/it-s-amazing-what-you-can-do-without-in-terms-of-filmmaking-when-a/) [Justin Chadwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-chadwick/) > [My first lead role was a stage play called 'A Kestrel for a Knave'. I was 11.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-chadwick/my-first-lead-role-was-a-stage-play-called-a-kestrel-for-a-knave-i/) [Justin Chadwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-chadwick/) > [Mandela was true to himself, to his people and his principles. He sacrificed everything because he was prepared to be true to his ideals.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-chadwick/mandela-was-true-to-himself-to-his-people-and-his-principles-he/) [Justin Chadwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-chadwick/) > [After college, I funded my short films with acting roles in film and TV. I learned my craft through the great opportunities British television…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-chadwick/after-college-i-funded-my-short-films-with-acting-roles-in-film-and/) [Justin Chadwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-chadwick/) [Explore all 12 Justin Chadwick quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-chadwick/) ## More American quotes > [I wasn't attracted to American cinema, but I fell in love with Los Angeles the minute I arrived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-varda/i-wasn-t-attracted-to-american-cinema-but-i-fell-in-love-with-los/) [Agnes Varda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-varda/) > [William Maxwell's my favorite North American writer, I think. And an Irish writer who used to write for 'The New Yorker' called Maeve Brennan,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-munro/william-maxwell-s-my-favorite-north-american-writer-i-think-and-an/) [Alice Munro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-munro/) > [I have fallen in love with American names, the sharp names that never get fat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-vincent-benet/i-have-fallen-in-love-with-american-names-the-sharp-names-that-never/) [Stephen Vincent Benet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-vincent-benet/) > [I really like a lot of American country stuff, so my music has that influence, but I don't like to be set within a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jade-bird/i-really-like-a-lot-of-american-country-stuff-so-my-music-has-that/) [Jade Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jade-bird/) > [I certainly don't think that the heirs of the American Revolution were a particularly noble class.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-w-brands/i-certainly-don-t-think-that-the-heirs-of-the-american-revolution/) [H. W. Brands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-w-brands/) > [Congress passed the American Rescue Plan Act in a tremendous investment to support millions of workers without a paycheck and behind on bills.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-auchincloss/congress-passed-the-american-rescue-plan-act-in-a-tremendous/) [Jake Auchincloss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-auchincloss/) > [Small businesses are the backbone of the American economy and employ almost half of the working population. Yet because of their size, they rarely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-lipinski/small-businesses-are-the-backbone-of-the-american-economy-and-employ/) [Dan Lipinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-lipinski/) > [Although I write in English, and despite the fact that I'm from America, I consider myself an Armenian writer. The words I use are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-saroyan/although-i-write-in-english-and-despite-the-fact-that-i-m-from/) [William Saroyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-saroyan/) > [When we first sold the Wallace and Gromit shorts to America, people suggested we get rid of the strange British accents and put clear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-park/when-we-first-sold-the-wallace-and-gromit-shorts-to-america-people/) [Nick Park](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-park/) > [Firefighters and rescue workers are American superheroes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-kennedy/firefighters-and-rescue-workers-are-american-superheroes/) [Kerry Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-kennedy/) > [France has not only built a bureaucratic barrier against American culture, it has constructed a notorious intellectual case against it as well. The French…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-cowen/france-has-not-only-built-a-bureaucratic-barrier-against-american/) [Tyler Cowen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-cowen/) > [New York and San Francisco are distinctly different. San Francisco is driving the American media, not New York. You have young, microwaved millionaires and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-whitlock/new-york-and-san-francisco-are-distinctly-different-san-francisco-is/) [Jason Whitlock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-whitlock/) > [Well look, CIA is an agency that has to collect intelligence, do operations. We have to take risks and it's important that we take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-panetta/well-look-cia-is-an-agency-that-has-to-collect-intelligence-do/) [Leon Panetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-panetta/) > [Food as a hobby used to be an elite pastime, and it has become something that is totally ordinary for people of every background.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-goodyear/food-as-a-hobby-used-to-be-an-elite-pastime-and-it-has-become/) [Dana Goodyear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-goodyear/) > [It's important for American soldiers to be culturally sensitive when deployed in foreign countries. But it's just as important for the U.S. never to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-bauer/it-s-important-for-american-soldiers-to-be-culturally-sensitive-when/) [Gary Bauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-bauer/) Browse all 7,717 American quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I had seen 'Do the Right Thing' when I was at college, and it was incredibly inspiring as a piece of cinema. Just brilliant, I thought. But saw 'Malcolm X' with a crowded audience. It was my first time in an American cinema, hearing an audience respond. 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