Abstract
Do the Right Thing was released in May 1989 in Cannes. Spike Lee directed, produced and wrote the screenplay for the film. It tackles the subject of race relations by depicting the ethnic communities of the Brooklyn's Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood, where Spike Lee grew up. Spike Lee plays the role of the main character Mookie, who works at Sal's pizzeria and has a son with Tina. Although Lee wanted Robert De Niro, the role of Sal went to Danny Aiello. Do the Right Thing is a family and friends affair: he hired his girlfriend Rosie Perez (Tina), his sister Joie Lee (Jade), and his father Bill Lee, a jazz musician, who composed the film music. He also kept most of the actors from his previous film School Daze . He wrote the role of Smiley, a man with a mental handicap, for Roger G. Smith who absolutely wanted to star in the film. Spike Lee was nominated for Best Writing at the 1990 Academy Awards for this movie.
